Port-Louis Citadel & Museums

Port-Louis's citadel guards the entrance to the Lorient roadstead from a rocky point, its star-shaped walls rising straight out of the sea. It was begun under Spanish occupation in the 1590s and completed by the French in the 17th century, and it later protected the ships of the French East India Company, which gave Lorient its name. Two museums share the site. The Musée de la Compagnie des Indes tells the story of the trade with India and China through porcelain, textiles, ship models and maps, while the Musée national de la Marine covers shipwrecks, rescue at sea and naval weapons. Walking the ramparts between them gives wide views over Groix, Larmor-Plage and back to Lorient. Check opening hours before you cross: from October to April the museums open only in the afternoon and close on Tuesdays. The bateau-bus from Lorient Port de Pêche is the cheapest and quickest way over.