Batterie Oldenburg
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The Oldenburg Battery is a huge German bunker from the Second World War. It is located east of Calais, at the Site des 2 Mers, on the coast facing England. In the summer of 1940, the German operation Seelöwe began, the aim of which was to invade the British Isles. The Oldenburg Battery was built to strike Allied ships in the Strait of Dover. This battery consisted of 2 French guns captured by the Germans during the First World War. Their range was 28 kilometers, with 150 kilo shells.
The turning point of the war was in 1942. The Allies regained ground and the Third Reich had to review its plans. The Oldenburg battery took on a defensive role and became part of the Atlantic Wall. Annex buildings appeared, allowing a small garrison to reside. The two original bunkers each had about forty rooms on several floors! The Canadian army seized them during the Liberation of Calais in September 2, and the site was partly dynamited.
The remains of the Oldenburg battery are located in the natural area of the Site des 2 Mers, a place for walking on the coast and dune areas. A wooden footbridge has been built to access the top of the Oldenburg battery and to have an overall view, including a panorama of the sea.
Our tip: To visit this place, the most suitable place to park is the free Eden 62 car park which is located at 582, chemin des Dunes in Calais.
