Marshal Vauban WebsiteMaintained by : Chris Jones of Altofts, Wakefield, U.K. © September 1997
This page created : 18 June 1998
"Le Pre Carre", or "the duelling field",
was an expression first coined by Louis XIII's chief minister Cardinal
Richelieu. It expressed the ideal of a consolidated France, firm behind
clearly defined and well defended borders. It was later to describe a
particular area of Northern France, lying between the sea & the Ardennes,
that was enclosed within two [broadly] parallel lines of fortresses.
Conceived by Vauban, it's purpose was to guard France's northern reaches
from invasion.
The expression "Pre Carre" is usually translated into English as "The Square Field" [I've also seen it translated as "The Square Meadow"]. However, I believe "the duelling field" best describes it's purpose & effect. It suggests an area, well marked out, within which French armies could operate against an invader. And so it formed a barrier defence, a cordoned-off area, in which invading enemy forces would become "bogged down", so preventing them from making any rapid and unopposed strike against France's heartland. Additionally, it served as a springboard from which France could launch attacks on enemy territory.
Vauban was far from being the first fortress builder to turn his mind to the region. There was a rich Spanish and Imperial legacy to build upon, as well as the works of earlier Frenchmen like Henry IV's engineer Jean Errard Bar-le-Duc [1554-1610], who has been called The Father of French Fortification.
Vauban selected the fortress towns that were to constitute his Pre Carre
with great care. And he by no means confined his choice to those places he
had built himself, like Dunkerque, or which he had completely transformed,
such as Lille. Nearly all the places he chose had long been fortified, and
most of these he augmented rather than re-built. All, however, would come
to benefit from his wisdom and artifice at some point in time over the many
years that Vauban was active in the region.
As well as ensuring fortresses could offer mutual support to each other,
Vauban was careful to incorporate into his scheme those places situated
at important strategic positions - especially so in the case of places
dominating river courses, since rivers were the main arteries of logistical
support for armies of the era.
Vauban was also quick to advocate that France disposed of those fortresses
which were surplus to her requirements. Fortresses beyond the pre-carre might
be used as bargaining counters, things to be traded for towns of more use to
France or some other concession [many of the places shown in Green on
the map above were captured by Louis' armies and subsequently surrendered
in accordance with treaty obligations]. If a trade-off could not be effected,
Vauban would urge that the place's fortifications be completely razed so as not
to allow them to serve the purposes of some enemy design. He also proposed the
razing of fortifications within France where a site was seen to be
redundant. Vauban was quick to point out to his sovereign the massive
waste of manpower and resources involved in keeping them within the military
establishment. Vauban appreciated that an unwanted fortress actually weakened,
rather than strengthened, the defences of France
To be expanded upon at a later date ...
