Hidden in a wood near the small isolated village of Brûly-de-Pesche, not far from the French border, is what was commonly known during the Second World War as "Adolph Hitler's Bunker".
© bunkerhitler.be
The former Führer Headquarters during the French Campaign of June 1940 have become a site of historical interest, for both the occupation and resistance to the German invasion, and can now be visited with the family.
Known as the "Wolf's Gorge" (Wolfsschlucht), the site still houses the remains of Hitler's stay when he settled in this clearing in the Ardennes forest so he could be as close as possible to his troops preparing to invade France.
In June 1940, Brûly-de-Pesche was emptied of its 119 inhabitants. The church was converted into a cinema, where Hitler watched and censored current affairs films, while the bell tower housed a water tank. The French surrender agreement, signed on 22 June 1940 in the Forest of Compiègne, was also prepared in this religious building.
Today, in addition to a concrete shelter accessible through two armoured doors, the complex still comprises two of the three Bavarian-style chalets in which the Führer and his officers stayed.
You will also see the swimming pool dug out for Hitler, as well as a reconstructed resistance shelter. Throughout the village of Brûly-de-Pesche, educational panels tell the story of its evacuated inhabitants and the subsequent resistance movements.
Modern tools (touch screens, video screens and films) also allow visitors to get to know Adolf Hitler's entourage, and even his intimate life, during this sad period.
