Map of Calais

Map of Calais, France circa 1695.

Description:

The map is upside down, the north and the sea being at the bottom. On that map, you can see 2 forts. The small one called "Risban" controls the entrance to the harbour and pirates would not pass by. For the big one, called "Citadelle", they had to destroy 1/3 of the old English town. The main square in the middle of the city is the Market Place, and the main buildings there are the townhall, next to the Watch tower. From the top ot that tower, they looked for ennemies coming from the sea, mainly English. On the left you can guess the main church, Our Lady church, "Notre-Dame" in French. All these buildings, except the old townhall, still exist today and you'd easily find pictures of them by internet. But nothing remain of all these military walls, except those of the Citadelle.

Courtesy of Phillipe Cassez of Amis du Vieux Calais

L'ensemble des cartes de France de Cassini (1750-1790),   map 6

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Calais

Olivier Levasseur is said to be a “Natif de Calais,” which means native, so perhaps he was raised there, but not necessarily that he was born there.