Verdun Citadel & WW1 Battlefields Tour Guide

Verdun city – underground citadel, museums, fortresses and forts, battlefields, memorials, map of battles, how to get there, opening hours, all attractions. Western front of the First World War.

Travel Guide to Verdun WW1 battlefields

The most peaceful city in France. Now Verdun is the most peaceful city in France and the Capital of Peace. Former adversaries, soldiers of France, the USA and Germany now fight bravely here only on the screen of the holographic image in museums or during the grandiose spectacle with pyro effects and laser show.

Verdun, formerly officially known from 1801 to 1970 as Verdun-sur-Meuse, is a French commune located in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region (see the Grand Est map). Located in the historical and cultural region of Lorraine. The main urban center of the Meuse, the city is one of the two sub-prefectures of the department and the capital of the district of Verdun, the Pays de Verdun and the community of Grand Verdun. It is also the most populous place in the department, even though the number of residents has continued to decline since the 1970s.
The emergence of the Verdun agglomeration dates back to antiquity, when the Celts founded an oppidum overlooking the bend of the Meuse. Having become the capital of “Civitas Verodunensium”, it was one of the four cities of the Roman province of Belgium. In 843, the Treaty of Verdun was signed here, dividing the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms. City of the Holy Roman Empire since the tenth century, Verdun was subject to France only in 1552 during the “Voyage d’Austrasie”. Together with other free cities of the Empire, Metz (Metz) and Toul (Toul), it forms the province of Trois-Eves (Trois-Évêchés), finally annexed to the Kingdom of France in 1648 by the Treaty of Münster. A fortress in eastern France, the city has been the scene of several battles such as the 1792 battle during the wars of the French Revolution and the 1870 battle during the Franco-Prussian War. But above all, it was the Battle of Verdun in 1916, during the First World War, that forever made the city world famous.

Slightly affected by the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, Verdun has now turned into a tourist city. There are many military monuments due to its history as a fortress, as well as many World War I memorial sites. The city also has a rich religious heritage, as it has been the seat of the Bishopric of Verdun since the 4th century.

The revolution was rather loyally received by the inhabitants of Verdun. A new municipality is elected, a national guard is formed, and several popular clubs are formed. But the episcopal city is also undergoing de-Christianization: religious orders are suppressed, their goods are sold at the highest price, priests are imprisoned or deported. In 1790, Bar-le-Duc (Bar-le-Duc) was to become the capital of the new department of Barrois (Barrois future department of the Meuse), but the project was not accepted, and the city retained its bishopric.
In 1792, after France declared war on the Holy Roman Empire, a Prussian army led by the Duke of Brunswick entered Lorraine and laid siege to Verdun. The fortifications of the city were in poor condition, there was not enough artillery and experienced soldiers. On August 30, he fell into the hands of the Prussians, and the commander of the garrison, Beaurepaire, was ordered to surrender. The next day, he was found dead in the hall of City Hall, having committed suicide to avoid dishonor. On September 2, Verdun surrendered. Finally, the Prussian army was defeated on 20 September at the Battle of Valmy and left the city on 14 October. Then harsh measures are taken against the collaborators. In accordance with the Convention (1792-1795), 35 inhabitants of Verdun were tried in Paris and then guillotined. Among them are the girls who, on September 4, 1792, offered the King of Prussia candied almonds and would later be called “Verdun Maidens” during the Restoration (1814-1830). On January 9, 1793, elected municipal officials, including Laurent Pons, secured the annulment of the decree of shame that had fallen upon the city for its capitulation.
After Bonaparte’s 1801 Concordat, calm returned. British prisoners of war of the Napoleonic wars from 1803 to 1814 live in the city, and they participate in the life of the city. But the diocese of Verdun disappears along with the diocese of Nancy.

XIX century. The city suffered little from the economic changes of the Industrial Revolution, probably due to its increasing militarization. If cotton spinning work appears, the tannery is difficult to maintain, and it is rural activities (breeding, farming) that take precedence over trade. The only tradition that still exists today is “dragée”. The appearance of the city, strangled by its fortifications, has changed a lot: large communication axes replace small alleys, and doors in the ramparts open the city from the outside. Many buildings appeared: a slaughterhouse in 1840, a covered market in 1853, a theater, bridges. The railway was laid into the city with the opening of the Verdun station in 1870. Work on the Eastern Canal began in 1874, and on May 1, 1880. it was open to navigation. The city restored its diocese in 1817, but it was not until 1823 that the bishop took his place.

