“Is that a tank…?”
“…ah, yeah, it’s a tank…”
The sort of words you only imagine hearing while exploring an abandoned bunker…
Enjoy.
For obvious reasons, I’m going to be vague about the whereabouts of this bunker, sorry if you are genuinely interested in the history.
This former stone quarry has a long history of use as a military bunker, we know it was used during both WW1 and WW2. The most recent owners moving out sometime in the late 70′s.
German 77mm Model-1896 WW1 cannon
Finding something like this has been a dream for a long time, two WW1 vintage canons carelessly bulldozed into a corner. We are pretty sure they are German 77mm field cannons, model 1896. Comparison with photos of intact units (see gallery below) seems to confirm that. I’m still trying to think of a way to get one home.
The former quarry is extensive, and until recently a small part was used for commercial cultivation of mushrooms. The photo above is of a section used to store waste from the mushroom growers.
The ‘crew’ in the main emergency exit stairway of the bunker. It ends five stories higher at an unassuming pill-box in the forest, if you find that, your tantalizingly close…
It is sad these vehicles have been abandoned here, in the constantly wet environment of the quarry they will be nothing more than piles of rust in 10 years. At the moment they are decommissioned but basically functional, the gun turrets of the tank and amoured vehicles could still be easily turned.
An extensive section of the old bunker was formally used as administration, communications and eating areas. All of which are in decrepit condition but none the less photographically interesting.
Thanks again to Gilles and JPG.
hi this kinda thing has facinated me since a young age (wish i was that age again and know what i know now, i would be right beside you’s in these pics) the whole site is brill i have had a great read and still wanting more, it dont matter where your reports from paris , london , etc everyone is just as enjoyable as the next, thanks for something different and all the best.
Great find, kudos!
Some friends of mine just north of Paris recently discovered a pillbox-like structure in the forest behind their home. When they looked inside they found a tunnel, roughly 3km long, which ended in a derelict house in the adjacent village. It’s believed to have played a part in the resistance movement during WWII but may have been constructed much earlier. I must get over there more often ,,,
That is a cool find! Stuff like that hidden all over the place in France.
Those vehicles, especially the the two armored vehicles are considerably more modern than WW2. It looks to me like this was used well into the cold war.
Yep, just as stated in the text above :)
I did some web searching, the tank is a version of the ERC 90 Sagaie. Which was not in production until the late 70s, and early 80s. So this place was in service even late into the cold war.
the long “something” with the medical interior is a Panhard VCR, which also cam out in the mid 70s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERC_90_Sagaie#Production_history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panhard_VCR
super awesome find, you found a military installation that apparently had been in use from at least ww1 to the late cold war era.
Thanks for the info, interesting to know. We knew it was used well into the cold war, but we’re we’re not sure when it was finally abandoned.
More pic’s from this location : XXX [edited, sorry I'm not making this location public]