The best traffic-free bike rides around Gesnes-En-Argonne

Cunel is a commune in the Meuse department of France, in the Grand Est region. It has about 50 inhabitants and an area of 9.64 km². It is located on the River Aire and is part of the canton of Clermont-en-Argonne. Cunel has a tragic history, linked to the First World War. The village was completely destroyed during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, when it was one of the targets of the German attack. The village was later rebuilt at a different location, approximately 500 meters from the original site. One of the monuments that recall this period is the Monument aux Morts, a memorial to the fallen soldiers, designed by the sculptor Paul Moreau-Vauthier.

The American military cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon contains the graves of 14,246 soldiers who died during the First World War in northwest France. It is the largest American military cemetery in Europe. The cemetery site is located in the old front line of the Meuse-Argonne offensive that took place between September 26 and November 11, 1918. The plot of land was used as a cemetery on October 14, 1918 after it had been occupied by the American forces just before. 32nd Infantry Division. The site was given on permanent loan to the US by the French government. The 14,246 graves are spread over eight fields. There are lime trees surrounding the fields, the fields themselves are covered with grass. Each grave has its own stone. For Jewish graves, the top of the stone is shaped like a Star of David. The text on each stone states the soldier's name, rank, division, state and date of death. Of the 14,246 graves, 486 soldiers have not been identified. The stones of the unidentified soldiers bear the text: Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to god. On the south side of the cemetery is a memorial building, designed by the architectural firm York and Sawyer from New York. The center of the memorial gives access to a chapel containing the flags of the US and the other allied countries. The stained glass windows show the insignia of the various divisions that operated in the region. The two loggias outside the chapel display the names of 954 missing soldiers. The visitors building is located on the north side of the cemetery. There is a book here in which a visit can be registered. The entrance to the cemetery, both on the west and east sides, is 'guarded' by two white towers with the American eagle on top. There is a large pond in the middle of the site. The maintenance and management of the cemetery is the responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Romagne-sous-Montfaucon was heavily fought over in the First World War. The small museum is definitely worth it. Owner and driving force is the Dutchman Jean-Paul de Vries

This small German cemetery is in stark contrast to the American one a little further on. The German Military Cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, also known as Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Romagne-sous-Montfaucon and Romagne-sous-Montfaucon Cimetière Militaire Allemand, was established in 1914 at the start of the First World War, but saw its heaviest use during the Battle of Verdun in 1916. The cemetery is located 220 meters north of the village center along the road to Bantheville. It contains 1,407 German and eight French soldiers who fell during the First World War in northwestern France.

The Château de Marcq, also known as Château Mercier, is located in the municipality of Marcq, in the Ardennes department of France. The castle was built by the master blacksmith Nicolas Deruë. The gate of the castle bears the date 1760, which probably corresponds to the year in which the building was built1. The oldest plan is a facade view of the courtyard, made at the end of the 18th century for the addition of two side pavilions

The Saint-Martin à Chevières church is a church located in the village of Chevières, in the Ardennes department, in the Grand Est region, in France. It is a 12th century Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, patron saint of the poor and travellers. The church has a sober and harmonious architecture, with a square tower, a nave with three naves and a semicircular choir. The church is decorated with carved capitals, depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the saints. The church also has a remarkable organ case from the 18th century, which is made of oak and carved with floral and leaf motifs. The Saint-Martin à Chevières church is a historical monument, protected since 1921. It is a witness to the religious and cultural heritage of the region.

The Castle of Grandpré is located in Grandpré, in the Ardennes, France. It was built by the Joyeuse, Counts of Grandpré, at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century. For a long time, the place has been strategically located on the northern slope of the Aire valley, controlling one of the rare passages that cross the Argonne forest. This is the Grandpré passage.

You will find shops, bank and bar here.