A photographer explored decommissioned French naval warships at their final resting place — see his haunting photos

Zoë EttingerMay 27, 2020, 01:47 IST

Bob Thissen on one of the ships.@exploringtheunbeatenpath

Bob Thissen is a Netherlands-based photographer and explorer who has been photographing abandoned structures for the past 13 years.
In 2016, he traveled to Brittany, France, to visit decommissioned French naval warships.
He gained entry to the ships at night and sometimes even slept on them.

Netherlands-based photographer Bob Thissen has been interested in abandoned buildings and structures since he was a child.

In 2007, he took his interest a step further by traveling to photograph some of the most mysterious places around the world.

Thissen shares his findings on his Instagram account, where his followers can virtually explore abandoned observatories, theme parks, naval ships, and many more.

One of Thissen's most thrilling explorations was during his 2016 trip to Brittany, France, where he managed to get inside decommissioned French naval warships.

Take a look at his haunting photographs.

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Bob Thissen has been interested in abandoned structures since he was a child.

The bay with decommissioned warships. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

However, it wasn't until 2007 that he found out about urban exploring on the internet, and he "was hooked."

Cruiser Colbert. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

In 2016, Thissen traveled to Brittany, France, to explore decommissioned French naval warships.

100 mm naval gun. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

He had to travel about 700 miles to reach them.

Thissen on the ship. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

"First we scouted the place," he said. "We did not know how to get on them or if there was somebody patrolling."

Cruiser Colbert Masurca missiles. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Eventually they went at night. "We spent a few weeks exploring them, and we even slept on them," he said.

Combat information center. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Most of the doors were welded shut so he had to climb in through small open hatches.

Corridor. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The effort was worth it for the incredible things he found inside.

Engine room. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

They spent the most time exploring the Colbert, pictured below.

Corridor. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The Colbert used to be a museum, so after being disarmed, it was left intact.

Workshop. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

"Though it looks light in the pictures, inside the ship was pitch black," Thissen said.

Corridor. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Thissen and his friends slept in the ship's sleeping quarters during their exploration.

French Portuguese submarine. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Some of the rooms, like the combat information center below, still contained equipment left by the French navy.

Combat information center. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The ship even had an operating theater, in case someone was wounded.

Operating theater. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

"The sailors were on the ship for three months at a time, so you have all kinds of things there," he said.

Dentist's chair. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The sleeping quarters, pictured below, also gives a window into the lives of the sailors.

Sleeping quarters. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The ship also had large dining halls, where the sailors could eat together.

Dining room. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The officers' lounge, though worse for wear when Thissen shot it, provides another glimpse at what life was like on the ship.

Lounge. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Though de-armed, the missile loading room, pictured below, is still a sight to behold.

Missile loading room. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The nautical bridge, pictured below, was one of the rooms Thissen was most fascinated by.

Nautical bridge. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

The warehouse shows where the sailors would store important objects.

Warehouse. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

When Thissen went, there were at least 10 ships, but this number fluctuates as ships are dismantled and new ones arrive.

Engine control room. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Thissen thinks it's important to document these abandoned structures.

Sick bay. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

"If everyone obeyed the rules there would be no pictures taken inside these ships, and a piece of history would have disappeared," he said.

Engine room. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

Though the ships that Thissen visited are now dismantled, he's glad he was able to capture them beforehand.

Warship. @exploringtheunbeatenpath

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A photographer explored decommissioned French naval warships at their final resting place — see his haunting photos

Bob Thissen has been interested in abandoned structures since he was a child.

However, it wasn't until 2007 that he found out about urban exploring on the internet, and he "was hooked."

In 2016, Thissen traveled to Brittany, France, to explore decommissioned French naval warships.

He had to travel about 700 miles to reach them.

"First we scouted the place," he said. "We did not know how to get on them or if there was somebody patrolling."

Eventually they went at night. "We spent a few weeks exploring them, and we even slept on them," he said.

Most of the doors were welded shut so he had to climb in through small open hatches.

The effort was worth it for the incredible things he found inside.

They spent the most time exploring the Colbert, pictured below.

The Colbert used to be a museum, so after being disarmed, it was left intact.

"Though it looks light in the pictures, inside the ship was pitch black," Thissen said.

Thissen and his friends slept in the ship's sleeping quarters during their exploration.

Some of the rooms, like the combat information center below, still contained equipment left by the French navy.

The ship even had an operating theater, in case someone was wounded.

"The sailors were on the ship for three months at a time, so you have all kinds of things there," he said.

The sleeping quarters, pictured below, also gives a window into the lives of the sailors.

The ship also had large dining halls, where the sailors could eat together.

The officers' lounge, though worse for wear when Thissen shot it, provides another glimpse at what life was like on the ship.

Though de-armed, the missile loading room, pictured below, is still a sight to behold.

The nautical bridge, pictured below, was one of the rooms Thissen was most fascinated by.

The warehouse shows where the sailors would store important objects.

When Thissen went, there were at least 10 ships, but this number fluctuates as ships are dismantled and new ones arrive.

Thissen thinks it's important to document these abandoned structures.

"If everyone obeyed the rules there would be no pictures taken inside these ships, and a piece of history would have disappeared," he said.

Though the ships that Thissen visited are now dismantled, he's glad he was able to capture them beforehand.