Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Discovery Space of the Flore S-645 submarine is installed on the site of the former submarine base in Lorient, built by Todt during World War II under the command of Kriegsmarine. This bunker, now transformed into a museum, initially housed strategic military infrastructure. The Flore submarine, which was built in 1995 in Alveole K2, was converted into a museum space in 2010 under the management of the company Sellor for Lorient Agglomeration.

The museum offers a two-stage immersion: an interactive tour through the K2 alveole (old storage space for trolleys and cranes) and the indoor tour of the Flore submarine, operating from 1964 to 1989. The permanent exhibition traces the history of the Port of Lorient, the life aboard submarines via reconstitutions (machine room, central operations, living spaces), and the technological stakes of the 20th century conflicts. A torpedo tube and period equipment complete the collections.

The daily management is carried out by the Sellor, while an association of former submariners participates in the maintenance of the Flora and shares testimonies via audioguides. The museum, which opened in April 2010, quickly exceeded visitor expectations: 100,000 visitors in 18 months, then 200,000 in 2014, with an annual average level of around 80,000 admissions in 2022. The visit, limited to 600 people in the high season, sometimes requires a reservation.

The K2 alveole, with its 10 meters high and 30 tons door, houses panoramic projections of the world and cold wars, as well as temporary exhibitions. The Flore submarine, accessible by a staircase at the front, allows you to discover the living conditions of the crews through audio accounts. This site, owned by Lorient Agglomeration, illustrates the evolution of naval technologies and the Breton military heritage.

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