The Aquitaine coastline is dotted with a number of fortified structures left over from the Second World War. The Arcachon basin is home to some twenty of these blockhouses and bunkers, which formed the Atlantic Wall. Today, enthusiasts are reviving history and working to restore these visible witnesses to our past.
Assaulting the blockhouses of the Atlantic Wall
Built on Hitler’s orders, the Atlantic Wall is a system of fortifications stretching over 4,000 km of coastline, from Norway to the Basque Country. Intended to prevent any Allied landings in WesternEurope, this defensive line includes some 15,000 bunkers, blockhouses and gun batteries. The Arcachon Basin is still home to some twenty of these reinforced concrete fortifications, of varying sizes and functions. Some have been restored to their original condition and are open to visitors.
Where to visit bunkers in Arcachon?
Today, the GRAMASA archaeological research association is dedicated to improving knowledge of the Atlantic Wall fortifications around the Bay of Arcachon. Visits are offered all year round to the various remarkable sites on the Basin.
The Cap Ferret lighthouse blockhouse
In the grounds of the Cap Ferret lighthouse park, this blockhouse was built in 1943 to shelter Kriegsmarine troops. Fleeing the advance of Allied troops, the German soldiers left their shelter on August 20, 1944. Buried for decades, this barracks blockhouse was cleared and restored. This work has enabled us to reconstitute a living room identical to that of 1944, and to create an exhibition room dedicated to the history of the Atlantic Wall (Atlantikwall in German).
- Lighthouse blockhouse, Place Valmont Souchet, Cap Ferret. Free admission. Tel. : 05 56 03 94 49.
Bunker 502 in Arcachon
Right in the center ofArcachon, Bunker 502 is invisible when you get there, because it’s hidden underground. Discovered by chance in 2015 beneath the tourist office parking lot, the former telecommunications bunker has only just begun to reveal all its secrets. Built in 1943 by the Germans, this 120 m2 underground shelter wasArcachon‘s telephone exchange. Every little room is steeped in history, with numerous recorded testimonies, period objects and historical reconstructions.
- Bunker 502: At MA.AT / Office de Tourisme, Bd du Général Leclerc, 33120 Arcachon, tel. 05 57 52 97 97, self-guided or guided tour Tuesdays and Thursdays in season. Price: €2, free for children under 10.
Other interesting bunker sites
History buffs, particularly those interested in the Second World War, can also make a detour to :
- Pyla-sur-Mer: site of the Eden battery (Ar 42), in the heart of the forest, an artillery battery comprising a dozen semi-buried bunkers.
- Gujan-Mestras: at the entrance to Parc de la Chêneraie, a fully restored 506d blockhouse, with its original armored doors and anti-tank gun.
Further information: GRAMASA website, Groupe de Recherches Archéologiques sur le Mur de l’Atlantique Secteur Arcachon.