Nazi officers' bunker is yours for just £280 per night in Brittany

May 26, 2020

Nazi officers’ bunker is yours for just £280 per night and can sleep 25 guests in its vast rooms once used as a radar station for detecting Allied planes over Brittany

Two-storey bunker has 24 rooms including two bathrooms, an eight-bed dormitory and hammock room
Other features include a 20-seater dining table, two lounges, a modern kitchen and, of course, WiFi
Bunker L479 was built in 1943 and used as a radar station to detect Allied planes during Operation Overlord
Today it can sleep 25 people, meaning a stay for a full contingent of guests would be just shy of £12 per person

A Nazi radar station in northern France which also accommodated officers during WWII is available to be rented for £280 per night.

Built in 1943, Bunker L479 is nestled in the heart of of Saint-Pabu, a quiet village in Brittany and is surrounded by sandy dunes and beaches.

The two-storey property has 24 rooms including individual bedrooms, two bathrooms, an eight-bed dormitory and a hammock room. Other features include a large dining table which can seat 20 guests, two lounges, a modern kitchen and, of course, WiFi.

The bunker can sleep up to 25 guests and is also available to rent for parties and other functions.

The Saint-Pabu radar station was tasked with detecting Allied planes, and was one of the many such sites which the Third Reich built across France’s northern frontier during the German occupation (1940- 1944).

Nestled in the heart of Saint-Pabu, a rural village in Brittany, France, the bunker is surrounded by sandy beaches and dunes. The two-storey property has 24 rooms including individual bedrooms, two bathrooms, an eight-bedroom dormitory and a hammock room. Other features include a large dining table which can seat 20 guests, two lounges, a modern kitchen and, of course, WiFi.

The six-bedroom lot is advertised by HostUnusual, a company dedicated to finding the most extraordinary accommodation across the world. One night at the historic bunker starts at £281 per night, £46 per night, if the cost is spread between the maximum of six people. During your stay, you will discover the history of the incredible radar station and its bunkers which were designed to accommodate up to 1,200 men.

The entrance to the bunker is down stairs at the left of the above image. The Saint-Pabu radar station was tasked with detecting the Allied planes. Northern France was occupied by the Germans from 1940 until 1944 (the southern half of France coming under German rule in 1942).

During the occupation the Nazis built up heavy fortifications and bunkers along the northern coast in anticipation of an Allied invasion. The bunker at Saint-Pabu would see that invasion in the summer of 1944 when British, Canadian and American divisions began Operation Overlord.

Saint-Pabu is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France about 15 miles from Brest

The radar at Saint-Padu was tasked with detecting Allies planes throughout the Battle of Brest, from August to September 1944.

The port of Brest was of great strategic importance for the Allies to supply their divisions on the continent – it was estimated the forces would need 26,000 tons of supplies each day to last through to September.

Brest was surrounded and stormed by the US VIII Corps, but not before a tough battle against the Nazi’s fearsome Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) elites who were thoroughly entrenched in the city.

Famously, when US Brigadier General Charles Canham arrived to accept General Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke’s white flag, the German asked the lower-ranking officer to display his credentials.

Camham turned and pointed to his nearby troops and told the Nazi: ‘These are my credentials.’ The phrase was later enshrined as the motto of the US 8th Infantry Division.

The listing for the bunker says: ‘Immerse yourself in a piece of history, with a stay in a genuine World War Two bunker, secluded in a Brittany village close to the beach.

‘Built exclusively for German officers in 1943, you’ll find ‘Bunker L479’ in the heart of Saint PABU, a rural village in Brittany that’s achingly close to the sandy beaches and wild dunes.

The bedroom in the bunker is a lot more homely than the other rooms which have hammocks and bunk beds

The reception room of the bunker which has been decorated with rugs and modern furniture since it housed Nazi officers during WWII

Th bathroom in the bunker is very basic, with a shower and a toilet with urinals

The landing of the bunker

‘Now, you and your loved ones can experience the exciting feeling of hunkering down in war – yet with plenty of modern, peacetime luxury.

‘Constructed across two floors, the imposing bunker boasts 24 rooms that include individual bedrooms, and a dormitory with 8 beds for a ‘sleepover’ feel (there’s even a hammock room, too).

‘After a hearty dinner whipped up in the bunker kitchen, and enjoyed at the grand dining table, relax in your favourite of the two lounges… or why not try the bar instead? Oh, and if you must keep up with the outside world, there’s a dedicated Wi-Fi zone on the first floor.’

One of the dormitories with bunk beds

One of the entrances to the bunker (left) and a shot of the stairs leading to the bunker (right)

The entrance to the bunker is seen lit up at night

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