This was once a massive batterie, but today there is little left to see.
Located inland of the cliffs to the west of the port town of Fecamp, it once boasted six open emplacements for huge artillery guns plus supporting ammunition storage bunkers, personnel shelters, and a Leitstand observation bunker.
Manned by HKAA (Heeres Kusten Artillerie Abteilung) number 799 (Army Coastal Artillery Division 799), this group were responsible for six 15.5cm artillery guns – all captured French weapons.
Formed in June 1941, the Division occupied the channel coast area from 1942 until August 1944 and also manned the batterie on the north eastern side of Fecamp.
The observation post stands on the edge of the cliffs and is still in good condition despite its exposed nature, although it’s now used for a place of shelter by cattle, so access is difficult during grazing periods.
Grainval’s batterie position is just under 1km inland of the observation post and there are a few remains you can see from the road, including two large shelter buildings.
Now hidden in agricultural fields are the six positions for the 15.5cm artillery guns – all captured French weapons – as well as two smaller buildings for ammo storage.
Along the Route de Grainval from the obs post to the batterie there are several smaller buildings in private gardens which look like storage and personnel shelters.
The beautiful port town of Fecamp is a popular holiday spot and for concrete tourists there's a lot to see including over a dozen gun casemates spread across the hillsides, a stack of casemates on the cliff edge, and a huge radar facility.
Fecamp was split into around a dozen different strongpoints with bunkers built to protect the town, on the edge of the hill to cover the port area, and on the cliffs at the top of Cap Fagnet where a mixture of defensive structures and radar bunkers still remain.
After the fortress ports of Le Havre and Dieppe, Fecamp was the third most fortified port in this area of Normandy. Fecamp was occupied between June 9, 1940, and September 2, 1944.
A memorial stone stands on the pathway down to the beach remembering German and French victims of mine activity.