モワレー・フラバス・クレピオン周辺のアトラクション＆必見スポット - トップ20

An observation tower from which, apart from the cemetery, you can see the battlefield (now overgrown with trees) of Verdun.

The Ossuary of Douaumont is an impressive memorial that holds the remains of more than 130,000 unknown French and German soldiers who died during the Battle of Verdun (1916). The bones are visible through small windows in the base – a confronting reminder of the horrors of war. In front of the ossuary is the Nécropole nationale de Douaumont, the largest French military cemetery of the First World War, with 16,142 graves, including a Muslim and Jewish plot. The complex was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

The Mémorial de Verdun, located near the ruined village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont, is a leading museum and commemoration site for the Battle of Verdun (1916). The museum displays more than 2,000 objects and uses authentic objects, photographs and audiovisual installations to show how French and German soldiers experienced this battle – in the exact same place where they fought.

The Ossuary tower, also known as the 'Lantern of Death', is 46 m high and offers a beautiful view of the battlefield. The bell tower was donated by the Americans and is, together with the chapel, one of the oldest parts of the monument. Halfway up the climb, you can see the equipment and some scenes highlighting the soldiers of each camp behind glass. At the top of the tower you can enjoy the view, signs indicate in which direction you are looking. Here you will also find the two symbols of the monument: the beacon and the bell. The red and white light of the beacon swings over the battlefield every night and can be seen from dozens of kilometres away. Louise Anne Charlotte, the bell of victory, was donated by the American Mrs. Thorburn Van Buren. She was cast in Orléans and is honoured in every procession through the towns in the vicinity of Douaumont. The bell was inaugurated in 1929 by the founder of the Ossuary, Monsignor Ginisty, and rings three times a day and during major ceremonies to remind everyone of the fate of the fallen soldiers.

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: https://www.landofmemory.eu/nl/sites-historiques/fort-douaumont/

A landscape marked by the madness of destruction and even scarred by WW1

A very impressive fort with a very great history.

The Verdun Memorial is a museum dedicated to the history and memory of the Battle of Verdun in 1916. The museum is very comprehensive, with an immersive experience that offers a complete chronology of the First World War. Living conditions and technological advancements during the war are well illustrated. From the top floor, there is a beautiful view of Verdun, including the ossuary.