Sadi Carnot Shelter

The Sadi Carnot shelter

A major place of remembrance marked by solemnity, the Sadi Carnot shelter is a contemplative stop on the Brest audio-guided tour. This air-raid shelter was built during the Second World War, between 1942 and 1943.

Brest under the bombings

From 1940, Brest was occupied by the Germans, whose submarines settled in the port, making an Allied landing by sea impossible. The Allies had no choice but to act from the air, and the city suffered many bombings that destroyed much of its buildings. In 1943, several underground shelters were dug to protect the population; this one is a tunnel three hundred metres long.

What to see

The people of Brest came to take refuge here during the attacks. On 7 August 1944, the Americans began the siege of the city. Now a symbol of the destruction of Brest and of the suffering of its population, the Sadi Carnot shelter is discovered with solemnity and contemplation, in respect for the memory of the victims.

Practical information

The Sadi Carnot shelter is in the centre of Brest. A place of remembrance, it is visited with respect and contemplation; opening days and times should be checked depending on the season.

When was the Sadi Carnot shelter built ?

Between 1942 and 1943, to protect the population of Brest during the bombings of the Second World War.

What does this place represent today ?

A major place of remembrance, a symbol of the destruction of the city and the suffering of its inhabitants.