Fort de Rocher

[1] It was built and utilized by buccaneers as the primary defense of the island to prevent encroachment of Spanish forces.

In 1640 a French engineer named Jean La Vasseur raided the island with a force of between fifty and one-hundred men, claiming the primary port as theirs.

Aware of the predations of the Spanish, La Vasseur had Fort de Rocher constructed overlooking the harbor, thus fortifying it from further foreign assault.

With its cannons drawing a steady aim at any vessels approaching the harbor the fort gave La Vasseur a high degree of control over the island.

Shortly after construction was complete, an invading force launched from Santo Domingo and sailed into the harbor of Tortuga.

La Vasseur opened the port to outlaws of all nations in exchange for a percentage of the wealth of every vessel anchoring there.

With La Vasseur dead, the French assigned Chevalier de Fontenay as Governor of Tortuga.

Fort de Rocher was built circa 1640 by Jean La Vasseur, an engineer by trade.

It was built around a steep rock which stood thirty feet high and which was central on a plateau from the hillside.

The plateau was relatively flat-topped and La Vasseur built terraces and breastworks all along its edges and into the hillside, enough to accommodate hundreds of men.

Atop the mighty rock which dominated the fortress, La Vasseur placed his reduit, which he named Dovecote.