The Sainte Marguerite sur Mer bunker is located near Dieppe in Normandy.
A relic from the past
Built by the Germans in 1942, you might think that it ended up there as a result of cliff erosion, but this is only partly true.
It was, in fact, due to the retreat of the coastline that the local authorities decided, in 1994, to dig under the concrete behemoth in order to make it slide down the cliff.
They hoped to destroy it or at least neutralize the danger of an inevitable collapse. It was smart, but failed.
Refusing to break apart, it froze vertically in the pebbles at the foot of the limestone walls.
Standing still, near the coastline
Now a permanent witness to a bygone era, it impresses with its size and unusual position.
The blockhouse also provides a visual representation of coastal erosion, as although it fell at the foot of the cliff 30 years ago, it can now be found several dozen meters away from the alabaster coastline as a direct consequence of rising sea levels and global warming.
Time passing really claims everything in its path.
While the interior is closed to the public, the exterior is well worth the short walk along the beach for anyone curious enough to face this stranded giant.
A piece of history that refused to be forgotten.
