The city walls of Colmars-les-Alpes have protected the town since the end of the 14th century. They were improved several times during the 16th and 17th centuries. Two gates, the Porte de France and the Porte de Savoie, provide access to the city.
Description
The fortified walls of Colmars-les-Alpes, built at the end of the 14th century, were reinforced in the 16th and 17th centuries to protect the town from attack. Two monumental gates – the Porte de France and the Porte de Savoie – provide access.
Under François I, improvements were made, then at the end of the 17th century, the engineer Niquet modernized the whole: adding towers, bastions, powder magazine, while preserving the medieval elements.
The wall, punctuated by seven defensive towers and a patrol path, is preceded by a moat. Pentagonal redoubts protect the entrances, and several bastioned towers, typical of the modern era, reinforce the system.
Enclosing the heart of the village, this remarkable enclosure bears witness to the evolution of fortification techniques, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.