2hrs In Verdun?

[boxer]

Evenin'

Come September I'll be passing Verdun on my way south and with luck should have 2 or 3hrs to spare.

Probably just enough time to visit one WW1 site.

Could someone who knows the area/town suggest what site or sites would be best to visit given the time available.

Thanks.

 

[Wapping]

The Ossary.

Watch the film while you are there, too.

 

[adventuredon]

Was there 2 days ago now, awesome site. Worth the time, also the roads are lovely around there

 

[paul08]

The tunnels in the centre of town are also worth a visit. An electric train takes you through the tunnels used by the French as an HQ/hospital/store etc. Let them know you are english and the commentary and visual effects are in English

 

[Beak Freak]

Need more time.....

Loads of stuff to do around there,. If I had to do only one I think I would choose the WWI museum, though you should really do the Ossuary as well.

 

[boxer]

Thanks for that.

I'll have more time on the way back as I've booked 3 nights Avril Williams.

 

[Wapping]

Let them know you are english......

Via the medium of mime, or good old fashioned "Doooo yoooooo speeeeeeak English?"

 

[Wapping]

http://www.virtualtourist.com/trave...080/Things_To_Do-Verdun_sur_Meuse-TG-C-1.html

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g187165-Activities-Verdun_Meuse_Lorraine.html

I would certainly suggest starting with the film at the Ossary, not least as it puts the dreadful attritional battle of into some sort of perspective and explains why Verdun placed an enormous psychological cloud over France for years after. You will be hard pushed to find a Great War memorial in any village in France that does not record the place of death for many of the fallen as Verdun.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=relmfu&v=pkTsJU-B930

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=relmfu&v=5FM0Em_pKfQ

 

[Noddy]

Interesting to see the Bayonette trench mentioned.

Last time we were there the metal recyclers had been visiting

 

[N111BJG]

In Verdun on 1st Sept, with 7 others

Can anyone tell me exactly where the Ossuary is located, is it near Douaumont Fort or nearby.

Thanks

 

[Glyno]

Here you go

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...03243,5.421753&spn=0.051425,0.084286&t=h&z=14

 

[N111BJG]

Thanks Glyno, I must have been spelling it wrong !!

 

[Simon W]

If you're able to take in the Montsec memorial on the way in to (or out from) Verdun, that's well worth a visit - it's about 20 mins to the south

The route on this link heads out through the woods, past most of the major sites (and many of the others are signposted off it). The very first section includes the main ones: the Verdun museum, the ossuary, the bayonet trench, Fluery and Douamont. However, it then carries on to the imposing Montfaucon monument and the Pennsylvania monument in Varennes en Argonne - also worth a visit. However, it may not be practical to take them all in in your timescale if you're going to stop for the film at the ossuary...

http://goo.gl/maps/luH90

 

[mad-dawg]

Evenin'

Come September I'll be passing Verdun on my way south and with luck should have 2 or 3hrs to spare.

Probably just enough time to visit one WW1 site.

Could someone who knows the area/town suggest what site or sites would be best to visit given the time available.

Thanks.

Word of warning,
Verdun WW1 museum is closed for 2 years from 2 September.
Both forts Douaumont and Vaux are worth a visit and there is a discount on the entry fee if you choose to look round both sites.

At Fort Vaux one of the turrets was shattered by a shell, no mean feat seing the thickness of the pieces left scattered around, I reckon the steel must be 10" thick!!