Longues-sur-Mer Battery (Longues-sur-Mer)
About Longues-sur-Mer Battery (Longues-sur-Mer)
The Longues-sur-Mer Battery is a preserved German WWII coastal artillery position built in 1943-1944 as part of the Atlantic Wall. Located between Gold Beach and Omaha Beach, it features four concrete casemates housing original 150mm Skoda naval guns with a 20-kilometer range. This is the only D-Day battery where the original armament remains in place. On June 6, 1944, Allied warships including HMS Ajax and French cruisers Georges Leygues and Montcalm engaged the battery throughout the day. British troops from the 2nd Devonshire Regiment captured the site on June 7. Visitors can explore the four gun positions and walk through the 2-meter thick concrete bunkers showing bomb damage. The command post on the cliff edge is closed due to erosion. Free parking and a heritage trail with interpretive panels are available. This open-air site is accessible year-round with free entry.
Interesting Facts
French Resistance members worked among the local laborers during construction. They secretly provided intelligence to the Allies about the battery's layout and deliberately sabotaged the concrete mix in one casemate, weakening its structural integrity before D-Day.
The battery was featured in the 1962 film 'The Longest Day,' one of the most acclaimed D-Day movies. The site's exceptional preservation made it an ideal filming location, and it remains recognizable to film enthusiasts visiting today.
Construction required over 10,000 blocks of local limestone and 6 years of labor by Organisation Todt. The 150mm Skoda guns were originally manufactured in Czechoslovakia and had previously served on German warships before being mounted in the fixed coastal positions.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
39 Rue de la Mer, 14400 Longues-sur-Mer, France
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