Located in the western outskirts of the port town of Dunkirk you will find the beautiful town of Gravelines which is famed for being the only fortified French town which is still surrounded by water.
Created by architect, engineer, and military fortress expert Sebastien Le Prestre, the self-styled Marquis of Vauban, the fortress itself takes the form of a six-pointed star and stands inside a deep, wide moat near to the mouth of the River Aa.
From the 12th Century it has been the site of numerous battles between French, Spanish, and English forces who all took control of the town before finally becoming a permanent part of France in 1659.
The fortress surrounds the town with large walls, canal-like moats, bastions, and defensive ramparts and fortifications – it’s an impressive site from both inside and outside the walls.
In May 1940 it fell under the control of German forces, and, over the next few years of occupation, several large bunkers were built. Many of them still remain and can be seen near to the former fortress’ arsenal but are now merged among modern houses and car parks.
The two largest bunkers here are the R119 batterie commander’s bunker and an R117a battalion and regimental HQ building. These multi-room constructions were used by the top-brass as command centres for the region and featured observation rooms, offices, officer quarters, and defensive niches.
Of the two, the R119 is easiest to spot at the end of Rue de la Liberte and has been turned into a small museum. The R117 stands in a private garden behind garages and cannot be accessed.