Ca013 Ault
Beachfront strongpoint at clifftop coastal town
Ca013 Ault site overview
What to see
The small coastal town of Ault – located between Le Treport and the Somme estuary – featured a number of defensive strongpoints, including a large batterie site situated inland of the beaches.
But it wasn’t without its first line of defence on the beachfront either as Ca013 proves.
Running along the promenade and sandwiched between residential buildings you can pick out a series of remaining concrete constructions, including a R612 casemate with a nearby machine gun position in the heart of the town.
The R612 is positioned to cover the area to the south while a second 7.5cm PAK 40 field gun was installed inside a R680 type casemate to the north with a long view along the beach.
A Vf Schnabelstand – a small observation post – stands to the north of both casemates and has a commanding view along the coast too. This building is in a poor state but can be visited near to the campsite area.
At the extreme outskirts of the town you can find a Vf5b Neu anti-tank gun garage which stands in a private garden but can be viewed from the road.