Blaye - Subprefecture and commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

"Blaye is a commune and subprefecture in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. For centuries, Blaye was a particularly convenient crossing point for those who came from the north and went to Bordeaux or further south, to Spain and Portugal. Fortified since antiquity, this eminently strategic site located on the bank of a large river, was not modernized until the end of the 17th century, thanks to Vauban. It is indeed in 1685 that the Commissaire general des fortifications of Louis XIV will propose the construction of a real lock on the Gironde in order to "take control of the river" and to keep Bordeaux in respect in case of a revolt. It is then that the citadel of Blaye will be built, which constitutes the major element of the estuary control system. Dominating the urban landscape, this imposing building has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, as part of the network of major sites in Vauban. - Wikipedia"