 The M272 Casemate with 15cm Naval Gun |
Longues-sur-Mer Normandy, France 39 Rue de la Mer 14400 Longues-sur-Mer Latitude: 49.34346 North Longitude: 0.6921 West |  Click to enlarge map |
| This open air coastal batterie is another beautifully preserved example of the Atlantik Wall and is a very popular tourist spot drawing thousands of visitors every year most notably during the summer months. It’s very easy to find and a must see when visiting the Normandy region. Located to the west of Aromanches-les-Bains and close to the town of Long-sur-Mer. Take the D514 west and then the D104 North until you reach the batterie parking lot. Parking is limited but if you are camping there is a camping area just a few hundred yards heading North. My suggestion is to get their early. When I visited this site in 2013 I arrived around 10:00 a.m. within an hour the lot was full but as is the case with a lot of areas in France you can park to the side of the road, safely. |  The entrance sign to the batterie, it also has a nice gift shop  The road leading to the batterie |
I used two different cameras on the 2013 visit. The Nikon Coolpix 35mm and the Apple iPad mini. |
 An M272 Casemate containing one of four 150 mm Naval Guns at this site |  The M262 Fire Control Bunker |  The stairs leading up to the M262 Fire Control Bunker |
 The crew entrance of the M262 Fire Control Bunker |  The side view of the M262 Fire Control Bunker overlooking the sea |  One of the guns suffered a direct hit on D-DAY by one of the battle cruisers |
 Profile shot of one of the M272 casemates |  The rear entrance to the back of one of the M272 casemates |  A nice dark daunting shot of the of the 150mm German Naval gun |
 Still standing strong as she fired on the ships attacking on D-DAY all those years ago |  Distance shot of one of the four casemate bunkers |  This particular bunker was severely damaged during an air-raid, knocking the gun out of action. |
 Destroyed portions of the gun still remain, in the background to the left is the gift shop |  The damaged gun parts lying under the nose of the M272 |  A good look at the damage to the left side of M272 |
 Outside looking in - Showing the gun parts, the nose and structural frame under the nose of the M272 |  Outside the back showing the battle damage of the M272 |  Another shot at the air raid damage to the M272 |
 Rear left crew entrance to the M272 casemate bunker |  Beautifully and clean! - the inside of the M272. A lot of the other bunkers I visited in 2013 and 2016 had graffiti which is a real shame. |  A nice view on top of the M272 - imagine what was running through the heads of those looking out to sea on June 6th, 1944 |
 A nice view across the top of the M262. |  Another top side view with the staircase in sight. This bunker type is one of a kind, you won't find another in anywhere in France. |  And one last shot facing out to the ocean, I can only imagine the shock, panic and despair once the morning light came up on the 6th of June 1944. |
