Viewpoint on the ramparts

This is the outer part of the ramparts, bordered by beautiful gardens. From here, you have an excellent vantage point from which to take a great souvenir shot of the city of Vannes well protected behind its walls. First, let’s take a few minutes to learn more about the history behind this famous city wall. It was the Romans who built the very first fortifications to protect the city they had conquered and named Darioritum, during the Gallic War.  They settled on this ancient Gallic site, where the ground is now about 8 metres below your feet.

Indeed, the evolution of a town also depends on the height of the ground! The sea used to come up against the ramparts of the Roman Catrum! Over time, as the city expanded, the fortifications were upgraded, enlarged and strengthened. The ramparts we see today are predominantly those of the 13th century, enlarged in the 14th century by Duke John IV. The latter almost doubled the size of the walled city, by extending it further out to sea.

The original wall, which was less than 1 km long, was extended to around 2.6 km, and was punctuated by imposing defensive watchtowers, some of which still stand today. The town grew from 5 to 10 hectares and moved towards the port, which was booming at the time. As you can imagine, the town wall evolved with technology and was adapted to the town’s defensive needs. However, weapon development and warfare methods gradually changed, to the point where the usefulness of a rampart diminished and eventually disappeared.

From the 18th century onwards, Vannes was finally able to start flourishing outside its stone corset, and parts of the wall were demolished to enable expansion. Nowadays, as you will have noticed, the ramparts of Vannes have been restored and have become a major tourist attraction, forming an integral part of its charm and historic identity.

You can stroll along the ramparts and admire the remains of the towers and walls, providing a fascinating insight into the city’s medieval history and offering magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding area.