Report - Petit Ouvrage de Welschoff - France - August 2012

[Saul]

This place was epic!

Petit Ouvrage de Welschoff is part of the Maginot line constructed by the French Government between 1930 and 1940 to keep ze Germans out, and to a lesser extent the Italians. Named after the French Minister for War Andre Maginot, the defences were well built but their effectiveness, due to the French not wanting to have heavy fortifications along the Belgian border, is questionable. Some of the fortifications however did remain in use until the late 1960's during the Cold War, presumably until either France left NATO or newer nuclear bunkers were constructed.

History of the Maginot line here.

My pictures from here are terrible, I was far too busy looking at stuff to take that many and when I did I didn't put in half as much effort as I should. One day, I will return!

Visited with Rookinella and Lawrence.

 

[freshwateriow]

Is it easy to find and get in. Where is it located up North or down South, I am in Switzerland?

 

[jST]

Is it easy to find and get in. Where is it located up North or down South, I am in Switzerland?

I used google, a well know search provider and inputted 'usine de welschhof' Funnily enough the first entry was Wikipedia that gave me the exact coordinates of the bunker! Who'd have thunk it?

 

[freshwateriow]

Thanks for the info, hopefully will get to have a look around. I assume there are steps down to the lower levels, are these enclosed or have railings as some the handrails have been removed? Cheers

 

[HughieD]

Thanks for the info, hopefully will get to have a look around. I assume there are steps down to the lower levels, are these enclosed or have railings as some the handrails have been removed? Cheers

Ask him for his guide book...

 

[freshwateriow]

We will have a first timer and I think a shear drop may put them off.
But thank you for you input and where can you get the guide book.............

 

[O-ren]

I live in the neigbourhood of this Ouvrage, I can only tell you one thing; when you've visited one Maginot Ouvrage / Fortress, you'll know how these were build and what to expect. By using Google you can find maps of this ouvrage (and others). Getting lost is inside is impossible.

 

[freshwateriow]

Thanks, for the constructive info. I have visited Hackenbourg and Choenenbourg so have an idea what to expect. It was just some of the forts that are worth exploring just have the stairs with a void with no handrail may have put off our first timer. I did not want to make their first experience a bad one, thanks again.

 

[O-ren]

The stairs in Welschhof are good. With handrails. ;-)

 

[freshwateriow]

Thanks for the update, it is now on the list to do, cheers.