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Verdun was attacked on August 24, but staunchly resisted enemy artillery fire, despite the heavy damage inflicted. Finally, after the surrender of Metz on October 27, General Guérin de Waldersbach, commander of the area, on November 8, 1870, after an 81 day siege, was forced to capitulate. The occupation lasted until September 13, 1873.
According to the Frankfurt Treaty of 1871, which ratified the annexation of Alsace and Moselle, Verdun was 45 km from the German Empire and became a stronghold of the northeastern border. The first belt of 10 forts, called “panic”. Forts were built on the heights closest to Verdun. From 1880 to 1914, already the second belt of 43 forts and military installations was built along a perimeter of 45 km, to which Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux belong. All this forms the fortified area of ​​Verdun, connected by 180 km of railway lines with an underground citadel in the center as a command post.
The garrison increased from 3,422 in 1876 to 27,000 in 1914. Verdun became ready for an enemy invasion.

World War I and Verdun battlefield

After the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the civilian population was evacuated and the city prepared for war. The German army invaded the north-east of France and half surrounded the fortress. The city can only be reached by two axes leading to Bar-le-Duc: the local railway Le Meusien (also called Le Varinot, named after its builder Charles Varinot) and the departmental road that the writer Maurice Barrès would call “Voie sacrée” .
In August 1915, the French headquarters, no longer aware of any strategic value of the forts, disarmed those around Verdun and removed the garrison. The German General Staff then took advantage of the vulnerability in the terrain, the last rampart and the hills in front of Paris, to spearhead the attack. On February 21, 1916, at about 7 am, two million shells fell on Verdun. But contrary to what the Germans and their commander-in-chief, General Erich von Falkenhayn, expected, the French army resisted and remained encamped in their positions. The battle lasted almost 10 months, resulting in 163,000 killed and 216,000 wounded on the French side and 143,000 killed and 196,000 wounded on the German side. In the autumn of 1916, the French army, taking advantage of the offensive on the Somme, counterattacked, recaptured the lost forts and drove the Germans back. Verdun was saved.

The Battle of Verdun in 1916 is one of the most important in the First World War. Thanks to a significant rotation of French units (two-thirds of combat units fought there), Verdun became a symbol of the war and is known both in France and abroad. Verdun has received many awards, French and international, making it the most decorated city in France. It is there that the body of a soldier is chosen for burial in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris.
On August 20, 1917, the French army, led by General Guillaumat, launched an offensive called the Second Battle of Verdun. This made it possible to fight off the Germans and return to their positions in 1916. In 1918, the American army made a breakthrough in the direction of Saint-Mihiel and cleared the northern sector.

After the Great war, the city is devastated: a quarter of the buildings are completely destroyed, half are seriously damaged, and the last quarter is looted. During the interwar period, the city was rebuilt with the help of elected officials from the Meuse (Raymond Poincare – Raymond Poincaré and André Maginot – André Maginot) and from other countries (UK, USA, etc.). In 1929, a brand new city appeared with widened streets, cleared river embankments and restored monuments such as the cathedral. Many war memorials were erected, and the Douaumont crypt (ossuaire de Douaumont) was built on the heights of the agglomeration. Verdun becomes a place of pilgrimage for participants in the Great War and their families.

The Second World War

Verdun is no longer near the border and the latter is now protected by the Maginot line. During World War II, the city was evacuated in June 1940 and all bridges were destroyed. The Germans invade the city on June 15, 1940. It then finds itself in a restricted area and is the seat of the Kreiskommandantur and the Gestapo. There is also a POW camp here: Frontstalag 240. The resistance is active, but its members are aware of the executions and deportations.

Liberation of France. The Germans leave Verdun on 31 August 1944, pursued by the US 3rd Army.

Post-war period, “Cold War”. The city became one of the headquarters of the US and NATO forces and remained so until 1966.
After the war, Verdun experienced a demographic surge that led to the expansion of the city, especially to the east, to alleviate the housing crisis. Until 1967, there were 2,000 American soldiers working at the Advance Service logistics base. The city remains a place of pilgrimage, despite the constant decrease in the number of veterans. In the 1980s, the city did not escape economic difficulties in the industrial sector. Tourism appears to be a promising activity given the rich heritage and history of the episcopal city.
In the summer of 1994, the World Center for Peace, Freedoms and Human Rights, which began operating in 1990, moved to the former episcopal palace.

