Lorient

The Port-Louis Citadel, a 17th century fortress located at the mouth of the Blavet and Scorff rivers, controls access to the Rade de Lorient. Initially constructed by Spanish forces in 1590 as Fort de l’Aigle, and rebuilt under Louis XIII in the 1620s, the citadel’s bastioned design was enhanced by Vauban in 1683, reflecting the evolving requirements of coastal defence and maritime trade. Its position allowed for monitoring of vessel movements and protection of the emerging port infrastructure, situating the citadel within broader networks of naval and commercial activity.

The citadel houses two principal museums: the Musée de la Compagnie des Indes and the Musée de la Marine. Collections include ship models, navigational instruments, maps, and documents that record the evolution of trade, navigation, and naval engineering. These elements combine material heritage—fortifications, artefacts—with intangible heritage, such as navigation practices, trade knowledge, and the role of maritime rescue services. The ramparts provide a vantage point over the Rade, linking the built environment to the natural maritime landscape.

The history of the citadel is inseparable from the development of Lorient as a maritime city. From the 17th century foundation of the port by the French East India Company, through the creation of the naval arsenal, to the 20th century fishing and commercial ports of Keroman and Kergroise, Port-Louis has remained central to regional maritime activities. Despite near-total destruction of the urban fabric during Allied bombings in World War II, the citadel survived and continues to embody the historical continuity of coastal defence and port management. Preservation of the citadel ensures continuity of both physical structures and historical knowledge. By providing access to exhibitions, educational programming, and panoramic observation points, the site maintains links between past maritime practices and contemporary understanding of the Rade de Lorient, contributing to regional heritage research, tourism, and cultural awareness.

Heritage type 
Material
Immaterial

Time period
17th century onwards

GPS coordinates 
47.70970089939506, -3.362177105305778

Inscription on the NEB Compass
As a classified French monument, the Port-Louis Citadel illustrates principles aligned with the New European Bauhaus, including sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics. Preservation of the citadel ensures the endurance of its 17th century fortifications and associated historical structures, supporting long-term heritage conservation. Its museums, attracting over 20,000 visitors annually, provide inclusive educational experiences in maritime history, navigation, and trade practices, engaging diverse audiences and fostering community understanding. Strategically positioned on the Rade de Lorient, the citadel’s architecture interacts with the coastal landscape, creating visual and experiential connections between built and natural heritage. By bridging historical maritime practices with contemporary cultural engagement, the site contributes to sustainable blue tourism, encourages environmental awareness, and strengthens regional identity. The citadel demonstrates how heritage sites can integrate education, public participation, and landscape appreciation, offering a model for community-driven conservation and development consistent with NEB principles.

References
—  Égasse, B. La Citadelle et la ville de Port-Louis, Musée national de la Marine, 2013.
— “Quand Blavet devient Port-Louis”. Patrimoine et Archives / Département du Morbihan (https://patrimoines-archives.morbihan.fr/decouvrir/instants-dhistoire/les-millesimes-du-patrimoine/quand-blavet-devient-port-louis). 
— Mérot A. (1977). “Le roi, les marchands et la mer : Le Port-Louis”, Revue Historique des Armées, no. 3, pp.105-121.

The KI, KII, and KIII bunkers at Lorient La Base, located in the Morbihan region, are monumental World War II constructions erected by the German Kriegsmarine between 1941 and 1943 as part of the Keroman submarine base. These massive reinforced concrete structures, spanning over 650,000 cubic metres, housed submarines and maintenance facilities and were engineered to withstand Allied attacks, which destroyed much of the city. They exemplify 20th century military architecture and simultaneously constitute a case of “difficult heritage”, as they are among the few surviving remnants of the German occupation, which left deep psychological and social scars on the local population. The bunkers bear witness to both the traumatic occupation and the strategic maritime role of Lorient, linking pre-war, wartime, and post-war periods.

Between 2001 and 2007, the site underwent a comprehensive transformation into a multifunctional maritime hub. The bunkers now host museums, guided historical tours, and modern shipyards, while the adjacent Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly museum, attracting over 110,000 visitors annually, celebrates sailing culture, ocean racing, and maritime innovation. Cultural spaces, educational programmes, and public events complement these activities, making the site accessible to a wide audience and reinforcing its role as a centre for learning, recreation, and local identity. The base has also been awarded the 20th Century Heritage label in recognition of its architectural and historical value.

This adaptive reuse preserves the bunkers’ material and symbolic significance while fostering economic, cultural, and educational vitality. By integrating historical preservation, technological innovation, and public engagement, Lorient La Base demonstrates how difficult heritage can be creatively rehabilitated, bridging wartime resilience with contemporary nautical excellence while supporting sustainable regional development and inclusive maritime culture.

Heritage type 
Material

Time period
1940s –

GPS coordinates 
Lorient la Base 47.72839525584193, -3.3710995318317445

Inscription on the NEB Compass
The Keroman bunkers (KI, KII, KIII) at Lorient La Base exemplify the New European Bauhaus principles of sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics. Their adaptive reuse as a maritime innovation hub, incorporating the Cité de la Voile and other museums, promotes sustainable blue tourism, including low-carbon sailing events such as the Défi Azimut yacht race, and the K-Challenge Lab’s initiatives to decarbonise maritime transport. KII’s roof also hosts solar panels. Inclusion is advanced through broad public engagement in educational exhibits, guided tours, and participatory activities, including programmes designed for people with reduced mobility and collaboration with researchers aboard vessels such as the Tara Ocean. Aesthetically, the raw concrete of the bunkers interacts harmoniously with Lorient’s coastal landscape, blending historical infrastructure with modern nautical design. By transforming a site that embodies the traumatic legacy of the German occupation into a vibrant centre of innovation, engagement, and learning, Lorient La Base offers a model of heritage-led, eco-conscious urban regeneration, fully aligned with NEB values.

