i 🕊️ Remembrance & the Great War
First World War battlefields: Verdun and the Grand Est
In the Grand Est, the Great War is not just something you discover in display cases: it is still written into the ground. On the heights north of Verdun, the battle fought between French and German forces from 21 February to 18 December 1916 left forts, trenches and military cemeteries, now brought together as a vast memorial battlefield. In the Vosges, the Hartmannswillerkopf recalls the fierce fighting of 1915; in the Argonne, the Butte de Vauquois bears witness to mine warfare; near Reims, Fort de la Pompelle tells the story of the city’s defence. Each site combines landscape, remains and a place of remembrance.
For a first visit, start with the Verdun Memorial, which displays more than 2,000 objects and explains the battle, before moving on to Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux, the Ossuary and the Trench of Bayonets. Without a car, the Underground Citadel in the town is accessible from Verdun station. Those keen on less-visited sites should head to Vauquois, whose tunnels can only be explored on a guided tour, or to the Vieil Armand, a battlefield at 956 m altitude with a Franco-German Historial (history museum). Allow a day for the Verdun battlefield and half a day for each of the other sites.
How to choose?
If you are discovering Verdun as a family
The Memorial offers a quiz for children aged 7 and over and welcomes pushchairs, and Fort Douaumont is free for under-8s.
If you are travelling without a car
The Underground Citadel is in the town, near the Citadel car parks, and the Trench of Bayonets is 7 km from the station, around 30 minutes by bike.
If you are on a tight budget
The Trench of Bayonets, the surface at Vauquois and the Vieil Armand battlefield are free; La Pompelle is free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of the month.
🕊️ Trench of Bayonets🕊️ Butte de Vauquois🕊️ Hartmannswillerkopf – Vieil Armand🕊️ Fort de la Pompelle
If you are an enthusiast seeking authenticity
The tunnels at Vauquois, the terrain of the Vieil Armand and Fort Vaux, with its redesigned exhibition, bring you as close as possible to the war on the ground.
🕊️ Butte de Vauquois🕊️ Hartmannswillerkopf – Vieil Armand🕊️ Fort Vaux
ComparisonData taken from each listing, checked against official sources
| Place or activity | When | Time needed | Who it suits | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdun Memorial📍 Meuse (55) | February to December; closed in January and on certain days (see official website) | At least 1 hr 30 min at the Memorial, a full day with the forts | Families (quiz from age 7), school groups, history enthusiasts | A4 exit 30 or 31, then follow “Champ de bataille” (10 min from Verdun); free parking; Meuse TGV station 25 km away |
| Douaumont Ossuary📍 Meuse (55) | Open almost all year; annual closure early January to 7 February 2026, closed on 25 December | About 1 hour (including the 20-minute film) | All ages; accessible to people with reduced mobility except the tower | A4 exit 30 (Voie Sacrée, from Paris) or 31 (from Metz), then follow signs for Verdun; free car park on site |
| Fort Douaumont📍 Meuse (55) | Open daily from early February to late December; closed in January and on 24–25 December | About 1 hr 30 min, according to the Verdun Memorial | All visitors; uneven floors and low temperatures in the galleries | Car: about ten kilometres north-east of Verdun via the D913; car park in front of the fort |
| Hartmannswillerkopf – Vieil Armand📍 Wattwiller · Haut-Rhin (68) | Historial open daily until 13 November 2026; road closed from mid-November to April | Half a day for the Historial and the battlefield | All ages; hilly paths, sturdy footwear needed | By car: D431 (Route des Crêtes) via Uffholtz, or D13 via the Col Amic; Navette des Crêtes shuttle bus in summer; free car park |
| Fort Vaux📍 Meuse (55) | February to December; closed in January, on 24 and 25 December and on 1 January | About 1 hr 15 (top and interior of the fort) | All ages; dogs not allowed; accessible except for part of the East gallery | From Verdun, follow “Champ de bataille” (Battlefield) signs (10 min); A4 exit 31; free parking; Meuse TGV station 25 km from Verdun |
