Attractions and Places To See around Hamonville - Top 19

The Andilly German War Cemetery is located 10 kilometers north of Toul and three kilometers outside of Andilly (Meurthe-et-Moselle). With 33,085 dead soldiers, it is the largest German World War II military cemetery in France. At the beginning of September 1944, Allied troops were pressing toward Germany. From the Rhône Valley to the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine Valley, fighting against the retreating German troops caused enormous losses on both sides. In 1944, the Americans established a temporary cemetery here for their nationals as well as for fleeing German troops who had fallen in combat. This temporary cemetery contained 5,000 graves. After the war, the Americans relieved their soldiers and reburied them in the American War Cemetery in Saint-Avold. Andilly then became a German military cemetery, where 5,000 victims were buried at the time. From Saint-Avold, 575 German soldiers were buried, and from Épinal-Dinozé, 4,891 died in the Andilly area. In total, the death toll at Andilly rose to 11,000. Following the Franco-German agreement on military graves in 1954, the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German Military Graves Maintenance Service) was commissioned by the German government to develop this military necropolis for the victims of World War II in the early 1960s. Its members and benefactors funded its maintenance with their contributions and donations. Starting in 1957, the Volksbund began searching for and gathering in Andilly the bodies of German soldiers who had fallen west of Metz and in eleven departments: Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Côte-d'Or, Haute-Marne, Jura, Doubs, Haute-Saône, Vosges, Territoire de Belfort, Meuse, and Meurthe-et-Moselle. There were 2,000 unknown dead German soldiers in the Vosges who were transferred to Andilly. Thus, with 33,085 graves, the largest German military necropolis for the Second World War in France was created. In the spring of 1961, the cemetery was transformed from a garden perspective. The result was a solemn plot surrounded by bushes and trees. The cemetery was opened to the public in 1962.

On the hill of Montsec in France stands this impressive memorial, erected by the United States in honor of the American troops who broke through the German St. Mihiel salient in September 1918. The monument, a classical colonnade with a bronze relief map in the center, offers a panoramic view of the former battlefield. It symbolizes the cooperation between the French and American armies and commemorates the more than 550,000 American soldiers who took part in this first major, independently led American offensive operation of World War I.

The simple yet poignant structure of the "MONUMENT AUX MORTS," perched high on the hill, can be seen from afar. At the same time, the location offers visitors a sweeping view of the landscape around Montsec, including the Lac de Madine. But this panorama is only a side effect. The memorial was not erected for edifying purposes; rather, it has the dual function of keeping the memory of the victims of war and tyranny alive, and thus also serves as a constant reminder to maintain peace. The architecture of the complex, with its wide staircase and the rectangular columns forming a circle at the top, may well evoke memories of buildings from classical antiquity, but it dates back to the 20th century.

The current church of Montsec was built in 1929, replacing an older church dating from 1723 that was badly damaged during the First World War. The original church had been restored in 1900, but was completely destroyed during the fighting around the Saint-Mihiel salient. The new church is dedicated to Saint Lucy, patron saint of light, and is a symbol of reconstruction in a village that was almost completely destroyed between 1914 and 1918.

Impressive monument, and well maintained, from there you also have a wonderful panoramic view, I can only recommend it to everyone.

Impressive monument, and well maintained, from there you also have a wonderful panoramic view, I can only recommend it to everyone.

This is where hemp fiber was once extracted by soaking the plants in ponds. A few information panels provide more information on this craft as well as the flora and fauna that have since settled there. Overall, this is a well-designed and informative site.

These old hemp roasts are the only ones preserved in Lorraine. The bonds between the bast and wooden parts are loosened in water with the help of various microorganisms.