Verdun

I remember Verdun from my history lessons as the largest battlefield of the First World War, so I really want to see it to better understand Franco-German history.

My first museum there is a small privately run museum (l'ouvrage de la Falouse) that recreates life in a WW1 fortress. It's unbelievable how simple life was for the people and how much it was reduced to the bare essentials. A museum well worth seeing. The imitation rats are particularly cute 😄.

Of course, I also want to visit the Ossuaire of Douaumont, with its interesting architecture and the largest cemetery I have ever seen. The number of graves is enormous and I will notice several more cemeteries of different nations involved in the following days.

Rather by chance, I stumble across the Memorial de Verdun and learn everything about the battle there. The multimedia presentation is impressive and gives a good overview of the complicated back and forth of the front line.Read more