Tatihou Vauban tower

Collection: towers and lighthouses of Lower Normandy

Tatihou Vauban Tower

Made of: Resin
Size: 9.8 x 9.2 x 9.4 cm

• Location : Îles Saint-Marcouf, Channel
• Construction : 1694

Tatihou is a coastal island to the north east of Cotentin, opposite Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue (in the Manche department). Extending to about 29 hectares, the island can be approached on foot by certain low tides. The island belongs to the Coastal conservation agency and is not inhabited on a permanent basis. It provides a museum within the island fort, a botanical garden and also a wild bird reserve. 

In certain local place names,  '-hou' is derived from old english 'hoh', rocky slope, abrupt bank / drop (just like the Hou and the Hautot, Hotot, Hottot in Normandy), as is the case for Cap Lihou at Granville and for the small anglo-norman isles of Jethou, Brecqhou or the Écréhous. Other names using -hou can be explained  in the old norse islands such as Tribehou, Quettehou or Néhou. François de Beaurepaire describes Tatihou using old english hoh and René Lepelley by the norse hòlm(r), preceding the norse name Tati.

The Battle of Hougue lead by Admiral de Tourville in 1692 took place off Barfleur la France against the anglo-dutch fleet. By the end of a tough battle, eleven ships were unable to return to Saint-Malo and were run aground and burned at Tatihou and la Hougue.

From 1694  the tower of Tatihou and her twin La Hougue (on the coast at Saint-Vaast) were build by an apprentice of Vauban, Benjamin de Combes, in order to defend the Saint-Vaast bay from attack. The fortification were added in the 19th century. Together with 13 other sites fortified by Vauban, these towers were declared World Heritage sites on July 7th, 2008. 

Source: wikipedia