Verdun Citadel and main attractions in the city

• Verdun Citadel – fortress and the museum of the First World War
• Monument “Children of Verdun”
• Roadway Tower: Gate and fortification
• St. Paul’s Gate – “triumphal arch” of Verdun
• Princerie Museum – 14th-century sculpture and art
• Center for Peace – Bishop’s Palace of the XV-XVIII centuries and the multimedia exhibition “The First World War”
• Cathedral of Our Lady (Notre Dame)
• Port Châtel – another entrance gate to Verdun
• “Crossroads of the Marshals” – a memorial complex of the heroes of the First World War
• Victory Monument – memorial complex of the battle for Verdun
• Dragee Braquier – an old confectionery factory, shop and mini-museum

Verdun Citadel quick Tour Guide:

The Verdun Citadel or the fortress (in French – La citadelle souterraine de Verdun) located in the city center is a beautiful engineering and fortification structure and an architectural monument of France from several eras at once. The citadel and the city of Verdun gained worldwide fame during the First World War.

Fortress Verdun Citadel, the history of creation and construction 1567-1634-1886.
Occupying an important strategic position, Verdun has been a fortified area for centuries. In 1552, when King Henry II of France annexed the city, it was decided to modernize the ancient medieval fortifications in accordance with the requirements of the era and architecture of this time. This is how the citadel appeared in the form we see it today.

Verdun Citadel and the First World War, 1916.
February 21, 1916 at 8:15 am, the German army begins its largest offensive on Verdun. The first shells fall on the fortress. As planned in advance, personnel and government services take cover from enemy fire in these dungeons, located 16 meters of hard rock underground. Since that time, the citadel has been transformed into a small underground city. Read more…

Memorial to a French soldier and citadel, 1920
Beginning in 1916, the President of France took all measures to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers of the French army who died on the battlefields. Cemeteries and memorials were organized. On November 2, 1920, a bill was adopted to commemorate the soldiers who died defending the Fatherland, who died for France. Particular attention is paid to the search for dead soldiers on the ground. For those who could not be identified, the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” is being erected under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and in other regions of France. Verdun is also included in the most important battle sites and the citadel is used in all these memorial events. Read more…

Fortress “Verdun Citadel”, one of the best museums in France.
Today, the citadel is one of the main sights of Verdun, and in terms of military-historical tourism, it is one of the main sights of France of world importance. Inside the citadel, a magnificent military history museum is organized, combining both the best traditions of military museums – uniformed dummies, military relics, artifacts and corners of the living history of the First World War, and the most modern methods of museum work – visualization, multimedia and holographic stories and displays of history.

Verdun Citadel Tour Guide

It is best to start exploring the Verdun Citadel with a satellite image, where you will see a regular polygon. The southern part of the fortress, where the entrance to the dungeon and the museum is located, overlooks the Meuse River. The north-eastern side of the citadel is adjacent to the “high city”, the central historical part of Verdun. There are medieval maps of the city and all its fortifications, but by the First World War everything had changed a lot. Only individual objects and sections of the medieval city have been preserved. Verdun Citadel is considered an underground fortress, but the outer walls, ramparts and bastions are perfectly preserved. There are several excellent walking routes around the outside of the fortress, which require about 40-50 minutes. If you get close to the wall, you will see its large size. Dangerous areas are fenced off from visitors. Independent tours or with a guide – around the fortress and on its top without going into the dungeons are possible on any days and hours at your request. Please note that there is a long waiting list; advance reservations for the dungeon tour are required during the high season.Underground tours of the museum inside the fortress are carried out on special trailers with a capacity of 9 people. The cart moves automatically on rails, almost along the route of delivery of ammunition and food during the Battle of Verdun. The movement occurs almost in twilight, which makes the trip more interesting and emotional. The trolley passes through various underground corners of the fortress, where there are “living history corners” showing in a visual form the various services of the citadel garrison in the First World War. The air temperature, even in summer, is about +7 degrees Celsius (take this into account when choosing clothes*)
During the tour you will receive a free audio guide in English, French and German. It is very pleasant and authentic, of course, to listen to these videos in the original language of French soldiers and marshals. It turns out to be a complete immersion in that era.

