Location-data

France, Charente-Maritime, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer.(4)

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7/2006

Saint Palais sur Mer, La Grande Côte.
AOK 1, KVA E1, Gironde Nord, Gleiwitz, Gi 11.

Drive 1000m further to the north from Gi 12, following the D25 out of Saint Palais sur Mer. You can park the car at the side of the road an then walk into the dunes/woods.

Most of the bunkers lay on the beach and with high tide they are all under water, but we were lucky.
In the woods behind the sea we found a beautiful Tobruk, Vf69 for a 8cm mortar combined with a MG. It has some nice fire-directions for the mortar inside. There is also a unknown bunker nearby, very small with a hole in the roof?
All the bunkers on the beach are damaged by the water. Because they lay in the open they look quite impressive. There are a lots of Tobruks of various types, most of them are the regular 58c and some for a mortar. None of the bunkers can be entered because they are all filled with water ore buried in the sand.

At the day we were walking at this location it was 40 degrees, extremely hot so we haven't finished the location yet. There should be two more Vf69's and another 621 in the bushes.

Types:
1x 637 Measuring post for army coastal battery.
2x 669 Embrasured emplacement for field gun (60º) without annexes.
3x 621 Group bunker.
1x 501 Group bunker.
1x 502 Twin group bunker.
1x Tobruk69 mortar.
1x Tobruk61a for 5cm mortar.
5x Tobruk58c.
1x Rlb563 Waterbunker.
1x Vf machine bunker.

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Saint Palais sur Mer, La Grande Côte.
AOK 1, KVA E1, Gironde Nord, H.K.B. Hamburg, Gi 12.

In Saint Palais sur Mer, 500m south of Gi 13, at the end of the village and the boulevard, there is a large parking place were you can park the car. The bunkers lay on the nearby dune.

The only St bunker that we found at this location is a 669 casemate for the defence of the beach. At the backside of the bunker is an emplacement built, that made it possible to move the gun out of the bunker and into the emplacement, so they had a 360 degrees fire-direction.
North of the bunker four other open emplacements are situated.

Types:
1x 669 Embrasured emplacement for field gun (60º) without annexes.
4x Gun emplacement for 10,5cm K331(f).

Saint Palais sur Mer, L'Auture.
AOK 1, KVA E1, Gironde Nord, Wilhelmshafen, Gi 13.

This bunker can be found along the coast road leading trough Saint Palais sur Mer. The bunker has been painted and is now white with blue text on it. The bunker is located on the grounds of Camping Cote de Beauté. We didn't get permission to visit the bunker.

The bunker, a M152 or MarKoStand (Marine Kommando Stand), is a navy design command bunker with an observation part at the front.

Types:
1x M152 Navy command post.

Saint Palais sur Mer, Terre Nigre.
AOK 1, KVA E1, Gironde Nord, M.K.B. Frosh, Gi 14.

In the town Saint Palais sur Mer, near the beginning of the boulevard is a small battery located. Follow the main road along the coast and you will see the bunkers near a parking place.

The first two casemates are on private territory and not open. The third one is next to the path but also closed. In front of the casemates are several open emplacement. Possibly the places for the guns, until the Germans decided that they needed better protection and built the 671 casemates.
A highlight in this battery is the fire-control bunker, navy design type M162a and in a very nice condition with nice interiors and texts. The bunker although is on private property.

Types:
3x 671 Embrasured emplacement for central pivoting gun(120º) without annexes.
1x M162a Fire control post for light coastal battery, with number M 01
3x Gun emplacement.
1x Tobruk58c.