Stp18 Quineville
Extensive site with long section of anti-tank wall
Stp18 site overview
What to see
Strongpoint Stp18 in the coastal village of Quineville was once a formidable bunker site and much of the concrete survives today, including the longest section of anti-tank wall to be found on Utah Beach.
Quineville has grown since the German occupation and some of the structures are now covered over but with a careful eye you can still see many, as well as have a drink and an ice cream inside one of the large gun casemates.
Like many spots along this section of coast, there was once a small French fort located here and this forms the central part of Stp18. The chateau which now stands on the old fort site was surrounded by MG Tobruks of the Bf58c type and its private grounds also feature a R656 infantry shelter for up to 16 soldiers.
One of the best museums in the area is located at Quineville and a visit here gives you access to the inside of a R667 casemate for a 5cm KwK gun which covered the area to the south of Stp18. Also inside the museum is a Vf shelter for machinery - a workshop which still features some original exhibits.
For those fancying a break from bunker hunting you can grab a drink and ice cream from the cafe on the beach front and inside you can see that this one has particularly thick walls, plus the emblem of the regiment who manned this site during WW2. The cafe was built in and around a huge R612 casemate for a 7.5cm gun which faced to the north.
Outside the museum there's a small post on the edge of the beach at the end of the road where a 150cm searchlight was positioned.
The R612 casemate is connected to the extensive section of anti-tank wall which runs north towards the Sinope river and small harbour at Hameau Simon. There are a few breaks the wall to allow access to the beach and you can see from those just how thick the wall is.
There are also a number of machine gun embrasure built into the structure to give extra fire support while an extensive anti-tank ditch protects the site from the north too.
In the village there's small garage and R668 shelter in private gardens, while two Tobruks which featured captured French tank turrets on top are now buried near to the tourist office/museum car park and tennis court.