Fort Boyard ( fortification ) Fort Boyard ( ) is a fort located between the Île - d ' Aix and the Île d ' Oléron in the Pertuis d ' Antioche straits , on the west coast of France and is the filming location for the TV gameshow of the same name . Though a fort on Boyard bank was suggested as early as the 17th century , it was not until the 1800s under Napoleon Bonaparte that work began . Building started in 1801 and was completed in 1857 . In 1967 , the final scene of the French film " Les aventuriers " was filmed at the remains of the fort . Layout . Fort Boyard is oval - shaped , long and wide . The walls were built high . At the centre is a yard , and the ground floor provided stores and quarters for the men and officers . The floor above contained casemate s for the emplacements of guns and further quarters . Above that were facilities for barbette guns and mortars . History . The construction of the fort was first considered during a build - up of the French armed forces undertaken by Louis XIV between 1661 and 1667 . Fort Boyard was to form a line of fortification with Fort Enet and Fort de la Rade on Île - d ' Aix to protect the arsenal of Rochefort from Royal Navy incursions . Due to the limited range of artillery in the 17th century , the fields of fire between the fortifications on the islands of Aix and Oléron did not overlap . A fort on Boyard bank , roughly mid - way between the two , would have filled that gap . In 1692 the French engineer Descombs began planning the programme of building the fort ; however , once it became clear how expensive it would be the scheme was abandoned . Vauban , Louis XIV ' s leading military engineer , famously advised against it , saying " Your Majesty , it would be easier to seize the moon with your teeth than to attempt such an undertaking in such a place " . After a British raid on Île - d ' Aix in 1757 , plans for a fort on Boyard bank were once again considered . Though plans were drawn up , the logistical problems again ensured it was abandoned . Efforts were renewed under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800 , and the following year engineers Ferregeau and Armand Samuel de Marescot , and Vice - Admiral François Étienne de Rosily - Mesros designed a fort to be built on the bank . To facilitate the work , a port was established on île d ' Oléron . The village of Boyardville was built for the workers . The first stage of construction was to establish a plateau , some , to act as foundations . To this end , stones were piled up on the bank . The project was suspended in 1809 . Construction resumed in 1837 , under Louis - Philippe , following renewed tensions with the United Kingdom . The fortifications were completed in 1857 , with sufficient room for a garrison of 250 men . However , by the time of its completion , the range of cannons had significantly increased , making the fort unnecessary for national defence . After 1871 , Fort Boyard was briefly used as a military prison , before being abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century . As time went by , the fort slowly crumbled and deteriorated into the sea as it was left unmaintained . In 1950 it was made a listed building , and in 1961 was sold to Charente Maritime Regional Council . It has been the filming location of both the French and international versions of the TV gameshow of the same name since 1990 . Similar forts elsewhere . In Kronstadt , Russia , there is a fort very similar to Fort Boyard . Fort Alexander was built between 1838 – 1845 according to the architectural project of engineer - colonel Carbonier and Moris Dastrem . Nicholas I of Russia decided to name it “ Emperor Alexander ” after his brother , the Russian Emperor Alexander I . The fort measures 90x60 meters and it was the first multi - storied fortification in the Russian Empire . It was armed with 103 cannons . In addition , 34 guns could be adjusted on the roof to provide a perimeter defense . Fort Alexander was converted into a Plague laboratory in 1897 , and hence it is nicknamed the " Plague Fort " . By the end of the 20th century , Fort Alexander became neglected .