Boutique and souvenir kiosk. Near the tour check-in desk, the Citadel Museum has a small bookshop and a souvenir stall on the theme “World War I, France, Verdun and Lorraine.” Here you can buy books and reference books (mostly in French, English and German), maps of the battles of Verdun and many postcards with various views of Verdun and the Citadel. Keychains, mugs, posters and even drawings are also good souvenirs. There are also commemorative medals from the Citadel fortress – Verdun. All this can be purchased after riding on the cart near the entrance. Instagram, “selfies” and classic “memory” photos are, of course, classics for visiting such museums. But during historical tours, sometimes you want to immerse yourself in the era of the early 20th century and make retro-style souvenirs for yourself or your friends. You can buy a postcard with a view of the citadel at the souvenir kiosk, make an inscription and a drawing, and then send it yourself or ask the guide to send it (you can also open it) from the local post office with the cancellation stamp “Verdun” and the date of your visit. These postcards have always been classic collectibles and will soon be as extinct as typewriters were until recently. In a hundred years this artifact will be very expensive, as it is very rare

Citadel Museum practical tourist information.

Opening hours. Visits to the “citadel” museum and underground tours are possible in the following months and times:
The museum is closed from New Year’s Day until January 19.
In January-February the museum is open from 9:30 am to 12:30 and from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
In March the museum is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
In April-May and October-November the museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
In June-July-August-September the museum is open from 9 am to 7 pm.
In December the museum is open from 10 am to 12 and from 2 pm to 5 pm.
The museum is closed from December 22nd to December 31st
The schedule may change, please check before your trip.

Entrance fees for adults are 8 Euro/person. Ticket price for children from 8 to 16 years old – 4 Euro. Family rate (2 adults, 2 children) – 20 Euro
Discount ticket to the museum – for students, military personnel, veterans, etc. — 7 Euro
Group rate (from ten people + 1 accompanying person free) – 3 Euro

Unofficial information, reviews and useful tips. Museum specifics.
France is a country with its own traditions and culture of drinking wine. Many tourists from all over the world, following the “French” tradition, drink a glass of good local wine four times a day. Some tourists follow their traditions and drink beer or whiskey. Usually this is enough to withstand a 30-minute tour through the cool casemates of the fortress. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in tourist areas is not prosecuted by the police unless public order is violated. But it’s better to take some clothes with you so that you don’t feel cold: a jacket or sweater.

How to get from Paris to Verdun Citadel. Verdun has a worldwide reputation as a battlefield, but is a small city in a region far from the capital. You can get there from Paris by TGV train with a bus transfer according to the schedule. Bus and train services are quite rare, as most tourists arrive by car or minivan. All the main tourist attractions, including forts, trenches, memorials, are located outside the city in different places. Taxis can be taken near the tourism office, but there is no guarantee. The Citadel is located on the outskirts of the city opposite the bus station. You can take a taxi (if available) or walk about 30-40 minutes through the city center.
According to French standards, a trip of more than 3 hours on the highway is very long. The car will take you to the other end of the country. A one-day express tour from Paris to Verdun is possible if you:
You will get up very early, at 6-7 am. You will include in your express program a visit to the Citadel, a short sightseeing tour of the city, a trip to 2-3 places (no more). Return back to Paris late in the evening. The driver will help you reserve a time for visiting the dungeon and museum in advance.
An alternative option includes a 2-day trip with an overnight stay in Verdun. On Day 1 you will visit the battlefields and museums of Champagne, but instead of returning to Paris you will continue on to Verdun. The next day you will visit the Citadel and the main sites of the Battle of Verdun. This option is more comfortable with reasonable prices, especially for a company of 2-3 people. You can find out more about route options from Paris for 1-7 days using the link below.

• Private tours from Paris by a car trough Champagne for 1-7 days

Verdun, virtual city tour:

Outskirts of Verdun: battlefields of the First World War
“Red Zone” – the nearest suburbs of the city. Main attractions: forts, memorials, museums.

• Douaumont – memorial and military cemetery of the First World War
• Fort de Vaux – artillery casemates and fortified area
• Fort Douaumont – Museum of the First World War
• Memorial: “Trenches of bayonets of the 137th Infantry Regiment of the French Army”
• Monument to Muslim Soldiers of the French Army
• all memorials and memorable places in the vicinity of Verdun, map

Douaumont Fort Museum Quick Quide

Fortress Douaumont is a classic monument of engineering from the First World War in France, on the Western Front. The fate and history of the fortification during the battle for Verdun is very interesting. Abandonment by the French army, use by the Germans, battle for Douaumont.

