Verdun Memorial — Attraction in Verdun

If you're at all interested in World War I or 20th century history, it's worth going out of your way to visit Verdun and the Memorial Museum. The Battle of Verdun was one of the bloodiest battles in history - roughly 300,000 French and German soldiers were killed during the 9 month slaughter. The French eventually held off the Germans, but at a horrific cost.

Even if you know little to nothing about World War I, the museum does a great job of explaining what was at stake in the battle, as well as the horrors of combat. All information is laid out in French, German, and English. I was most impressed with the lack of jingoism - even though the battle is one of France's greatest victories, there's no hint of gloating. The exhibits make clear that the German soldiers suffered just as much of the French.

You should note that there's no public bus service to the museum (a shuttle bus from the Verdun tourism office to the battlefield sites was dropped this past summer). I took a taxi from the town to the museum (for 40 euros roundtrip), but I would recommend simply renting a car, as that would make it much easier to get from the museum to the ossuary and to...

I am a big fan of visiting war memorials and I can safely say that the Verdun Memorial is the best one I've ever visited. Why ? The staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. The Memorial is located in the middle of the 1916 Verdun battlefield, which means the visitor can more easily picture and experience the events of that horrific battle. The nearby "Fort de Douaumont" and "Fort de Veaux" are also a must visit since they both played a crucial role in the battle. I would recommend signing up for a guided tour because the Memorial's guides are extremely well informed and explain details and incredible anecdotes that I've never found in history books. I highly recommend visiting the Verdun Memorial and the two...

As war museums go, this one deserves credit. It is not easy to tell events of 100 years ago and make the generations that follow understand. Effort must be made to explain why Germans and French were fighting in the first place, to explain the significance of Verdun - which was the frontline after France had to cede Alsace-Lorraine after its defeat in the Franco Prussian War, the tactics of trench warfare and finally the conditions of the soldiers. This museum - and all displays are billingual, a rarity in France - does all of the above. It takes time to absorb all, and I recommend four hours with a lunch break in between, before going on to the battlefield and...