If you didn't already know something about the history of what is known today as Gaël Forest, you would probably have stopped in surprise to glimpse this ruined building and chimney in the middle of the forest. In fact from 1925 to 1945 this was the site of the Camp d'Aviation de Point Clos. In 1940, at the beginning of the German occupation of France, the camp became a German military base. Many of the buildings were wooden and have long since disappeared but the infrastructure buildings were mostly made of reinforced concrete to make them more secure in the event of an attack on the base, and many vestiges of these still survive This building was in fact the camp kitchen and the chimney was the flue for the boiler house. The whole of the camp area was planted with trees after the war but many traces of the former use still survive and can be glimpsed among the trees.
Has a very lonely sparseness, the tress with only a few leaves, the vertical chimney, all speak of a path into the forgotten past. Well done once again Richard
I like that they planted trees here after the war to soften the buildings. That is one very tall chimney. Love the history of your area, its so interesting
As always your words explain what you are showing us, amazing to think what went on here, must send a shiver down your spine, just being there. great image ......
Saw in the thumbnail today what I hadn't seen before in this picture. I had been studying the chimney. In the thumbnail I also notices how the surrounding trees frame it so well. In fact, the chimney disappears in the miniature and the photo is a lovely arrangement of trees.
My first thought was that it was a mining ventilation shaft.I could find something similar in these parts but after the past months storms there are few leaves left on the trees.
December 8th, 2015
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Nice shot