FEDER_Requalification of the Merville Battery
Kohesio
GIP MUSEE FRANCO BRITANNIQUE DE LA BATTERIE DE MERVILLE
The site of this coastal battery built by the Germans as part of the overall system of the Atlantic Wall during the Second World War fell into oblivion after the war. In 1969, the idea of ​​preserving it began to germinate and the land was bought by the Littoral Conservatory in 1977. An association was set up to clear and develop the blockhouses to highlight this unique historic site along the Normandy coast. The site as a whole was listed as a historic monument on October 25, 2001. It was patiently redeveloped by volunteers in order to correspond as closely as possible to what it was on June 5, 1944. Today, the Merville Battery Museum presents the history of this feat of arms by the British airborne troops in the heart of the site's blockhouses. To complete the scenography and the offer, an airplane C47-Dakota is brought back from Bosnia-Herzegovina to be renovated and put on display on site. This is a plane that was used on June 6, 1944 to parachute troops into Normandy. It is also classified as a Historic Monument. Currently, the museum covers a little more than 5 hectares and has a complete educational trail explaining the history of the site from its establishment by the Germans to its capture by the British. A memory garden has been installed outside the site with a stele commemorating the action of the 9th battalion as well as commemorative stelae in honor of certain soldiers, installed at the request of the family of British paratroopers (due to the importance of this site for many British people). This garden will be completely integrated into the visiting area thanks to the new layout, to highlight it and show it to visitors.  As part of the continued development of the museum since its opening in 1985 and the ever-increasing influx of visitors, it is necessary to improve visitor reception and protect the C-47. The operation includes 3 operations: development of a landscaped car park with access road; construction of a building intended to improve the reception of the public, to develop the shop space, to have compliant and modern sanitary facilities, to have a modern educational room which can thus meet the demand of our numerous school groups and, finally, to have office and reserves for the administration of the site; construction of a hangar intended to house the C-47 Dakota.
Greener, carbon-free Europe / Environment protection and resource efficiency / Protection, development and promotion of public cultural and heritage assets