 Fort Douaumont |
The Meuse is one of Lorraine's four départements in north east France and is named after the Meuse River. It is surrounded by the French départements of Ardennes, Marne, Haute-Marne, Vosges, Meurthe-et-Moselle, and at the north borders the country of Belgium.
Meuse is actually one of the very original 83 départements that were created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from the former provinces of Barrois (area of Bar-le-Duc) and Three Bishoprics (area of Verdun). The population has sufferes a sharp decrease since the 19th century, with a large rural exodus to the cities.
Verdun was founded by the Gauls It has been the seat of a bishop since the 4th century (with a few minor interruptions). In the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the empire of Charlemagne was divided into three parts. Verdun became part of the middle kingdom Lotharingia (this eventually evolved into "Lorraine"). Together with Toul and Metz, it formed the Three Bishoprics, that became part of France in 1552 and was officially recognized in 1648.
 Le Mort Homme |
A Visit to Verdun is not so much a saddening experience but a sobering one. Anyone interested in finding out more about WWI should spend time in Verdun. Germany never took control of Verdun, though they come within five kilometres. They were held back and crushed with the help of American troops commanded by the now legendary General Pershing. Although it was the French General Pétain, whose reputation for organising the defence of Verdun, that the history books remember most. It was Pétain’s glorious victory laid the way for him to preside over the collaborationist Government in Vichy during part of WWII.
Today, on the road to Verdun there stands countless memorials listing the names of the brave men who lost their lives in the great war. The town of Verdun also houses many memorials including the Rodin memorial to the dead at the 18th century gateway at the north end of Rue St Paul.
 Ossuaire de Douaumont |
The citadel with its original 12th century tower, is now the Musée de la Citadelle Militaire. A moving exhibition shows Verdun’s role in the war and ends showing how the "unknown soldier" was chosen for re-internment under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1920.
The land surrounding Verdun has vast cemeteries with 10's of thousands of crosses laid out into the distance. These hills north of the town, around Fort de Souville and beyond, beared witness to the tragic events of the war. The massive Ossuaire de Douaumont actually contains the bones of more than 100,000 soldiers and the adjacent cemetery with 15,000 crosses is very moving location.