Attractions and Places To See around Watronville - Top 20

A very beautiful and interesting monument.

The Mémorial de Verdun, located near the ruined village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont, is a leading museum and commemoration site for the Battle of Verdun (1916). The museum displays more than 2,000 objects and uses authentic objects, photographs and audiovisual installations to show how French and German soldiers experienced this battle – in the exact same place where they fought.

The Lion of Souville Symbol of resistance at the gates of Verdun; This impressive monument, unveiled on 1 October 1922, stands on the site of the former Sainte-Fine chapel and commemorates the fallen of the 130th French Infantry Division. Designed by animal sculptor and veteran René Paris, the statue depicts a dying Bavarian lion – a powerful allegory for the defeat of the German troops and the heroic French defence during the Battle of Verdun. On 23 June 1916, the German attacks reached their peak at Fort de Souville, the last obstacle to the fall of Verdun. Thanks to the courage of a small French garrison led by Lieutenant Dupuy, the fort remained in French hands. The lion marks the extreme point of the German advance – the “last gate” to Verdun remained closed.

A very nice walk starting from my charming village

This spot is the perfect place to travel back in time. From the beginning of the Battle of Verdun, Fort de Vaux was one of the priority targets of the German offensive. In early March 1916, the Germans came within a few hundred metres of the fort and began a siege that lasted 100 days. Inside the fort, under a barrage of artillery fire, resistance was organised despite the lack of food and water. On 1 June 1916, the Germans reached the fort: the French garrison, isolated and without outside support, fought a week of heroic fighting inside the fort before being defeated by exhaustion. Triggered? Buy a combined ticket and immerse yourself in the history of this episode in the war of 14-18 with a visit to Fort de Vaux. The tour gives an insight into the daily living conditions of the besieged soldiers in the heart of the fort. A must-see for any history buff.

Small pond near the ruined village of Vaux devant Damloup, at the confluence of the Fausse-Côte, Bazil and Fontaines gorges. It was the centre of the fighting in March and April 1916. Nearby is a monument in memory of the aviator Guy Dussumier-Latour, who was shot down on 2 June 1916. Source: Tourism Verdun

Ten months Battle of Verdun On 21 February 1916, the Germans launched an attack north of Verdun. The heavy fighting of 1916 around this French town on the upper reaches of the Meuse was the longest battle of the war. It lasted a full ten months, from February to December. The Battle of Verdun began with the largest artillery bombardment the world had seen up to that point. The ten months of fighting around Verdun cost an enormous number of casualties: some three-quarters of a million, of whom perhaps 300,000 were dead. This makes Verdun the most deadly battle of the Great War, together with the (possibly even bloodier) Battle of the Somme, which took place around the same time. The infamous Battle of Passchendaele or Third Battle of Ypres (1917) came in a distant third with 150,000 dead... About 160,000 were French. This is the largest death toll for a single country during a single battle of the war. It is striking that 4/5 of the dead were victims of artillery bombardments (for the entire war, this ratio is more like 2/3). Due to an enormous concentration of guns, the attacking troops had to fear artillery fire much more than man-to-man fighting.

Discover a historic monument that marks the extreme advance and defeat of the German troops during the Battle of Verdun. This site commemorates the key moments of 1916: the occupation of Fort Douaumont on 25 February and Fort Vaux on 7 June, followed by the German attempt to break through the French defence line and reach Verdun. On 12 July, German troops launched an attack on Fort Souville, the last bastion of the fortified line around the city, but were driven back by a brave French garrison. This monument was unveiled on 1 October 1922 and pays tribute to the 130th Infantry Division. Created by the animal sculptor René Paris (1881-1970), a member of this unit, it evokes the heroic resistance to the enemy attacks of 23 June 1916. It symbolises the defeat of the German troops and pays tribute to the courage of the French soldiers. Come and discover this place steeped in history and emotion, a moving testimony to the courage and sacrifice of the defenders of Verdun. Source: Information panel on site Tourisme Verdun