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The Colmars les Alpes town wall has protected the village since the late 14th century. It was improved several times during the 16th and 17th centuries. Two gates, the Porte de France and the Porte de Savoie, lead into the town.
Colmars has a town wall dating back to the end of the 14th century. An inscription dated 1527, placed above one of the outports, attests that it was improved during the reign of François I. It protected the town from attack and robbery. At the end of the 17th century, during the wars of the League of Augsburg, engineer Niquet, Director of Fortifications for Provence, drew up a plan to raise the town’s walls to the same height. He simply took advantage of the medieval enclosure and added towers, reductions, a half-bastion and a powder magazine. The work was quickly completed.
The enclosure encircles most of the town. It consists of an unterraced wall preceded by a small ditch. The wall is lined with a series of relieving arches supporting a parapet walk. It is flanked by seven towers, plus the four towers of the two gates. All towers are roofed with wooden planks. The two town gates are each surrounded by two square towers, preceded by a pentagonal defensive wall. A large rectangular tower, covered by a four-sided roof, stands at one corner. One of the other two square towers is covered by a lean-to, the other by a gable roof. Finally, there are the four bastioned towers designed by engineer Niquet. These towers are built on two or three levels, leaning against the escarpment and covered by a gable roof, with one or two additional hipped roofs. A watchtower projects from one corner of the enclosure.
Source: Inventaire général du Patrimoine culturel Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
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