Secrets of History… by Hubert(n°1)
We present to you Hubert, extreme hiker, tamer of the Gironde mangroves, explorer of the approaches to the Atlantic and… guardian of the history of a department which is not lacking in crisp anecdotes!
Secret n°1: Haute couture architecture
Aaaah Montaigne, surely one of the most famous Girondins in the world! But what you may not know is that it was he who, as mayor of Bordeaux, was behind the contract authorizing the construction of one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world, described since always as being a “royal work”! He signed THE contract that changed everything for the Cordouan lighthouse. And that's not all... He was also the one who heard of the famous engineer and architect, Louis de Foix. It was with an obvious attachment to Italian architecture that he embarked on the construction of the lighthouse. At his death, his son will continue to shape this monument, which will mark, in his own way, History and history.
Secret n°2: Star of the headlights, beacon of the stars
He is not totally Girondin (nor chauvinist) who has never heard of the “King of lighthouses”, the “Lighthouse of kings” or even the “Versailles of the seas”! The construction of the lighthouse was closely followed by Henri III, for whom it was essential to build a monument at the mouth of the Gironde, a strategic place in times of war. His successor Henri IV, will also focus all his attention on the lighthouse. It will later be raised and then inaugurated in 1790, which will make it the "lighthouse of the Lights". It will also experience major restorations under Louis XIV and then, much later, at the time of Napoleon III. If you go there, you can even tread the ground of the king's apartment... All these interventions and this work today make Cordouan an architectural reference, which travelers from all over the world have always liked and still like. to draw and photograph.
Secret #3: The One and Only
And if you want to see with your own eyes eternal proof of these royal interventions, go to the 2nd floor of the lighthouse, where you will find the monograms of Henri III and Henri IV, as well as an inscription in honor of Louis XIV and Louis XV. A symbol of his commitment and the work he did for the lighthouse, the bust of Louis de Foix also remains at the heart of the monument (extremely rare for an architect). This second floor is a chapel, which makes the lighthouse unique in the world. Indeed, torn in the Wars of Religion and recently converted to Catholicism, Henri IV had a chapel built in order to appease the people. A place where the monarch will develop a vast symbolic program on the legitimacy, strength and unity of the monarchy. In this chapel will be celebrated several masses as well as weddings…