The Great Blockhouse

Housed in one of the largest blockhouses ever built in Europe, the Musée 1939-45 de la Poche de Saint-Nazaire offers a rare immersion in an authentic historical site. The former military base, used as a German command post, can now be visited over five levels and more than 300 m² of interior space.

Discovery is step-by-step, in the singular atmosphere of a bunker preserved in its original state. Chambers, radio command post, armory, engine room: each area provides a better understanding of the military organization and daily life of the occupants. From the top of the bunker, a panoramic view opens out over the sea and the coast, offering a striking contrast between the landscape and the memory of the place.

The tour also retraces the history of the Poche de Saint-Nazaire, the last region of Europe to be liberated on May 11, 1945. Through reconstructions, models, archive documents and films, the museum recounts a little-known episode in the Liberation, marked by waiting, resistance and the upheavals experienced by the local population.

The museum is designed to appeal to all ages, and offers a range of family-friendly activities. For children aged 5 to 12, a treasure hunt is offered to make the visit more active and fun. At the end of the tour, a diploma rewards their participation, turning the discovery into a real adventure.

Accessible in French and English, the museum welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every year. A visit to the museum is a natural complement to a stay in Pornichet, providing a strong insight into the area's recent history and inviting visitors to understand how coastal landscapes were also the scene of major events in the XXᵉ century.