Fouras

Fouras, also known as Fouras-les-Bains (French pronunciation: [fuʁa le bɛ̃]), is a commune in the French department of Charente-Maritime, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes). It lies 34 km south of La Rochelle.

Fouras
Commune
A general view of Fouras
Coat of arms
Location of Fouras
Fouras Show map of France Fouras Show map of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Coordinates: 45°59′16″N 1°05′35″W
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Charente-Maritime
Arrondissement	Rochefort
Canton	Châtelaillon-Plage
Intercommunality	CA Rochefort Océan
Government
• Mayor (2021–2026)	Daniel Coirier[1]
Area 1	9.51 km2 (3.67 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	4,124
• Density	430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Demonym	Fourasin·e[a]
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	17168 /17450
Elevation	0–21 m (0–69 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Fouras is on a peninsula. It is bordered by five beaches and a forest named "Bois Vert" ("Green Wood" in English) which covers 20% of its surface area.

There is a causeway linking Fouras to Fort Énet, which is walkable at low tide, in the direction of Île-d'Aix. The pier for the island of Aix is also located in the territory of the commune.

The south coast of the peninsula of Fouras forms the northern side of the mouth of the river Charente. A little further south is the Île d'Oléron. Off the island between Aix and the Oleron Island is Fort Boyard, which was made famous by the French and U.K. TV game shows of the same name and whose character "Père Fouras" ([pɛʁ fuʁa], also incorrectly pronounced [pɛʁ fuʁas]) increased the celebrity of the town.

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 615 —     1800 638 +0.53% 1806 645 +0.18% 1821 736 +0.88% 1831 860 +1.57% 1836 843 −0.40% 1841 800 −1.04% 1846 833 +0.81% 1851 823 −0.24% 1856 870 +1.12% 1861 926 +1.26% 1866 1,028 +2.11% 1872 1,138 +1.71% 1876 1,256 +2.50% 1881 1,679 +5.98% 1886 1,877 +2.25% 1891 1,887 +0.11% 1896 1,989 +1.06%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 2,171 +1.77% 1906 2,461 +2.54% 1911 2,499 +0.31% 1921 2,399 −0.41% 1926 2,322 −0.65% 1931 2,166 −1.38% 1936 2,474 +2.69% 1946 3,013 +1.99% 1954 4,068 +3.82% 1962 4,121 +0.16% 1968 3,634 −2.07% 1975 3,612 −0.09% 1982 3,295 −1.30% 1990 3,238 −0.22% 1999 3,835 +1.90% 2007 4,056 +0.70% 2012 4,083 +0.13% 2017 4,006 −0.38%
Source: EHESS[3] and INSEE (1968-2017)[4]

Vauban Fortress

The "Vauban Fortress" (French: fort Vauban, [fɔʁ vobɑ̃]) was initially a strategic fortification established by Philip the Fair, circa 1300. The donjon was rebuilt in 1480-1490 by Jehan II de Brosse. In 1689, Ferry reinforced the walls of the Donjon to set up a battery of 9 canons and a signaling point. In 1693 a lower circular battery was set up to control access to the river Charente. The donjon received a signal station from 1889 to World War II.^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Fisherman's Cabin
• 
  Fouras donjon in the "Vauban Fortress".
• 
  The "Vauban Fortress" (Fort Vauban) in Fouras.
• 
  Fort Boyard

People

• Charles-Amable Lenoir

See also

• Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

International relations

• , Agia Paraskevi, Greece
• , Geroskipou, Cyprus