Île Longue
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Île Longue (French for “Long Island”) is an island of the roadstead of Brest. It is the base of the SNLE, the French ballistic missile submarines, and as such one of the most secretive and heavily defended places in France.
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[edit] Geography
Île Longue is a peninsula on the commune of Crozon, attached to the Crozon peninsula. its altitude is 42 metres.
Originally the isthmus was a mere sand bank, and crossing was only possible at low tide. During the 19th century, it was improved with a stone pathway. During the construction of the strategic base (1967-1972), it was widened, made insubmersible, and changed into a parking space.
The peninsula is a stone plateau surrounded by cliffs. It harbours several water springs, which made human habitat possible. In the 19th century, three villages were built on the peninsula: Kernalleguen (less than a kilometre of the isthmus), Kermeur (1.5 km of the isthmus) and Bothuelc'h, slightly North.
[edit] History
[edit] Careers
Exploitation of porphyry started in the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century, half a million cobblestones were produced each year. Up to eleven careers were exploited around the peninsula. The largest, Vengleuz Braz, was located West from Kermeur.
[edit] Fortifications
With its cliffs, local water resources, isthmus crossable only at low tide and its location defending Brest harbour, Île Longue is an easily defendable, strategic location. It was fortified by Vauban and Dajot as to render the roadstead impossible to hold by an enemy fleet and to allow a counter-attack against an enemy landing party attempting to seize Quélern.
Dajot had a fort constructed at the top of the peninsula around 1776. It featured a hemicircular lower battery with small buildings protected by a ditch, with a bastion and a drawbridge.
In 1879, a wall was built South of the peninsula, as to defend it against the land. It featured a drawbridge defended by a casemate and two bastions. Remains of the main gate and of the casemate still exist, but are enclosed in the military area, and not accessible to the general public.
[edit] First World War
From 1914 to 1919, Île Longue was used as an internment camp for German citizens captured after the seizure of the ship Nieuw Amsterdam, intercepted by the French 2nd Light Squadron on the 2 September 1914.
From the 3 September to the 23, the 1500 passengers were interned at Crozon fort and in Brest; from the 4 November, they were transferred to a camp built on Île Longue for the occasion. The last prisoners were released on the 31st December 1919.
[edit] Second World War
During the Occupation, the German used Île Longue as an anti-air battery, which remained active until 1944. Megalithic monuments were destroyed by the construction of bunkers.
[edit] Île Longue strategic submarine base
In 1965, general De Gaulle chose Île Longue as home for the sea-based component of the Force de frappe. The place was chosen because it was close to a large harbour, yet distant enough to stay out of the public's eye, and was easily controlled and defended.
Work began in 1967 and took 5 years. The peninsula was completely changed, as the isthmus was widened and consolidated, and the peninsula itself gained 30 hectares. Two dry docks were built, as well as numerous habitation, engineering and defence buildings.
In 1972, the base was made operational and Le Redoutable departed for her first patrol. Île Longue has been the base of the SNLE of the Force Océanique Stratégique ever since [1].
Maintenance of the submarines is done at Île Longue, as well as storage of the nuclear components (warheads and fuel bars). Chemical pyrotechnics for the missiles and conventional warheads are stored in Guenvénez, 4 km away.
Since 2006, work has been undertaken at Île Longue to prepare the base for the new M51 SLBM.
[edit] Google Earth
In 2005, a small scandal broke out[citation needed] when it was noticed that Google Earth hosts relatively high-quality images of the site, where a docked submarine can be clearly seen. This sharply contrasts with prefectoral regulations which forbid any form of photographs or even drawings of the site [2].
 A general view of Île Longue in Google Earth |
 A detailed view where a submarine can be seen near the entrance of a dry dock |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ The attack submarines (SNA) are based in Toulon
- ^ Arrêté n°04/70 portant interdiction de photographier l'Île Longue ("decree forbidding photography of Île Longue"), by the préfet maritime of the 2nd Maritime region
[edit] External links
- (French) French Mnistry of Defence
- (French) Satellite photographs on Google Maps.
