Attractions and Places To See around Gesnes-En-Argonne - Top 17

In his address on Remembrance Day in 2015, then-President Joachim Gauck expressed some thoughts that I would like to offer visitors to this war cemetery/military cemetery for reflection: "This... is our shared hope: that the memory of the suffering of war will not breed revenge, but will lead more and more people and nations to seek a way out in peaceful coexistence. Just as European integration succeeded in becoming the great peace project of our continent. (...) That military cemeteries, as Albert Schweitzer once said, may finally become the great preachers of peace. Then, as we have experienced, reconciliation over the graves will be possible. Then peace can be lasting. We all share this responsibility."

This serene cemetery contains 1,111 individual graves of German soldiers who died in the Argonne Forest during the First World War. Created in November 1915, it is the only German cemetery in the region that has been largely preserved in its original state. Of particular note is the gravestone of Commander Baron von Müllenheim-Rechberg, who died in 1916, and the monument to the 27th Landwehr Regiment. Since 2023, the site has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage as part of the World War I Memorial Sites.

Mémorial de Pennsylvania – Varennes-en-Argonne Erected in 1927 by the state of Pennsylvania, this neoclassical monument honors the American soldiers from Pennsylvania who helped liberate Varennes in 1918. Designed in the Greek style, the monument offers impressive views over the Aire Valley and bears the words of President Wilson: “The right is more precious than peace”.

The American military cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon contains the graves of 14,246 soldiers who died during the First World War in northwest France. It is the largest American military cemetery in Europe. The cemetery site is located in the old front line of the Meuse-Argonne offensive that took place between September 26 and November 11, 1918. The plot of land was used as a cemetery on October 14, 1918 after it had been occupied by the American forces just before. 32nd Infantry Division. The site was given on permanent loan to the US by the French government. The 14,246 graves are spread over eight fields. There are lime trees surrounding the fields, the fields themselves are covered with grass. Each grave has its own stone. For Jewish graves, the top of the stone is shaped like a Star of David. The text on each stone states the soldier's name, rank, division, state and date of death. Of the 14,246 graves, 486 soldiers have not been identified. The stones of the unidentified soldiers bear the text: Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to god. On the south side of the cemetery is a memorial building, designed by the architectural firm York and Sawyer from New York. The center of the memorial gives access to a chapel containing the flags of the US and the other allied countries. The stained glass windows show the insignia of the various divisions that operated in the region. The two loggias outside the chapel display the names of 954 missing soldiers. The visitors building is located on the north side of the cemetery. There is a book here in which a visit can be registered. The entrance to the cemetery, both on the west and east sides, is 'guarded' by two white towers with the American eagle on top. There is a large pond in the middle of the site. The maintenance and management of the cemetery is the responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

The Saint-Martin à Chevières church is a church located in the village of Chevières, in the Ardennes department, in the Grand Est region, in France. It is a 12th century Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, patron saint of the poor and travellers. The church has a sober and harmonious architecture, with a square tower, a nave with three naves and a semicircular choir. The church is decorated with carved capitals, depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the saints. The church also has a remarkable organ case from the 18th century, which is made of oak and carved with floral and leaf motifs. The Saint-Martin à Chevières church is a historical monument, protected since 1921. It is a witness to the religious and cultural heritage of the region.

Impressive square with views over the region

Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I.[1] He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, gathering 35 machine guns, killing at least 25[2] enemy soldiers and capturing 132 prisoners. York's Medal of Honor action occurred during the United States-led portion of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France, which was intended to breach the Hindenburg line and force the Germans to surrender. He earned decorations from several allied countries during WWI, including France, Italy and Montenegro.

World War I cemetery