Casemate Maginot Champ de course

Did you ever hear of a military bunker becoming a playground for dogs? I’m talking about Casemate Maginot “Champ de course” in Strasbourg. This once formidable structure now serves a rather unusual purpose. Casemate Maginot “Champ de course” was built in the 1930s as part of the Maginot Line. It was meant to defend the Rhine River and the bridges of Kehl, coordinating its fire with the nearby Bassin de l’Industrie casemate. The “Champ de course,” also known as the “Casemate de l’Hippodrome,” was a double infantry casemate, a type M2F CORF construction. It bristled with weaponry: twin Reibel MAC 31 machine guns, a GFM type A turret with a FM 24/29 machine gun and 50mm mortar, and even a dedicated FM 24-29 for close defense of the entrance. This casemate was no sitting duck. It had a clever system of interlocking fire with other casemates, covering the river both up and downstream. The construction contract was awarded to the ERB company of Plobsheim. Imagine, just a handful of workers toiling away in 1932 to create this concrete behemoth. By March 1936, it was wired into the city’s electrical grid. This was a modern fortress, not some dark, damp hole in the ground. It even had ventilation: two arm-powered fans provided filtered air and overpressure to protect the soldiers from gas attacks. The Casemate Maginot “Champ de course” was commanded by Second Lieutenant Baltzinger, whose crew came from the 3rd CEC of the 172nd RIF, under Lieutenant Fauré. Their command post was at PC Davoust, near the Desaix stand. Today, Casemate Maginot “Champ de course” stands within the Jardin des deux rives, also known as Parc du Rhin. Sadly, it’s buried and inaccessible. You can still glimpse the top slab, the front facade, and the GFM turret. But instead of soldiers, it’s now a designated dog park. A curious twist of fate for a structure built for war.