Offshore from the city of Cherbourg in the Manche region of northern France, a grey stone structure known as the Fort of the Island of Pelée stands in the sea. Built between 1779 and 1784, the fort was designed to defend the Cherbourg port from potential attacks by the British navy. It was armed with 108 gun barrels, including fourteen mortars and eighty-four cannons that could fire red-hot shot—molten metal used to set enemy ships on fire. The fort was originally named Royal Fort after King Louis XVI visited in 1786. During the French Revolution, it was renamed National Fort, and it took on its current name in 1848. Over the centuries, the fort underwent several modifications to keep up with military advancements. Between 1890 and 1894, a concrete layer was added to protect its northern side. During the two world wars, a 75-millimeter anti-aircraft battery and a 25-meter lighthouse were also added to the site. The fort housed over two hundred soldiers until 1920. However, despite these upgrades, the structure never saw any actual combat during its more than 150 years of existence. In the 1950s, there was a proposal to install a German battery of four 105-millimeter cannons on the island, but the plan was ultimately abandoned. As warfare evolved, with aviation and missile technology overtaking traditional coastal artillery, the fort became obsolete. By the late 20th century, it was no longer used for military purposes. In 2014, the French government transferred ownership of the island from the French Navy to the Ports normands associés syndicate, a public-private partnership managing regional ports. Today, the fort remains closed to the public, left exposed to the elements. The relentless sea spray and salt air slowly erode its once-mighty stone and concrete walls, preserving the structure as a silent relic of a bygone era.