Fort Douaumont Museum – the famous WW1 battlefields fortress near Verdun.
Fort Douaumont was built as part of a fortified defense area of ​​France, starting from the 1890s, consisting of a system of 19 fortifications surrounding the city of Verdun. During the First World War, the fort fell into the very epicenter of the battle for Verdun, which lasted 300 days and is known throughout the world as the largest battle. Read more about the history of Fort Douaumont.

There is a museum inside the fortress. Guns and light small arms of the armies of the countries participating in the First World War. Entire fragments of the internal infrastructure of the fortress with sleeping quarters, dining rooms, service rooms have been restored.

Interesting Facts. When there was a battle for Verdun, one of the French aviation pilots was a Russian Ace, nicknamed “Cossack”.
During an private tour from Paris to the battlefields near Verdun, be sure to visit this fortress. The building was well preserved despite heavy shelling and bombardment. The forts were designed just for this. It also makes sense to go on the road to Champagne, near Reims, before or after Verdun, to see another such building – the Pompelle fortress.
Set on real battlefields, the fort ranks among the best World War I museums in France. This world heritage site is included in the program of all excursions to the battlefields of the First World War in the area of ​​​​the city of Verdun.
Fort Douaumont is a well-preserved engineering and fortification structure from the late 19th to early 20th century. Recommended for visits to the 100th anniversary of the First World War for both adults and children. Useful and interesting.
Reviews of visiting Douaumont Fort. France has a large number of forts from the First World War, but only a small number are available for internal inspection. Douaumont is on this list of forts that you can explore inside. The summer tourist season has not yet arrived and I easily found a taxi to get to this place. The cost of a trip from Verdun to Douaumont Fort was about 50 euros, but the time of the visit to the dungeon was limited by waiting for the car. The first thing you need to do is take a photograph of the entire fort. The fort is large and long, so I walked some distance from the entrance. There was no rain, but mud remained everywhere. After a quick outside inspection, I bought a ticket and went inside. The fort has not undergone any cosmetic repairs and remains unchanged as it was 100 years ago. Traditional authentic twilight, dampness and echo from any sounds. To be completely immersed in living history, you need to turn on a soundtrack with the sounds of artillery fire, as is done in the “Battle of the Somme 1916” Museum. The floor is made of stones and looks authentic. To the left and right of the passages there are rooms with various old equipment covered in rust. Waiting for a taxi did not allow me to study the structure of the dungeons in more detail, but for the first acquaintance I was satisfied. I will come here again in the summer.
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World War I battlefields and memorials in the Verdun region

• Fortified area and fort “Ouvrage de la Falouse” – Museum of the First World War
• The Argonne region is the left bank. Battle sites and war memorials
• Battlefields and memorials of the Saillant-Saint-Mihiel area

Verdun memorial complex “Crypt Douaumont” (Ossuaire de Douaumont) and the national military cemetery (Ossuary).
On the site of the bloody battles of the First World War, where tens of thousands of soldiers died, the majestic Pantheon of Glory was built. Inside there is a chapel, commemorative plaques and a memory gallery. Near the crypt there is a large military burial place, who died in the battle for Verdun.
Commemorative events dedicated to the First World War are constantly held at the memorial complex. Tourists and pilgrims from all over the world come here to honor the memory of soldiers.

Verdun. Practical information. There is a tourism office where you can buy guides, maps, souvenirs on the way. You choose the hotels where to stay in Verdun, on our guides we place some options that our customers liked. You also choose restaurants and cafes, usually already on the spot, depending on the schedule for passing the main points of the route.

“Battle for Verdun” – theatrical performance, WW1 re-enactment show.
At a certain period, usually at the end of summer, you can visit the military history show.
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Interesting Facts. Russians. For participation in the fortification of Verdun, a Russian military engineer, Colonel Loganov Nikolai (1876 – May 11, 1938, New York, USA) was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. He graduated from the Nikolaev Engineering School and the Military Engineering Academy. During the First World War, he participated in the construction of the Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk fortresses. Posted to France. Member of the Civil War in Russia. In exile since 1923 he lived in America, in the USA.

Verdun battlefield tours

• WW1 Verdun battlefield private tours from Paris by a car

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