I had seen an old photograph taken of the Bastille in Thezan in the early part of the 20th century but had assumed that it was long gone.

I was surprised then to find this photo, obviously contemporary, on the Thezan website.

As Sile, brother-in -law Colm and I were there for a few days after Christmas we decided to set outselves up as detectives and find the Bastille.

Studying the above photo we decided that the Bastille had to have been in the original walls of the town and it also seemed to be in a part of a private house.
Our solution seem to be to travel through the myriads of tiny Ruelles and Impasses around the walls and try and peer through gaps in walls and gateways to find it.

Then I had a brainwave, surely one could make out the distinctive demi-lune tower from an aerial photograph?
Forthermore we had just such a shot in last July’s Bassin; the magazine of the town.

Sure enough with careful peering we thought we located a possibility, right at the end of a previously unexplored Impasse (for the uninitiated, Impasse is the French for Cul-de Sac. Yes!)

And then , following our noses we did find it and this is the shot Colm took.

It was surrounded by Private, and Keep Out notices but we took this shot from outside the portal.
It would be interesting to get inside though……………..