Vauban Fortifications in France, Episode 425

In this episode of the podcast, Elyse Rivin and Annie Sargent talk about Vauban and his life, but also about where you can go to see Vauban fortifications in France. Many of them are listed as World Heritage Sites and they make a wonderful backdrop for your vacation photos!

Table of Contents for this Episode

• [00:00:16] Intro
• [00:00:38] Today on the podcast
• [00:01:15] Podcast supporters
• [00:02:29] Annie and Elyse about Vauban
• [00:03:05] Vauban was a major figure in the 17th centrury
• [00:03:42] Petite noblesse vs noblesse de robe
• [00:04:40] The greatest love – the land
• [00:05:37] Military genius
• [00:06:20] Innovation with defenses
• [00:08:56] Vauban enrolled in the army at age 17
• [00:09:47] Vauban the foot soldier with a keen eye for observation
• [00:10:12] Let’s not be sitting ducks
• [00:11:44] Vauban gets noticed
• [00:12:30] Vauban fights for the King
• [00:14:21] Vauban is promoted to engineer
• [00:15:41] Rewarded by the King
• [00:16:17] Vauban gets married
• [00:17:20] Vauban begins his career
• [00:19:09] Vauban wanted to spare the lives of soldiers
• [00:21:24] Defending the borders of France
• [00:23:47] Vauban established the “natural borders” of France
• [00:24:47] Vauban, the mathematician.
• [00:26:43] Working out how many provisions an army needed
• [00:29:26] Vauban, the human being
• [00:30:33] At the end of his life, Vauban wrote La Dîme Royale
• [00:30:54] A new system of taxation to be fair with the poor
• [00:32:41] Vaban is banished from court
• [00:35:19] Vauban travelled a lot through France
• [00:36:39] Vauban was interested in everything
• [00:39:18] UNESCO World Heritage Sites linked to Vauban
• [00:40:32] Scale models of Vauban fortifications at Les Invalides in Paris
• [00:44:04] Outro[00:44:04] Patrons and supporters
• [00:44:33] Preparing a trip to France?
• [00:45:55] This week in French News
• [00:47:48] Personal update this week
• [00:48:50] How do I write a tour?
• [00:54:08] Next week on the podcast
• [00:54:32] Copyright