What to see

Strongpoint 265 is located in the western suburbs of the city of Cherbourg and would have enjoyed a commanding view of the port area to the west.
The hillside site featured two large bunkers, although you’d be forgiven for missing them as they are both very well hidden.
The largest of the two was a R117a type, multi-room, special construction bunker which was used as a battalion and regimental headquarters for the area with comms rooms, officers’ quarters, and crew rooms. This is now buried among a housing estate and on private land so is not accessible.
Less than 100m away to the south east of this building you can see the rear wall of an R637 observation and range finding bunker at the edge of a small car park. The bunker is largely covered by trees and sealed up so isn’t accessible, but you can catch a glimpse inside through the front embrasure. New industrial buildings have gone up in front of the classic hood at the front of the R637 but you can see what a view it would have had when targeting and directing fire from nearby artillery batteries out to sea.