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The city of Verdun was under attack from the Germans for 10 months from the 21st February 1916, to the 18th December 1916, but it never fell.
The German 5th Army attacked in an operation called “ Gericht “ (a court house)
French casualties were estimated at about 540,000 and the Germans at 430,000.
Starting in the town of Verdun, you will need a keen sense to find the Citadel, or a local map helps. There is a car park opposite and an entrance fee to this under ground city
Some of the sites to see include Fort Vaux
This is one of a few forts built in the area in the late 1800's, and not the sort of fort you would first imagine, they are seemingly under ground, with walls some 7 ft thick and covered in earth & sand. You can go in to the fort and follow a self guided tour for the detailed and fascinating story of this fort - remember it is damp, dim and cold - could you live in here?
Take a trip to the Ossuary, there is little I can say about this place to do it justice, the Ossuary has the bones of 130,000 visible through small windows at it base and surrounded by the graves of 15,000 soldiers. It is essential, I believe, for you to see the 20 minute film, then please wander around at your leisure before moving on to Fort Douaumont.
A tour guide is a must really for this area, there is a lot to see and learn, but very spread out.
Never has a day invoked so much thought as the day we visited the Verdun area, this was the area of battle for mainly French/ German and the scene of much death and destruction of a piece of land.
For more information about escorted tours to Verdun and the surrounding area, visit the Explorer Travel (ABTA C1953) battlefields website http://www.battlefieldexplorer.com
Tour the battlefield’s of Europe with war tours - free guide to battlefield tours of the first world war and second world war. featuring maps and details of the trenches and memorials in France and Belgium and Holland. Places to visit include Vimmy, the Somme, Verdun, Ypres salient -also known as ieper and wipers - Thiepval, Flanders field museum, details of accommodation, tourist information and how to get around with easy to use maps. .Great war places to see and visit. Links to other sites. battle of the bulge maps and guides, d-day beaches, arnhem Holland, a bridge too far. bastogne, la roche, ardennes, and December 1944 battle museum. Follow d-day beaches, Utah, Omaha, gold, Juno and sword. Includes details of the Sherwood foresters - Notts. and Derby Regiment from WW1, tour the battlefields of France & Belgium battlefields experience, war-tours and the-Somme
