Le Grand Bunker

Museum of the Atlantic Wall # Ouistreham # Normandy

Contact us at (+33) 02 31 97 28 69

The Grand Bunker of the former Command and Fire Direction Post has been completely renovated in order to house a Museum entirely dedicated to the Atlantic Wall in Normandy. After having belonged to the French Navy, the founders wanted this unique blockhouse to regain its original appearance.

 

A remarkable construction, since it is a Sonderkonstruktion, all the rooms were refurbished in a remarkable way, with very abundant and authentic material. The founders took full advantage of this 17-meter high construction to put into context and present the essential functions that characterized the life of the defensive positions of the Atlantic Wall facing the D-Day landings.

 


The founders of the Museum wanted to offer the visit the 5 levels of this blockhouse in which was installed the nerve center of the command of the defenses of the estuary of the Orne, in order to reconstruct and restore the atmosphere which could reign in this one. here on the eve of D-Day!

« The “Grand Bunker” constitutes
the last visible remnant of
most powerful German coastal battery in the area. »

The Atlantic Wall

The Atlantic Wall is a system of fortifications built by the Germans during the Second World War. It runs along the Atlantic coast and stretches from northern Norway to southern France.

In 1941, the United States entered the war against Germany. Adolf Hitler fears that the Allies will organize a landing on the Atlantic coast. He then decided to strengthen the defenses of the coasts, ports and submarine bases, according to a directive of March 23, 1942. He instructed Marshal Rommel to organize the defenses which, according to him, were ineffective.

4000 km long, the Atlantic Wall required approximately 13 million cubic meters of concrete for its construction. It caused the deaths of approximately 10,000 Allied soldiers.

« Historical site to visit absolutely. The bunker is very well preserved and inside the reproduction of the different floors and the different German soldiers with their equipment is subjugating. It’s amazing how this bunker was built and how very functional and above all operational it was. I highly recommend. »

Christian, September 2021.

« What a immersive experience in history! A breathtaking view when you dare to climb to the last level. We realize what life could be like inside. And that feeling of invincibility against allies is also there. It’s been almost 80 years already. Beautiful restoration and site conservation. »

Ludovic, January 2022.

« Superb museum. Very welcoming staff. The blockhouse is impressive! The immersion is total and the collectibles are very interesting. I recommend this museum! »

Agathe, November 2021.

Prepare your visit

You will discover, on five levels, all the interior rooms which have been reconstructed down to the smallest detail: engine rooms, filter rooms flanking casemates, chamber, infirmary, armory, radio transmission room, observation post equipped with a powerful telemeter which will allow you to observe the bay of the Seine within a radius of 40 km as well as a room dedicated to the largest construction site of the 20th century which mobilized, for 3 years, more than 2 million workers.

The archaeological excavations done by the Museum

The Museum of the Atlantic Wall has been undertaking archaeological excavations for several years on the remains of the Second World War, which enrich the Museum’s collections.

Le char tigre de Willy FEY dans la Seine

Un groupe de passionnés de la seconde guerre mondiale s’active pour éclaircir un mystère : reste-t-il un char allemand au fond de la Seine, à proximité du pont Jeanne-d’Arc ?

Les vestiges de 7 planeurs Horsa mis à jour en Normandie

Le débarquement n’a pas encore révélé toutes ses histoires. Le Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique et son équipe ont mis à jour les vestiges de 7 planeurs HORSA…

Le P47 Thunderbolt du Lieutenant Rudolf AUGARTEN

Un avion américain P47 sorti de terre. « Les allemands n’ont pas réussi à l’attraper ». L’équipe du Musée de Ouistreham a déterré un appareil américain de la seconde guerre mondiale…