References 
—Bassanelli, M., and G. Postiglioni. (2011). The Atlantic Wall as Military Archeological Landscape. Lettera Ventidue Edizioni.
— Cérino C., & Lukas, Y. (2015). Keroman, base de sous-marins (1941-2015): Histoire, reconversion et patrimoine. Editions Palantines.
— Cérino, C. (2014). “Keroman (1941-2010): De la base des sous-marins au premier pôle nautique de Bretagne”, Encyclopédie de Bretagne: La Bretagne et la mer, EB.
— Franrenet, S. (2025). “Ce lieu secret à découvrir à Lorient : l’ancienne base de sous-marins reconvertie…”, Ouest-France, 5 May 2025. (https://www.ouest-france.fr/tourisme/ce-lieu-secret-a-decouvrir-a-lorient-lancienne-base-de-sous-marins-reconvertie-eb090edc-2b4e-11f0-a76f-818d83a0a1d8 )
— Inventaire du Patrimoine — Région Bretagne (2024). Déambulation portuaire, couleurs lorientaises. Service de l’Inventaire du Patrimoine culturel.

Encircled by gently sloping shores and tidal wetlands, the Rade de Lorient stretches from the confluence of the Blavet and Scorff rivers to the open waters of the Atlantic. Its sheltered depth and broad estuarine expanse create a natural harbour of exceptional ecological value and maritime potential. Recognised as a Natura 2000 site under the European Union Birds Directive, the Rade encompasses the marshes of Pen Mané, the Petite Mer de Gâvres, and the ponds of Kervran and Kerzine—zones that host large populations of migratory and nesting waterbirds. Managed by Lorient Agglomération, its conservation strategy combines biodiversity monitoring with the sustainable use of the estuarine landscape.

Over the centuries, the Rade de Lorient’s geographical features have supported a wide range of maritime functions. In the 17th century, its deep and sheltered waters made it the ideal location for the French East India Company, whose trading port and settlements anchored France’s early global networks. The harbour’s strategic position later attracted extensive military development, with successive fortifications, naval installations, and shipyards shaping both its landscape and its economy. From the 19th century onwards, and especially after World War II, Lorient evolved into one of France’s principal fishing ports, sustaining a thriving dockside culture subsequently rooted in collective memory and local identity. Although industrial fishing has since declined, this heritage remains visible in the Rade’s continued balance between professional, recreational, and ecological uses, reflecting the long interplay between human activity and the natural environment.

The transformation of the former submarine base into the Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly exemplifies the creative rehabilitation of difficult heritage, converting a wartime structure into a lively centre for sailing, ocean racing, and maritime education. The complex offers exhibitions, interactive experiences, and guided tours that engage visitors with both technological innovation and environmental awareness. Through international races, local festivals, and community initiatives, the Rade de Lorient continues to connect nature, history, and creativity—standing as both a protected natural site and a living space of intangible maritime heritage.

Heritage type 
Immaterial
Natural

Time period
17th century onwards

GPS coordinates 
47.72839525584193, -3.3710995318317445

Inscription on the NEB Compass
The Rade de Lorient embodies the principles of the New European Bauhaus through sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics. As a Natura 2000 site, its wetlands and sheltered waters illustrate a balance between biodiversity protection and human activity, supporting eco-conscious maritime practices such as low-carbon sailing events like the Défi Azimut. Guided boat tours, educational programmes, and cultural events connect residents and visitors to the maritime environment, fostering participation and social cohesion. Accessibility initiatives promote sailing experiences for both people with reduced mobility and the wider public, enabling engagement with the Rade from shore to sea. Visually, the coexistence of preserved natural landscapes, historical port structures, and contemporary sailing facilities creates a harmonious and dynamic aesthetic seascape. By uniting ecological innovation, community engagement, and coastal beauty, the Rade de Lorient stands as a model of NEB-inspired maritime heritage, demonstrating how natural and cultural assets can support sustainable, inclusive, and culturally enriching development.

References
— Hémery, F., Le Bail, Y. & Gélinaud, G. (2022). Site Natura 2000, Rade de Lorient — Suivi des oiseaux d’eau migrateurs, hivernants et nicheurs. Rapport final des saisons 2018 à 2022. Lorient Agglomeration / Natura 2020. 
— Cérino, C. (2022). “Lorient et la mer: représentations, relations au patrimoine et développements muséographiques dans une ville portuaire de la reconstruction (1945-2021)”, Revue d’histoire maritime, no. 31-32, pp.121-146. 
— Le Bouëdec, G. & Le Brigand, D. (2015). Lorient Keroman. Du port de pêche à la cité du poisson. Marines Nantes.
— Sokombe, K. et. al. (2024). Atlas de la rade de Lorient estuaire du Blavet & du Scorff.  Lorient agglomération / Région Bretagne (http://www.radedelorient.atlas-rivieres.bzh/)