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Fort Douaumont

Fort Douaumont

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Fort Douaumont

Recommended by 97 hikers out of 98

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Location: Douaumont, Verdun, Great East, France

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Best Hikes to Fort Douaumont

4.8

(5)

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1. From the Verdun Memorial to Bezonvaux — loop from Fleury-devant-Douaumont

15.8km

04:18

230m

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

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Intermediate

4.5

(22)

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2. Fort de Douaumont – Fleury-devant-Douaumont loop from Douaumont

14.4km

03:59

250m

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

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Intermediate

4.6

(28)

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3. Fleury-devant-Douaumont – Fort Douaumont loop from Douaumont

9.21km

02:32

150m

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

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Intermediate

Tips

Nico

June 28, 2022

The strongest of the whole forts from the series of over 30 built pieces... and yet this one also met the fate of change of occupiers

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Thomas IGB

July 19, 2019

The Fort Douaumont (French: Fort de Douaumont - briefly also Fort Gérard) was the largest and strongest work of the outer Fortgürtels the French festival place Verdun in Lorraine and in the First World War in the Battle of Verdun heavily fought. The fort was part of the outer defensive line of the fortress from the 19th century, which consisted of eleven forts and 23 intermediate works (French "ouvrages intermédiaires d'infanterie"). His outstanding role in the defensive battle of Verdun had a not inconsiderable influence on the construction of the Maginot Line, which was intended to stop in France in the period before the Second World War, an attacker from the East.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Douaumont

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🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

April 1, 2025

Fort Douaumont is a remnant of the First World War. One of the most powerful constructions and a symbol of the Battle of Verdun. More than a return to the past, a visit to this place immerses us in the heart of a legendary confrontation and tells us about the lives of those who lost their lives there.
Fort Douaumont was built between 1884 and 1886 and was an extremely strategic location during the Battle of Verdun. It is also to this battle that the Fort owes its fame. The fort has been a listed historical monument since 1970 and, at an altitude of 400 metres, it offers a view of the valley south-west of Douaumont.

As a building barely finished, it was almost immediately outdated because of its masonry construction. Indeed, at that time, new shells were able to destroy masonry structures. That is why Fort Douaumont was covered with a thick layer of concrete in the most sensitive and exposed places. The effectiveness and resistance of the weapons make this fort one of the most powerful buildings in the entrenched camp of Verdun.

From the beginning of the First World War, the village of Douaumont and its surroundings were put in a state of defense: trenches were dug, barricades were built, barricades were hung. At first, the village managed to defend itself. But, from 1915, the village could no longer hold out. The stabilization of the front line then changed the type of battle.
On February 21, 1916, the Germans attacked Verdun. Fort Douaumont was a privileged target: in two days, it was hit by 800 shells. In a few days, the front line came dangerously close to the fort. Four days after the start of the battle, it was already in the hands of the German army. For eight months, the French army fought to retake the fort, using many shells. It was not until October 1916, after 6 days of preparation and the deployment of exceptionally dense artillery, that yet another attack succeeded in recapturing the fort.

In the Fort Douaumont Museum, many films, photos, archive material and testimonies tell the story of the fort and the heroic soldiers who fought there. A moving discovery that is a good addition to a visit to the fort.
Source: landofmemory.eu/nl/sites-historiques/fort-douaumont

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Elevation 390 m

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Sunday 9 November

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Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

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See hikes here

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Location: Douaumont, Verdun, Great East, France

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Fort Douaumont

1. From the Verdun Memorial to Bezonvaux — loop from Fleury-devant-Douaumont

2. Fort de Douaumont – Fleury-devant-Douaumont loop from Douaumont

3. Fleury-devant-Douaumont – Fort Douaumont loop from Douaumont

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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