Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Where the sun doesn't shine: War bunker in France reborn as guesthouse

by REUTERS

SAINT-PABU, France Aug 25, 2021 - 10:17 am GMT+3
General view shows the entrance of a World War II-era German bunker renovated and turned into a guest house for rent on Airbnb, in Saint-Pabu, France, Aug. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
General view shows the entrance of a World War II-era German bunker renovated and turned into a guest house for rent on Airbnb, in Saint-Pabu, France, Aug. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
by REUTERS Aug 25, 2021 10:17 am

If you are bored of the usual hotel rooms or hostels and you feel like trying something new there might be the right place for you in northwestern France.

A bunker built by German troops in northern France during World War II has been restored and refitted as an underground guesthouse.

The northern coast is still strewn with fortifications left by the German army, which built up a so-called Atlantic wall to try to fend off Allied forces.

In Saint-Pabu, on the Breton coast, concrete bunkers are half-buried along the sandy beaches in an area that once operated as a radar station.

Serge Colliou bought up a plot of land around one of them and spent 18 months digging out and renovating the 400-square-meter (4,300-square-foot) structure, turning it into rental for up to eight people, complete with a bar and living room.

"We adapted (the bunker) while preserving a certain feel," Colliou said.

"We wanted to give the building a second life, so we are not going to live in the past forever. We saved some aspects, you know where you are, there are historic cues, but this isn't a museum either."

War-time touches in Bunker L479 include helmets, reproduction guns and signs on the walls.

Both German and French guests have stayed there since it opened a year ago, Colliou said.

Some mayors have tried to remove bunkers and other remains from the coastline, in case there are a danger to swimmers.

Others in Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, Brest and other areas have taken steps to restore the historic sites.

"We are starting to preserve those famous bunkers and it is a good thing, but we cannot save them all," said Herve Farrant, a bunker specialist and author who began to explore the structures in the 1980s.

  • shortlink copied
  • KEYWORDS
    hotel stays travel destinations france
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Wuhan: Life after COVID-19 in virus epicenter
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021