The 19 sites of the historical and memorial hiking route
There are two types of V1 flying bomb launching site : the "first type" sites (sometimes called "heavy" sites) and the "modified" sites, also known as "light" sites, which are distinguished by progressive simplification of the base layout, including a reduction in the number of concrete structures.
The "first type" sites are created first, the construction start during the summer 1943. Each base includes twelve buildings, they are necessary for the different stages of the weapon preparation. These structures are connected to each other by a vast network of concrete trails. The sites are located in areas with potential for camouflage, often in woods, sometimes in the courtyards of castles or in farms. Nevertheless, because of their characteristic appearance, these bases are quickly spotted by the British Air Force and undergo intense bombing, sometimes even before the construction is completed. In the winter 1944, the Germans undertake the construction of the second type of base : the "modified" sites. The structure of the bases is simplified, the number of buildings is reduced, only the essential buildings in the preparation process of the V1 (including the launching ramp and the non-magnetic platform) are kept. These modifications are linked with technical requirements : simplifying the layout of the site makes it possible to reduce construction costs (the quantity of concrete required being less) and to speed up the commissioning process of the base. The "modified" sites also have the advantage of blending into the landscape more easily because they are much smaller. They comprise a maximum of six buildings, which only three are entirely concreted. Unlike the "first type" sites, none V1 is directly stored on the so-called "modified" bases, we speak of a "just-in-time" supply.
Some sites of the historical and memorial hiking route are on private estates, entry can be prohibited.
Below you will find the provisional maps before the publication of a definitive document.
The "first type" sites
Campneuseville - Beaulieu | Site n°671
GPS coordinates : 49° 52' 12,41" N
01° 39' 38,59" E
Distance to London : 219,4 Km
The launching ramp
The waiting storage building
Inside the preliminary assembling building
The firing bunker
The preliminary assembling building
The water tank
A dwelling building
Campneuseville - Ferme Prestaux | Site n°672
Private property and entry forbidden,
the last existing building is visible from the public road.
GPS coordinates :
Distance to London :
The preliminary assembling building hidden in agricultural construction. The right side of the roof is original.
(Photograph from the 1970s)
The preliminary assembling building nowadays
Saint-Léger-aux-Bois - Mesnil Allard | Site n°673
GPS coordinates : 49° 50' 27,13" N
01° 35' 48,68" E
Distance to London : 219,7 Km
The water tank, the last remains of the site
Aerial photograph from the 9th Octobre 1945, we clearly distinguish the different buildings that form the site, located near the village. In particular, we can see the three "ski" storage buildings and the netword of concreted trails. The bomb impacts testify to the intensity of Allied bombing
An other view of the water tank
The "modified" or "light" sites
Aubéguimont / Saint-Martin-au-Bosc - Coquereaux | Site n°184
GPS coordinates : 49° 49' 18,19" N
01° 40' 48,18" E
Distance to London : 224,7 Km
The non-magnetic platform
The assembling platform
The firing bunker
The non-magnetic platform
Aubermesnil-aux-Érables / Rétonval - Le Mont Gournoy | Site n°187
GPS coordinates : 49° 48' 20,52" N
01° 35' 01,94" E
Distance to London : 222,5 Km
The non-magnetic platform
A signature inscribed during the site construction
The assembling platform
The non-magnetic platform
The non-magnetic platform
The storage building for chemical reagents
The launching ramp
The roof of the chemical reagent storage building and the launching ramp in the background
The non-magnetic platform
Aumale - Bois de la Vierge | Site n°192
GPS coordinates :
Distance to London :
Road sign indicating the site access
The launching ramp
In the foreground are the remains of the firing bunker, in the background on the right we can see a water tank and on the left the launching ramp
The Dampferzeuger rinsing platform (the steam generator), on the left the storage building for the compressor
The location of one of the storage building for chemical reagents
The non-magnetic platform
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp, where fixes the base of the catapult to fire the V1
The non-magnetic platform
Campneuseville / Hodeng-au-Bosc - Bérémont | Site n°171
GPS coordinates : 49° 51' 27,00" N
01° 40' 32,00" E
Distance to London :
Campneuseville - La Houssaye | Site n°179
GPS coordinates : 49° 51' 00,89" N
01° 40' 10,07" E
Distance to London : 221,6 Km
The launching ramp
Inside the firing bunker
The firing bunker
The assembling platform with the compressor garage on the right
View from the embrasure of the firing bunker, in the background the launching ramp
The compressor garage
The storage building for chemical reagents
The rinsing platform
A signature inscribed during the site construction
The compresor garage with one of the water tanks in the foreground on the left and the assembling platform in the background on the right
The non-magnetic platform
Guerville - Poteau de Montauban | Site n°161
GPS coordinates : 49° 56' 40,70" N
01° 30' 00,70" E
Distance to London : 206,2 Km
The generator building
The muzzle brake of the replica of the launching catapult
The non-magnetic platform
The generator building
The non-magnetic platform
The non-magnetic platform
The non-magnetic platform
The assembling platform covered by vegetation
The firing bunker on the left and the beginning of the lauching ramp on the right
The replica of the launching catapult
The firing bunker with the launching ramp in the background
The access to the non-magnetic platform
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp, where fixes the base of the catapult to fire the V1
Two water tanks
The generator building and the rinsing shop in the background
The launching ramp
Les Landes Vieilles et Neuves / Le Caule Sainte-Beuve - Piste départementale 60 | Site n°189
GPS coordinates : 49° 47' 35,16" N
01° 36' 33,22" E
Distance to London :
The non-magnetic platform
The non-magnetic platform
The Zapfenlager socker placed in the center of the non-magnetic platform, it allows to center the preparation device of the V1
The firing bunker
The launching ramp, we can see a water tank on the left
The access ramp to the assembling platform
A water tank and the base of the rinsing shop
The non-magnetic platform
A water tank
Nullemont - Le Bois Cailleux | Site n°193
Private property and entry forbidden,
the site is visible from the public road.
