25/06/2026
Is it a bird, is it a plane?
No, its a Porta Davit in Saint-Malo, France.
On a rocky island just outside of the old town: the Fort du Petit Bé, a listed Vauban fortress from the 17th century, was left to decay for over a century.
In 2000, Alain-Étienne Marcel, a passionate conservationist, signed a leasehold agreement with the city and set out to breathe new life into the fort.
An extraordinary project - 150 days a year of construction, a small team of loyal friends and a dream, to restore the fort to its original state and open it to the public.
The logistical challenge was huge! The fortress can only be reached at low tide or by boat, meaning no cranes or conventional construction machinery would work.
To transport the renovation materials something else had to be found. This is where our Porta Davit saved the day; it could be used by one person, and function where no conventional lifting system could reach.
Since then, the product range has evolved and the Porta Davit has given way to its successor: the Porta Davit Quantum, even lighter and more modular.
But still, this is a pretty cool application! Isn’t it funny where our products end up?
Head to our website to learn more about our PD & PDQ!
