Welcome to the
Shrine of the Sacred Heart
Located at Fort Hommet, Vazon in the Channel Island of Guernsey, discover the secret of a Second World War bunker transformed by Guernseyman Hubert Le Galloudec from a place of war into a place of peace and beauty using local seashells. Over 30 seashell pictures across the walls were created by Hubert Le Galloudec to depict scenes from the Bible.
Vandalism meant it had to be closed in 1971, but the Shrine Committee and Friends of the Le Galloudec Shrine opened it to the public in the summer of 2008 after extensive repairs to the shell pictures on the walls, built inside part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall.
Visit The Shrine - 2025
The Shell Shrine and Richard Bunker will open for the first time on the 4th April for Easter weekend, then continue opening on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2-4pm until the end of October 2026.
Look out for the “Shrine Open” signs on the main road or use What3Words (///appeal.widest.boats).
We look forward to seeing you. Please note there is no disabled access.
APRIL: Every Tuesday and Saturday
MAY: Every Tuesday and Saturday
JUNE: Every Tuesday and Saturday
JULY: Every Tuesday and Saturday
AUGUST: Every Tuesday and Saturday
SEPTEMBER: Every Tuesday and Saturday
OCTOBER: Every Tuesday and Saturday
Two Bunkers On One Headland
Visit two bunkers on one headland at Fort Hommet. This Casemate is one of 21 ‘Fortress’ bunkers built in Guernsey. Four were installed here at Fort Hommet Headland by occupying German Forces between 1940 and 1945.
Also visit The Shrine of the Sacred Heart.
Bunker 1: Fort Hommet Gun Casemate
Bunker 2: The Shrine of the Sacred Heart
In the 1960s, Hubert Le Gallodec wanted to create a shrine made out of local seashells to create a place of peace from a place of war, as a memory to the slave workers who died in the occupation.
Shell Shrine Bunker Opening Time: 2 – 4:00pm
Weather permitting
We Need Your Help!
The Floor: The floor is still incomplete, as it is still unknown what is either side of the cross. Our next project is to recreate what was on the floor (either side of the cross) with seashells. Until we find photographs or cine film of what was there, we will leave it alone.
Left Hand Side: We believe that there was an Irish Harp on the left hand side of the cross, to go with the St Patrick statue that is on the wall. However we have no idea what could be on the right hand side of the cross on the floor.
Back in 2017, former Shrine Committee member, Andy Le Galloudec, received this old picture slide that was developed into a photograph of the Shrine. This picture (right) showed a love heart shape in the centre of the cross, which our Committee knew nothing about. In 2018 Chrissie & Ian began to recreate it by stencilling the shape of a heart, taking out the yellow shells to recreate in orange periwinkle seashells (see photos in gallery). We believe this to be the Sacred Heart. This picture also shows the floor covered in different shapes, plus note the two yellow & brown symbols (not known to us) situated at the bottom left of the picture. The bottom right side of photo seems yet to be completed.
We believe that someone, somewhere, will have the information we need to complete the Shell Shrine. We would therefore be grateful if anyone has any other photos so that we can try to finish the restoration of Bert’s amazing Shrine. We are looking for any old photographs or cine film of The Shrine from the 1960/70s.
If you think you can help, please get in touch.
