Fort de Socoa

The Fort de Socoa at Ciboure is an important edifice in the history of the town, and starts under Henry of Navarre (Henri IV of France). Anxious to protect Saint Jean de Luz from the Spanish enemy, he envisaged the construction of a fortress. But differences of opinion between the two communities of Ciboure and Saint Jean de Luz meant that the project ground to a halt. The Fort of Socoa wouldn't see the light of day until the reign of Louis XIII.

In 1636 the Spanish took the Fort and renamed the citadel Fort Castile. Some years later French souvereignty was re-established, work was undertaken again and the Fort took on its current name.

In 1686 Vauban reinforced the Fort as part of his tour of the Pyrenees and had a jetty constructed to improve access. The work on the Fort was done by Fleury and finished in 1698. The site includes a barracks and a chapel.

Photos taken on our summer holiday in the Basque Country September 2019.

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