14:41 Jun 29, 2011 

Interesting pic. Funny place to keep the dustbins - but they do have a lot, I suppose....!
;o)

14:24 Jun 29, 2011 

here they are open : http://www.submarine-history.com/NOVApolaris.jpg

14:20 Jun 29, 2011 

would also tie in with the "panneaux" referred to in the 2009 query above.

14:18 Jun 29, 2011 

Thanks for the pic - that particular "sloping part" would make more sense!

14:15 Jun 29, 2011 

My marine dictionary gives "slope" too but only in the geological sense, so thanks for confirming this. This is the only reference to a submarine. Logically, I'd have thought that the topsides on a submarine would have been the part between the horizontal axis and the base of the conning tower, although "pied de talus" seems to suggest "base of the sloping part"....
Thanks for your help.

14:15 Jun 29, 2011 

I think you're right - that would correspond to the missile tube hatch covers on this diagram :
http://www.tpub.com/content/aviation/14243/css/14243_280.htm
(why can't we post pix for Kudoz questions ...?!)

14:12 Jun 29, 2011 

perhaps the talus is the raised part shown in this photo: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/3567187.jpg

14:08 Jun 29, 2011 

but I was going to make the same remark ;-)

14:01 Jun 29, 2011 

too claustrophobic - but my 2 marine dictionaries give "slope" for "talus".
Does your phrase perhaps refer to the part of the submarine's topsides at the foot of the conning tower?