France Guide
Alsace and Lorraine
Verdun
VERDUN lies in a bend of the River Meuse, some 70km west of Metz. Of no great interest in itself, what makes this sleepy provincial town remarkable is its association with the ghastly battle that took place on the bleak uplands to its north between 1916 and 1918.
The Battle of Verdun ,an offensive that ranked among the most devastating ever launched in the annals of war, opened on the morning of February 21, 1916, with a German artillery barrage that lasted ten hours and expended two million shells. The battle concentrated on the forts of Vaux and Douaumont, which the French had built after the 1870 Franco– Prussian War. By the time the main battle ended ten months later, nine villages had been pounded into oblivion; not a single trace of them is detectable in aerial photos taken at the time. Hundreds of thousands of men died on both sides. To this day, memorials in every village, hamlet and town of France are inscribed with the names of men slaughtered at Verdun.
The most visited part of the battlefield extends along the hills north of Verdun, but the fighting also spread to the west of the Meuse, to the hills of Mort-Homme and Hill 304, to Vauquois and the Argonne, and south along the Meuse to St-Mihiel, where the Germans held an important salient until dislodged by US forces in 1918. Unless you take an organised tour, the only viable way to explore the area is with your own transport. The main sights are reached via two minor roads that snake through the battlefields, forming a crossroads northeast of Verdun: the D913 and D112.
Perhaps surprisingly, given the pounding it received during the course of two world wars, Verdun's centre is not entirely unattractive. Memorials to the town's unfortunate history aside, however, there's not a vast amount to see or do.
Near the railway station, the Rodin memorial, a disturbing statue of winged Victory, stands beside a handsome eighteenth-century gateway at the northern end of rue St-Paul, where it joins avenue Garibaldi. Nearby, a simple engraving lists all the years between 450 and 1916 that Verdun has been involved in conflict. The fourteenth-century Porte Chaussée guards the river-crossing in the middle of town. Beyond it, further along rue Mazel, a flight of steps climbs up to the Monument de la Victoire, where a helmeted warrior leans on his sword in commemoration of the 1916 battle, while in the crypt below a roll is kept of all the soldiers, French and American, who took part. Beyond the monument, on rue de la Belle Vierge, is the Musée de la Princerie (April– Oct daily except Tues 9.30am– noon & 2–6pm; €2), which exhibits ceramics, furniture and paintings.
The rue de la Belle Vierge leads round to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, whose outward characteristics are Gothic; its earlier Romanesque origins were only uncovered by shell damage in 1916. The elegant bishop's palace behind it has been converted into the Centre Mondial de la Paix et des Droits de l'Homme (Jan to mid-June & mid-Sept to Dec daily except Mon 9.30am– noon & 2–6pm; mid-June to mid-Sept daily 9.30am–7pm; €3) hosting exhibitions on themes such as peacekeeping and human rights.
Rue du Rû, the continuation of rue Mazel, takes you to the underground galleries of the Citadelle (daily Dec, Feb & Mar 10am– noon & 2–5pm; April– June & Sept 9am–6pm; Jul & Aug 9am–7pm; Oct & Nov 9.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–5.30pm; €6), used as shelter for thousands of soldiers during the battle. The Unknown Soldier, whose remains now lie under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, was chosen from among the dead who lie here.
The gare SNCF is on avenue Garibaldi.
As for accommodationhead for the friendly Hôtel St-Paul, 17 rue du Général Sarrail ( 
03.29.86.02.16, 
hotelspaul@orange.frPrice: €41-50; closed Dec 7 – Jan 7) or the simple family-run Hôtel Montaulbain, 4 rue de la Vieille-Prison ( 03.29.86.00.47; Price: Under €50).The Auberge de Jeunesse ( 03.29.86.28.28, verdun@fuaj.org; closed Jan) is between the cathedral and Centre Mondial (5-, 6- or 7-bed dorms €12.10), with a splendid panoramic view of the town.
There are plenty of cafés along the river. For a galette or crêpe, Marie la Crepe at 54 rue des Royers is a cheap and cheerful (from €3; closed Sun & Mon in winter). L'Estaminet, opposite, has a great selection of beers and is open until late.