Footsteps of WWII · Western France
Saint-Nazaire: U-boat base and Normandie dock
Naval base · 28 Mar 1942
The story
Saint-Nazaire's 14-pen U-boat base, built from February 1941 to mid-1942, served the 6th and 7th Flotillas. Beside it lay the Normandie dry dock, the only Atlantic dock that could take the battleship Tirpitz. In Operation Chariot on 28 March 1942, the explosive-packed destroyer HMS Campbeltown, under Lieutenant Commander Stephen Beattie, rammed the dock gate at 01:34 while commandos of No. 2 Commando under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Newman wrecked installations. Campbeltown blew up around noon, and the dock was out of use until 1948. Of 612 men, 169 were killed and 215 captured; five Victoria Crosses were awarded.
What to look for
The vast concrete base, with a fortified lock of 1943–44 and a roof-top viewing terrace, now holds the Escal'Atlantic liner exhibition and the submarine Espadon. The Normandie dock (Forme Joubert) is close by, and a stele to the Chariot raiders stands in Petit-Maroc facing the Loire.
Plan your visit
The base and the Chariot stele are freely accessible. Escal'Atlantic adult €15; submarine Espadon €6; timed slots recommended. A guided tour of the Chariot raid sites costs €6. Hours vary by month; check the website before you go.
Things change, so check opening times before you travel.
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