Gallery: The Epic 450-Mile French Barrier That Couldn’t Stop the Nazis

  • Image may contain Ground Grassland Outdoors Field Nature Wilderness Bunker Building and Land
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    01

    maginot-exposition-25.jpg

    The Bréhain works in the town of Bréhain-la-Ville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, are completely underground. They consist of 10 blocks branching off a roughly 4,600-foot underground gallery. These hydraulic turrets are the only parts of the fortification visible above ground.
  • Image may contain Building Bunker and Ruins
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    02

    maginot-exposition-21.jpg

    This bunker in the town of Seltz is one of seven bunkers lining the Seltzbach River.
  • Image may contain Slope Outdoors Nature Mountain Range Mountain Peak Countryside Plateau Grassland Field and Hill
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    03

    maginot-exposition-10.jpg

    The Valette Pass barracks in the town of Roure, in the French Alps.
  • Image may contain Building and Bunker
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    04

    maginot-exposition-30.jpg

    The entry to the Falkenberg shelter in the town of Philippsbourg, Moselle sat at the base of the Vosges Mountains.
  • Image may contain Plant Tree Slope Fir Abies Grass Conifer Field Outdoors and Grassland
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    05

    maginot-exposition-01.jpg

    The Hackenberg fortifications in Veckring, Moselle, include 19 combat blocks connected by underground galleries. An anti-tank trench is the main visible structure.
  • Image may contain Building Bunker and Ground
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    06

    maginot-exposition-29.jpg

    In Modane, Savoie, rock-hewn underground galleries connect an armored combat block to others.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Ground Plateau Scenery and Countryside
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    07

    maginot-exposition-11.jpg

    These ruined barracks and entry blocks were part of the Restefond Pass fortifications in the French Alps, the highest part of the Maginot Line’s defense system.
  • Image may contain Ornament Pattern and Fractal
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    08

    maginot-exposition-04.jpg

    An infrared aerial photograph from 1974 showing the Milles Fourches Fort and La Forca Fort, part of the Maginot Line in the French Alps. The image was projected on a wall and photographed in detail.
  • Image may contain Bunker Building Nature Ground Cave and Road
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    09

    maginot-exposition-35.jpg

    The Gebirgswald shelter sits in the town of Indweller, Bas-Rhin. It has seven entryways and a network of underground galleries. It was never completed.
  • Image may contain Building Housing Nature House Cottage Outdoors Cabin Countryside Rural Hut Shelter and Shack
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    10

    maginot-exposition-19.jpg

    At the front of the Maginot Line sat fortified houses that looked ordinary but were occupied by soldiers. This one in Pouru aux Bois,Ardennes was restored during the making of a period movie.
  • Image may contain Nature Ground Slope Outdoors Land Plateau Mountain Range Mountain and Adventure
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    11

    maginot-exposition-09.jpg

    Remains of Maginot Line barracks in the Etroite Valley in the French Alps.
  • Image may contain Nature Weather Outdoors Mist and Fog
    Alexandre Guirkinger
    12

    maginot-exposition-03.jpg

    A foggy view of Mille Fourches Forg, photographed from La Forca Fort in the French Alps. The infantry works sat on two summits roughly 6,500 feet above sea level and defended the Royal Valley from an Italian invasion.
Read More
Staunch Trump Supporters Are Now Asking If He's the Antichrist
The Iran war and a series of social media posts, including one depicting Trump as Jesus Christ, have some conservative commentators and fans suspecting the president may be the antichrist.
Makena Kelly
The Best iRestore Deals on Hair Growth and Red Light Therapy
Today, iRestore is offering up to $900 off select devices and up to $1,550 off bundles.
Boutayna Chokrane
Meta Is Warned That Facial Recognition Glasses Will Arm Sexual Predators
More than 70 organizations, including the ACLU, EPIC, and Fight for the Future, say the AI smart glasses feature would endanger abuse victims, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people.
Dell Cameron
The Best Fitness Trackers Check Your Sleep, Heart Rate, or Even Your Blood
With almost ten years of hands-on testing, WIRED knows what separates the best fitness trackers from the rest.
Adrienne So
You Should Be More Freaked Out by Shingles
The viral infection leaves millions with chronic pain, increased stroke risk, and lifelong nerve damage—yet vaccination rates remain dangerously low.
Rosie Taylor
BYD’s Fastest-Charging Car in the World Is Astonishing—in Good and Bad Ways
WIRED witnessed the game-changing Denza Z9 GT charge its battery in just 9 minutes. But the pricing for BYD's premium brand looks like a huge mistake.
Jeremy White
The Best Water Filter Pitchers for PFAS- and Lead-Free Living
Water filters promise the moon—but only some back up their claims. Here are the best filtered-water pitchers for those who prefer their water free of heavy metals and forever chemicals.
Matthew Korfhage
The Internet's Most Powerful Archiving Tool Is in Peril
As major news outlets cut off the Wayback Machine, journalists and advocacy groups are rallying to protect the Internet Archive’s vast collection of web pages.
Kate Knibbs
The Dumbest Hack of the Year Exposed a Very Real Problem
Last April, a hacker hijacked crosswalk announcements to mimic Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Records obtained by WIRED reveal how unprepared local authorities were.
Paresh Dave
AI Agents Are Coming for Your Dating Life
The developers of Pixel Societies are using AI agents to simulate social interactions. It's an attempt optimize the process of choosing new colleagues, friends, and even romantic partners.
Joel Khalili
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson