Very little remains of what was once a large beach strongpoint at Wn03 Merville-Franceville Plage - and what you can find there may surprise you!

Of the builds here - a Doppelschartenstand, R622 casemate, Tobruks, a R643, and two large concrete barracks - only a single barracks block and the R643 turret bunker remain.

The Doppelschartenstand - a double embrasure gun bunker - was removed when the promenade along the beach front was constructed and the location of R622 twin group bunker and one of the barrack blocks is now the foundations for restaurants and hotels overlooking the beach.

You can still see the R643 bunker on the beachfront to the west of the main car park at Merville-Francville's beach but, like most of its type, the large, bell-shaped three-embrasure steel turret which once stood on top has been removed. Standing on top of the roof of the bunker does give you a sense of what the machine gunners would have been able to see along the beach in all directions.

The nearby barracks block is part of the cafe and mini golf complex behind the beach and you can even have an explore of the rooms inside and play a few holes if you want - bunkers inside a bunker - or have a beer on the terrace on its roof.