Saint-Louis Bastion

Now, you’ve reached Saint-Louis Bastion, named in honor of Louis XIV. The houses surrounding the bastion were the only ones spared by the bombing in 1944. They were constructed in 1727. The statue you see in the center is that of Duguay-Trouin. He was a renowned Malouin corsair and admiral! Fearless and admired by his crew, he quickly rose through the ranks of the military. He began his career as a corsair at 18, became captain of the King’s ships at 24, was ennobled at 36, and rose to the rank of general officer in the French Navy at 42. By the age of 50, he served on the board of the “Compagnie perpétuelle des Indes,” a French colonial company managing trade between France and its colonies. One of his most famous exploits was the capture of Rio in 1711! The French had long wanted to intercept the annual fleet carrying precious metals from Brazil back to Lisbon. Captain Duclerc attempted this in 1710 but was killed in the process, and his crew taken prisoner. To ensure success and retaliate against Portugal, then allied with the English during the War of Spanish Succession, Louis XIV assigned Duguay-Trouin to Brazil. Despite narrowly escaping English attacks, the assault on Rio was swift and effective. The French corsair came back with a considerable treasure and rescued the 500 surviving prisoners of Captain Duclerc. That’s the essence of Duguay-Trouin’s story. If you wish to pay your respects, his remains were repatriated to Saint-Malo and reburied in the Saint-Pierre Cathedral in 1973, on his 300th birthday.