La Coupole, also known as the Coupole d'Helfaut-Wizernes, is a massive Second World War bunker complex located in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, approximately 5 kilometres from Saint-Omer. Originally codenamed Bauvorhaben 21 or Schotterwerk Nordwest, this concrete structure was built by Nazi German forces between 1943 and 1944 as part of their V-2 rocket program. The site was intended to serve as a launch facility capable of firing up to 50 V-2 rockets at London daily, representing one of the most ambitious and technologically advanced military construction projects of the war.
The bunker's distinctive dome structure, from which it derives its name, was designed to protect the launch systems and personnel from Allied bombing raids. The complex features extensive underground facilities including storage areas, assembly halls, and living quarters for the German personnel. Today, La Coupole has been transformed into a history and memory center that educates visitors about the Nazi occupation of France, the V-2 rocket program, and the broader context of the Second World War in northern France.