GPS coordinates : 49° 46' 27,67" N
01°39' 30,53" E
Distance to London : 218,3 Km
Réalcamp - Les Essartis | Site n°169
GPS coordinates : 49° 52' 42,00" N
01° 36' 37,00" E
Distance to London : 216,7 Km
The non-magnetic platform damaged
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp, where fixes the base of the catapult to fire the V1
The launching ramp
The non-magnetic platform, we can see the holes intented to accommodate the poles supporting the frame
Réalcamp - Le Grand Marché | Site n°180
GPS coordinates : 49° 50' 57,09" N
01° 38' 29,79" E
Distance to London : 220,5 Km
The non-magnetic plateform
The launching ramp
The remains of the firing bunker
A water tank, with the remains of the firing bunker in the background
Réalcamp - Les Hauts Buissons | Site n°170
GPS coordinates : 49° 52' 13,50" N
01° 37' 11,20" E
Distance to London : 217,8 Km
The rinsing shop
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp, where fixes the base of the catapult to fire the V1, we can also see a water tank on the left
The firing slab
The firing bunker
The non-magnetic platform
The non-magnetic platform
The firing bunker embrasure
The generator building
Rétonval - Le Bout du Haut | Site n°188
GPS coordinates : 49° 48' 48,58" N
01° 36' 16,72" E
Distance to London : 222,5 Km
The concrete trail towards the launching ramp
The compressor garage
The compressor garage
The location of the assembling platform
The launching ramp
The non-magnetic platform damaged
Rétonval - La Ventillette | Site n°xxx
GPS coordinates : 49° 48' 46'58" N
01° 35' 31,07" E
Distance to London : 222,1 Km
One of the trails of the network concrete paths
The concrete pads of the launching ramp
The launching ramp with a water tank on the left
A water tank
The launching ramp
The non-magnetic platform, we can see the holes intented to accommodate the poles supporting the frame
Richemont - Les Cateliers | Site n°183
GPS coordinates : 49° 48' 50,17" N
01° 37' 35,92" E
Distance to London : 223,35 Km
One of the trails of the network concrete paths
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp and the firing bunker in the background
The firing bunker
The storage building for detonators
The firing bunker from the front
Richemont - Le Transformateur | Site n°182
GPS coordinates : 49° 49' 30,32" N
01° 37' 51,88" E
Distance to London : 222,4 Km
The firing bunker damaged and the launching ramp in the background
The concrete pads of the launching ramp
The launching ramp
The non-magnetic platform damaged
A water tank
Rieux - Val de l'eau | Site n°163
GPS coordinates : 49° 54' 45,80" N
01° 33' 54,16" E
Distance to London : 211,7 Km
A water tank
The non-magnetic platform
The launching ramp
One of the trails of the network concrete paths
Saint-Riquier-en-Rivière / Blangy-sur-Bresle - Poteau Maître Jean | Site n°168
GPS coordinates : 49° 53' 41,90" N
01° 35' 46,60" E
Distance to London : 214,6 Km
A concrete trail towards the non-magnetic platform
The firing bunker
The launching ramp
The storage buildings for chemical reagents
The contours of the assembling platform
The storage building for detonators
Saint-Léger-aux-Bois - Les Sapins | Site n°181
GPS coordinates : 49° 50' 12,73" N
01° 37' 54,89" E
Distance to London :
The location of the assembling platform
A water tank
The launching ramp
The remains of the compressor garage
The slab located at the beginning of the launching ramp
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