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Fort Royal de l'Île Sainte-Marguerite is a window into France’s royal and medieval past. Locate it on the map, book a room nearby in a click, or add it to your travel list to build your itinerary.
About Fort Royal de l'Île Sainte-Marguerite
On the wooded île Sainte-Marguerite, just off Cannes, the Fort Royal is a historic fortress famous the world over as the prison of the Man in the Iron Mask, the mysterious captive whose identity has fascinated writers for centuries. Strengthened by the great military engineer Vauban, this stronghold guarding the approaches to Cannes served as a state prison, and visitors can still see the cell said to have held the masked man. Today the fort also houses a fascinating Museum of the Sea, with archaeological treasures recovered from ancient shipwrecks. Set amid the pines and clear waters of the Lérins islands, reached by a short boat trip, the Fort Royal combines mystery, history and beautiful surroundings. Atmospheric, intriguing and superbly sited, it is a memorable excursion from the glamour of Cannes into legend and the sea.