Overlooking the port area to the north of the city of Boulogne you can find strongpoint Stp224 Strandhafer – a searchlight and anti-aircraft batterie designed to protect from Allied air attacks on the port.
Along the cliff line are three now almost completely buried bunkers. The three at the northern end of the complex are L409 types for 3.7cm anti-aircraft guns while to their south is a L411A type garage in which a 60cm searchlight was stored and wheeled out for use when required,
Behind the trio of bunkers was a L412A command bunker and fire control post for an anti-aircraft batterie but this is now completely covered over. A memorial to the sailors from the port of Boulogne now stands on the position.
Given the site’s strategic location with views across the port and channel, it’s not surprising that there’s a modern-day French observation and semaphore post here now, but it was also a location for one of Napoleon’s camps in the early 1800’s.
On the site you can also find the remains of a building used to store gun power when Napoleon’s ‘Grand Army’ – around 60,000 troops - were camped in the area between 1803 and 1805 – their base for attacks against England and their location prior to their departure for the Battle of Austerlitz (1805 to 1811) in Austria – now part of the Czech Republic.