Belle-Île: Valode & Pistre reinvent the Vauban Citadel

Between austerity and refinement, power and delicacy, the project to develop a luxury hotel dedicated to well-being and relaxation in the imposing citadel of Belle-Ile-en-Mer is an opportunity for Valode & Pistre to take a specific architectural approach of mutual enhancement, like a duality between historical restoration and contemporary creation.

This famous citadel, with its imposing silhouette, dominates Port du Palais, affirming its historical role in protecting the Breton coast and monitoring the Atlantic. From atop its ramparts, the connection with the sea is unique, offering a 180-degree view of the ocean and the islands of Houat and Hoëdic. The site has been continuously fortified since the 14th century, culminating in its most significant period when Vauban, Commissioner General of the Armies, decided in 1683 to make it "one of the best strongholds in the kingdom."

Despite its 5,5 km of walls, designed for a naval attack, and its capacity of 2000 men, the citadel fell into the hands of the English who took advantage of the weaknesses in the land defenses... Abandoned, then sold by the State in 1960, it was saved by private individuals and their architect Philippe Prost.

The importance of its history, for the island, its inhabitants, and visitors, is such that it was decided to revitalize the existing museum, transforming it into a true educational and historical center open to the public. Tracing the history of the Citadel and the island, it will also have an educational focus on the island's endemic flora.

The two programs will coexist independently, each occupying the spaces best suited to its function. The architectural intervention in each dedicated space has been conceived within the duality of military/luxury hotel, according to distinct but coordinated concepts, giving the impression that the hotel or museum could be dismantled to reveal the original citadel.

As an example, some of the spaces chosen as discoveries include the "Grand Quartier," the former barracks and main building, whose ground-floor vaults have been converted into a spa and whose powerful stone arches on the upper floors provide a memorable setting for guest rooms. Within the ramparts, overlooking the ocean, the "Bretèche" has been reconstructed and transformed into a space for relaxation and meditation facing the horizon. The project aims to reveal the Citadel in its original purity, free from any superfluous additions.

On the garden side, a long vaulted gallery houses a circuit of three swimming pools, each offering a distinct temperature, surmounted by a horizontal mirror of the same size creating a spectacular display.

An outdoor swimming pool, accessible via a mysterious underground passage, is built on the "False Sea Wall," giving the impression of swimming above the ocean. The large "Arsenal" area, overlooking the "Place d'Armes," houses one of the two restaurants. The "Governor's House" and its location are ideal for upscale suites, while its courtyard will be dedicated to private dinners or select events.

The "Governor's Bastion", the highest point of the Citadel, is reconstructed with its defensive embankments and its avenue of trees originally intended to conceal the smoke from the cannons.

The "North Curtain Wall Casemate" will be converted into a museum, the centerpiece of which will be the "Powder Magazine of the Outpost". The domed space of this circular powder magazine, preserved intact, will host video projections for the public.

Thus, the Valode & Pistre project proposes to write a new chapter in the history of one of the most iconic heritage sites in France. Weapons will give way to well-being and education, as Vauban, more humanist than military man, would surely have wished.

Technical specifications

Localisation

Vauban Citadel, Le Palais, Belle-Île-en-Mer (56)

Program

Renovation of the Vauban Citadel, a listed historical monument, and creation of a 90-room luxury hotel. Two restaurants, bar, swimming pools, spa, fitness center, seminar rooms, gardens, terraces, and the creation of a museum and a public walkway on the ramparts.

In association with Pierre-Antoine Gatier, Chief Architect of Historical Monuments.