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Charleville-Mézières

La Neuville-Aux-Joûtes

Grand Marais East Casemate – Maginot Line

Discover

Places to see

France

Great East

Charleville-Mézières

La Neuville-Aux-Joûtes

Grand Marais East Casemate – Maginot Line

Recommended by 23 hikers out of 24

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Parc naturel régional des Ardennes

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Location: La Neuville-Aux-Joûtes, Charleville-Mézières, Great East, France

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Best Hikes to Grand Marais East Casemate – Maginot Line

4.9

(17)

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1. Blockhaus Trail – La Neuville-aux-Joûte

11.4km

03:03

130m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.5

(6)

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2. Virgin Mary Tree and Shrine – Étang de la vielle Forgé loop from La Neuville-aux-Joûtes

15.7km

04:11

180m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.8

(6)

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3. Bunker grand marais ouest 3 – Virgin Mary Tree and Shrine loop from Signy-le-Petit

15.5km

04:08

170m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Totosupertramp (Thomas Boury)

April 23, 2024

This casemate is typical of that encountered along the Maginot Line. This fortification line was built in the 1930s to prevent a German invasion. The casemates of the La Neuville-aux-Joutes forest mainly served as shelters for troops and locations for machine guns and light artillery.

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🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

April 1, 2023

Silent witnesses of the Maginot Line.

The Maginot Line was a French defense line constructed between 1930 and 1938 on the borders with Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany in the north and with Italy in the south.

The purpose of the line was to protect France against a surprise attack such as that which had taken place in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, in which France had lost Alsace and part of Lorraine to Germany. When Alsace and Lorraine became part of France again after the First World War, the old defenses were not only outdated, but also too far from the new border. Moreover, France had lost so many soldiers in the First World War that its borders could not be adequately defended without additional measures.

French Minister of War Paul Painlevé was the driving force behind the line, but ultimately his successor and war veteran André Maginot submitted the construction plan to the French parliament in 1930. His 2.9 billion francs (today: 1.5 billion euros) project placed a heavy burden on the French economy, especially at a time of economic crisis. However, defense against Germany was considered vital, especially when Adolf Hitler came to power. In addition, it created 20,000 jobs and electrified the border areas.

Source: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginotlinie

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Elevation 290 m

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Friday 26 September

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Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

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Location: La Neuville-Aux-Joûtes, Charleville-Mézières, Great East, France

Grand Marais East Casemate – Maginot Line

1. Blockhaus Trail – La Neuville-aux-Joûte

2. Virgin Mary Tree and Shrine – Étang de la vielle Forgé loop from La Neuville-aux-Joûtes

3. Bunker grand marais ouest 3 – Virgin Mary Tree and Shrine loop from Signy-le-Petit

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