La Rochelle submarine base, Submarine pen in La Pallice, France
The bunker in La Pallice is a military shelter for submarines built in reinforced concrete during World War Two. The complex covers almost 200 meters in length and 165 meters in width, with walls made from reinforced concrete and a massive roof that once protected vessels from aerial attacks.
Construction began in spring 1941 under German occupation and relied on forced laborers from the Service du Travail Obligatoire. After the war the facility remained part of the port area and is now managed by the Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle.
The structure served as a filming location for German and American war movies in the early 1980s. Today it stands as a tangible reminder of the occupation years and helps visitors understand the Atlantic port's role during World War Two.
The building sits within the port area of La Pallice and is usually closed to the public. Occasionally the port opens its gates during special events, allowing visitors to view the structure up close.
Inside there were workshops and locks that allowed submarines to be lifted by cranes and serviced in drained chambers. This clever engineering made repairs possible without a dry dock and greatly speeded up the turnaround between missions.
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