La Rochelle submarine base, Submarine pen in La Pallice, France
The reinforced concrete structure measures 192 meters in length, 165 meters in width, and stands 19 meters tall with walls up to 3.5 meters thick.
Construction of the submarine base started in April 1941 under German occupation, requiring 2,143 workers, including forced laborers from the Service du Travail Obligatoire.
The submarine base gained international recognition through its appearance in the 1981 films Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The facility remains inaccessible to the public as part of the Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle, with occasional openings during port events.
The base contained specialized workshops and a system of locks that allowed submarines to be lifted by crane for maintenance in drained underwater chambers.
Location: La Rochelle
Inception: 1941
Made from material: reinforced concrete
Website: http://larochelle.port.fr/nous-connaitre/nos-projets
GPS coordinates: 46.15866,-1.20927
Latest update: May 26, 2025 20:51
La Rochelle presents photography opportunities at its medieval towers, historical port, and coastal areas. The city features architectural monuments from the Renaissance period, maritime structures, and public spaces. Visitors can photograph the towers guarding the harbor, the clock gate, traditional fishing structures, and the modern Nelson Mandela bridge.
Lighthouse at the End of the World
3.3 km
Île de Ré bridge
2.7 km
Tour de la Lanterne
4 km
Les Minimes
3.6 km
Parc Animalier Charles-Édouard Beltremieux
3.7 km
Plage de Chef de Baie
1.2 km
Sablanceau and Redoute of Rivedoux
3.9 km
Prefecture hotel of Charente-Maritime
4 km
Clocher Saint-Jean de la Rochelle
4.1 km
Plage de la Concurrence
3.8 km
Parc Charruyer
3.8 km
Phare du Lavardin
3.6 km
Église Saint-Pierre-de-Laleu
1.4 km
Casino Municipal
3.3 km
Chapelle Saint-Maurice de La Rochelle
2.6 km
Porte des deux moulins de la rochelle
3.9 km
Hôtel Leclerc, La Rochelle
4.1 km
Villa Alsace, La Rochelle
3.5 km
Hôtel des Durand de la Vaux-Martin
2.5 km
Passerelle Nelson Mandela
3.8 km
Richelieu lighthouse
3.1 km
Minimes Beach
3.5 km
Église Saint-François de la Pallice
536 m
Église du Sacré-Cœur de La Rochelle
3 km
Plage de Chef de Baie
1.3 km
The Wave
4 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Laleu
1 km
World War I Memorial
3 kmReviews
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