| Trench of Bayonets📍 Douaumont · Meuse (55) | All year round, open-air site | — | All visitors; a place of remembrance, accessible to people with reduced mobility | From Verdun via the D964 then the D913B; Verdun railway station 7 km away, about 30 minutes by bike from the centre |
| Verdun Underground Citadel📍 Meuse (55) | February to December; annual closure in January (5 January to 1 February in 2026) | About 1 hr 30, including 35 min in the pod; last departure 1 hr 30 before closing | Not permitted for under-8s; not recommended for people with claustrophobia, pregnant women or those with heart conditions | Avenue du Soldat-Inconnu, Verdun; free car parks at the Citadelle and Pré-l’Évêque; Verdun station |
| Butte de Vauquois📍 Vauquois · Meuse (55) | Surface all year; tunnels on the 1st Sunday of the month from March to October, and in summer by reservation | 2 to 3 hours on a guided tour | Good physical fitness needed for the tunnels; no babies carried in arms or slings and no animals underground | By car to the car park on the hill, the starting point for guided tours |
| Fort de la Pompelle📍 Marne (51) | All year round, Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays and some public holidays | 1 hr 30 to 2 hrs including the grounds | All ages; guided family tours from age 9 | By car: RD 944, route de Châlons-en-Champagne, at Puisieulx, 8 km south-east of central Reims |
Map: First World War battlefields: Verdun and the Grand Est
When to go?
- JanPossible
- FebPossible
- MarPossible
- AprPossible
- MayPeak season
- JunPeak season
- JulPeak season
- AugPeak season
- SeptPeak season
- OctPossible
- NovPossible
- DecPossible
Peak season Possible Off season
📅 The Verdun sites open from February to December and close in January; the Hartmannswillerkopf can be visited from April to mid-November, as its road is closed in winter. For the tunnels at Vauquois, aim for the first Sunday of the month from March to October, or the summer by reservation.
Tips & insider advice
- A jacket, even in summer
Inside Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux, the temperature hovers around 12 °C all year round and it is very damp: bring warm clothes and shoes that can cope with water.
- Avoid January
The Memorial, the forts and the Underground Citadel close in January, and the Ossuary has its annual closure from early January to 7 February in 2026.
- Get the combined ticket
The Verdun Memorial and Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux offer combined tickets at a reduced rate: see the official website.
- Dogs allowed at Douaumont only
Dogs on a lead are allowed at Fort Douaumont, but not at the Verdun Memorial or Fort Vaux; nor can they go down into the tunnels at Vauquois.
- Vieil Armand: check the road
The Hartmannswillerkopf road is closed from mid-November to April; in 2026, the Historial is open daily until 13 November.
- Places of remembrance
The Ossuary, the Trench of Bayonets and the military cemeteries are memorial sites: dress and behave respectfully, and stay on the paths.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to visit the Verdun battlefield?
Allow at least 1 hour 30 at the Memorial and a full day with Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux, the Ossuary and the Trench of Bayonets. With the town and the Underground Citadel, plan for two days.
When was the Battle of Verdun?
According to the Verdun Memorial and the Douaumont Ossuary, the battle took place from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the heights north of Verdun. The Ossuary speaks of “300 days and 300 nights” of fighting and around 300,000 French and German soldiers killed.
Where can I visit a WW1 battlefield in Alsace?
At the Hartmannswillerkopf, or Vieil Armand, a 956 m spur overlooking the Alsace plain, fought over mainly in 1915. The site combines a battlefield, a National Monument and a Franco-German Historial; its road is closed from mid-November to April.
Are the Verdun sites suitable for children?
Yes, within limits: the Memorial offers a quiz for children aged 7 and over and welcomes pushchairs, and the forts are free for under-8s. However, the Underground Citadel is not open to under-8s, and babies or toddlers carried in arms or carriers are not allowed in the Vauquois tunnels.
Information checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions may change: check the official website before you travel.