Musée le Grand Blockhaus

The Musée le Grand Blockhaus (Museum of the Great Blockhouse) is housed within a former German fortified command post for the Atlantic Wall: the line of coastal fortifications from Norway to the Spanish border. Construction was begun in October 1942 and completed in February 1943; disguised as a French villa, the installation directed coastal defence and cannon fire from neighbouring Batz-sur-Mer. It was staffed by the 280th Naval Artillery Battalion (Coast Artillery) of the German Navy. Following the Normandy Landings of June 1944, the blockhouse became part of the encircled St. Nazaire Pocket. It was some of the last French territory to be liberated, with the final German surrender of the territory including the blockhouse taking place on May 11, 1945. 

The museum presents the history of the blockhouse as well as the St. Nazaire Pocket. It contains German armaments and artillery pieces from the area, uniforms and objects from soldiers of the German, French, and American armies, and audio and video interviews from soldiers and civilians who experienced the fighting around the St. Nazaire Pocket.