Once a huge series of concrete defences overlooking the sandy beaches, Wn08 Riva Bella Ouistreham has largely been covered by the expanding development of the port town and so little remains in terms of numbers of buildings, for visiting these days.

However, what does remain is very large! Le Grand Bunker - a special construction (SK) Hochleitstand fire control post - is located here and this massive multi-storey structure is now a superb museum.

Inside the 17m high, five level building you'll find an incredible number of original objects from the period, including a telemeter rangefinder on the top floor which you can look through to see miles out to sea - imagine what that might have looked like on the morning of June 6, 1944!

The museum also features a number of armoured vehicles, cannons, and beach defence objects, along with a Higgins landing craft which was used in the Hollywood movie Saving Private Ryan.


To the west of the grand bunker, at the edge of a car park is a stilted position which looks a new observation deck, but it is actually a raised anti-aircraft gun position which formed part of the defences of Wn08.
This towering structure stands above a personnel and ammunition bunker - which is partially buried amongst the housing in the area - and can be accessed by a set of steps to give you a view over Ouistreham.