Postern

The Poterne

A stop on the Bayonne audio-guided tour, the Poterne is a gate cut into the ramparts in the nineteenth century, to replace the one that once led to the Chateau-Vieux. Its architecture echoes that of the seven gates that surrounded this side of the city.

A city fortified since Antiquity

The Poterne park offers a fine glimpse of the ramparts of Bayonne, fortified since Roman times. Located a stone's throw from Spain, at the confluence of the Nive and the Adour, the city always had great strategic importance. Its ramparts were continually reinforced, notably by Francis I in the sixteenth century, then by Vauban in the seventeenth.

What to see

Throughout its history, Bayonne is said to have survived fourteen sieges in all. Today, the walk along the ramparts, from the Poterne park, offers a pleasant green setting and a fine testimony of the city's defensive past.

Practical information

The Poterne and its park are along the ramparts of Bayonne. Freely accessible, the park can be walked at any time.

Who reinforced the ramparts of Bayonne ?

Notably Francis I in the sixteenth century, then Vauban in the seventeenth century.

How many sieges has Bayonne known ?

The city is said to have survived fourteen sieges in all throughout its history.