Fort de Bregancon

A visit to Fort de Bregancon, in order to have a look at the holiday home of the Presidents of France.   We can thank President Francois Hollande, a socialist president, for this opportunity to see inside the fort, as he made a decision in 2013 to open up the fort to the public.  However, being realistic, we thought we should grab the opportunity to visit it this year as the next president may change his or her mind.

There has always been a fortress on Bregancon since 128 BC, as the rocky outcrop protected the ports of Hyeres and Toulon, plus the surrounding land.   It has been state property since the French Revolution, and housed an artillary unit and a garrison.   It was rented out to private people from 1924 to 1963.   In 1968 General de Gaulle visited it, and made it an "official residence of the President of the Republic".  It was then refurbished and made into a holiday home. 

It was now managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, who opened the site to visitors in the summer of 2014.   The two hour conducted tour, at €10 per person, was in French, but we were given a pamphlet in English, which helped a little.   A very challenging visit, language wise, unless you were fluent in French, which we were not, of course.

Fort de Bregancon, with one entrance via a causeway.    Even a helicopter would have difficulty landing on this outcrop.   A heavily guarded fort, with mini submarines patrolling from the sea.   

The beach of Cabasson, virtually next to the fort, always very busy in August, with hardly any sitting room on the sand, but quite deserted in September.    Sadly the little restaurant and sun loungers at the far end of the beach have gone.   We spent many a holiday, with family and friends, hiring the loungers, and eating our lunch in the restaurant.   Great beach.  

The tour started with a short trip across the causeway in an electric bus, and then a slow walk up the narrow driveway, while listening to complicated explanations from the guide about the history of the fort.

Finally we arrived at the heavy fortified front entrance.        

The views of the coastline were amazing.   On the day we visited, the brilliant blue water certainly lived up to its name, the Cote d'Azur.

A glimpse of the coast through a gate, just outside the main entrance of the fort.

The holiday home of the President of France.  The top level on the left was the presidential suite, and the  bottom level contained the living rooms and dining areas.   Directly in front was the entrance hall, and above it the President's office.   Unfortunately no photographs were allowed to be taken inside the building.

The interior was no Palace of Versaille.  Simplicity abounded.   However, all furniture had been specifically designed, and no doubt cost plenty of money.   It was very much a south of France holiday villa.  

The good news for me, was that I could understand the guide, as French lessons, at some point, always focused on rooms in a house.

The guest wing of the house.

The top view of the guest wing.   Some villa.

The garden was small, and also simply designed and planted with tough plants that would withstand the lack of water, and winds coming from the sea.   There were plenty of small seated areas, with fantastic views.

A view of the coast, with the causeway linking the fort to the mainlaind.   The area around the fort was a mixture of top class vineyards and woodland, with some chateaux and other large houses mixed in amongst it.  What a view.

Finally we had had an opportunity to see the inside of that mysterious and well guarded fort.   We enjoyed the visit immensely.