Construction of V1 bases 1943-1944 (≈ 1944)
Period of intense activity for maintenance.
1944
American release and reuse
American release and reuse 1944 (≈ 1944)
Site taken over by the US Army.
22 octobre 2024
Classification as historical monument
Classification as historical monument 22 octobre 2024 (≈ 2024)
Official protection of remains.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The works of the German maintenance site, vestige of the Second World War, in full, and the land plates where they are preserved, including archaeological remains buried or in known or to be discovered, located on Parcel No. 202 La Longue Vente, shown in the cadastre section A, as represented on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 22 October 2024
Origin and history
The German logistics site of Saussemesnil, built in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century, was entirely dedicated to the maintenance of motorized land vehicles. Its location in this region is explained by the high concentration of construction sites of the launch bases of V1 between 1943 and 1944. These infrastructures played a key role in German military logistics during the Second World War, supporting operations related to retaliatory weapons.
At the Liberation in 1944, the U.S. Army reused these garages to maintain its own vehicles, illustrating the strategic re-appropriation of enemy infrastructure. The site consists of several buildings, including single and double garages equipped with visiting pits. Their state of conservation, considered remarkable, allows today to study the techniques of construction and logistic organization of the time.
Ranked as historical monument by decree of October 22, 2024, the site includes not only visible works, but also archaeological remains buried or in elevation, located on cadastral plot no.202, known as La Longue Vente. This protection covers all structures as well as associated land bases, emphasizing its heritage importance as a material testimony of the Second World War in Normandy.
