Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique

  • Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique
  • Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique
  • Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique

Historical time that recalls World War I & II 1914-1945
Place Avenue du 6 Juin, 14150 Ouistreham, France

Website www.museegrandbunker.com
Contact museegrandbunker@sfr.fr

Welcome
Located at a stones throw from the beach and the Ferry terminal, the Atlantic Wall Museum is inside the old German headquarter which was in charge of the batteries covering the entrance of the river Orne and the canal. The 52ft high concrete tower has been fully restaured to make it look how it was on the 6th of june 1944.

You will discover on the Grand Bunker's six floors all its inner rooms, which have been recreated down to the last detail: generator room, gas filters room, casemate with machine gun protecting the entrance, dormitory, medical store, sick bay, armoury, ammunition store, radio transmission room, telephone switchboard, observation post equipped with a powerful range-finder and on the top floor a 360° view over Sword Beach.

You will also be able to see many photographs and documents concerning the construction of the Atlantic wall, the artillery, the beach defences, observation, etc. A souvenir of the assault and shock troops specially trained for OVERLORD operation to attack the Atlantic Wall, and the everyday life of the Germany Army soldiers.

The Grand Bunker at Ouistreham
Located at a stones throw from the beach and the Ferry terminal, the Atlantic Wall Museum is inside the old German headquarter which was in charge of the batteries covering the entrance of the river Orne and the canal. The 52ft high concrete tower has been fully restaured to make it look how it was on the 6th of june 1944.

A pocket of German resistance
On six june, intrigued by this unforeseen obstacle, the Franco British Commandos attemped to approach the tower, but were repulsed by machine-gun fire and stick- grenades being thrown from the top. They were content to skirt the bunker, which remained a permanent threat during the following days.

The capture of the Grand Bunker
On 9 june, lieutenant Bob Orrell of Royal Engineers, 91Field Company R.E., 3rd Beach Group, 3rd Canadien Div., 2nd British Army, was given orders to invest the large Bunker. Accompagnied by three men, he placed two explosive charges one after the other to blow up armour-placed door. Altoghether it took them four hours to break it open! The garnison of two officers and fifty men then surrenderedand the liberation of Ouistreham was complete. The set of defensive works at Ouistreham shows the scate of construction work involved in the building of the Atlantic Wall.

Back to top