(Image: S. Marhall (Pridian.net), reproduced with permission)
When urban explorer Samuel Marshall came across an unassuming pillbox in a French forest, he was amazed to discover stone steps descending more than five storeys into the earth. Realising he’d stumbled upon a hidden site of historical importance, the greatest surprise revealed itself when the innocuous tunnel opened into a vast underground bunker, complete with abandoned armoured military vehicles.
(Image: S. Marhall (Pridian.net), reproduced with permission)
“Finding something like this has been a dream for a long time”, said Marshall, pointing out two vintage World War One cannons discarded in a tunnel. “We are pretty sure they are German 77mm field cannons, model 1896″, he added.
(Image: S. Marhall (Pridian.net), reproduced with permission)
Writing on his website Pridian, Marshall is vague about the abandoned bunker’s whereabouts. In use during the First and Second World War, he states that it can also be accessed from a defunct stone quarry. The most recent owner reportedly used the subterranean tunnels for commercial mushroom growing, but moved out during the 1970s.
(Image: S. Marhall (Pridian.net), reproduced with permission)
Despite the onset of urban decay, the bunker remains intact, with only a small amount of graffiti attesting to its relatively clandestine existence. The installation features administrative, communications and living quarters, while its crumbling condition poses a haunting allure to photographers.
(Image: S. Marhall (Pridian.net), reproduced with permission)
From an urban exploration perspective, the abandoned military vehicles are the icing on the cake. As Marshall said: “It is sad these vehicles have been abandoned here, in the constantly wet environment of the quarry.” But impressively, the gun turrets on the tank and armoured vehicle could still rotate.
