What to see

A lot of concrete was used in constructions all over Normandy with bunkers, casemates, shelters, and thousands of defensive positions built in just a few years.
But few builds were created for pleasure - this swimming pool is one example.
Measuring 20m long by 10m wide, the pool stands in a small farm field between the village of Sideville and Martinvaast on the Cotentin peninsula, a few kilometres south east of Cherbourg.
Just a couple of metres deep and fed by a natural spring and stream, you can still see four diving blocks at each end of pool suggesting the soldiers would have taken part in some competitive swimming too.
The swimming pool is on private land which, during the summer of 2024, is being developed into an outdoor adventure and activity centre and there are now two large slides built at one end of the pool alongside zipwires and climbing walls.
While the swimming pool site cannot be accessed without permission, you can see a guard post and small shelter outside the gates either side of the crossroads next to the field.
The guard post is dated 22 July 1942 and is in good condition, despite the fading graffiti.