Attractions and Places To See around Forges-Sur-Meuse - Top 20

An observation tower from which, apart from the cemetery, you can see the battlefield (now overgrown with trees) of Verdun.

Among the thousands of fallen soldiers who rest here is Caporal Louis Micol, a soldier of the 19th Battalion of Chasseurs à Pied. He was not only a soldier, but also the founder of one of the first French front newspapers: Le Son du Cor, a trench newspaper written by and for soldiers. Micol died on 18 September 1915 in Brabant-en-Argonne and is buried in grave no. 390. His story is a reminder that even in the midst of the violence of war, soldiers sought ways to make their voices heard, share experiences and preserve their humanity.

Military cemetery created in 1916 during the Battle of Verdun. It contains the remains of 6,537 French soldiers, including 2,000 in ossuaries. Most of them died in 1916 on the right bank of the Meuse, near strategic points such as Côte 344 and Thiaumont. In 1961, 151 soldiers who died in the Second World War were also buried there. The necropolis covers 3.2 hectares and was set up between 1919 and 1934

This church, dedicated to Saint-Baudel, originally dates from the 11th century, as evidenced by the use of the typical opus spicatum masonry in the north wall. Over the centuries, the building has been modified and restored several times, resulting in a striking mix of architectural styles. Inside, you will find wooden seating boxes for the faithful and a 19th-century pulpit – silent witnesses to religious life in this village on the Meuse. Note the symbolic animal figures at the ends of the roof beams.

The Ossuary tower, also known as the 'Lantern of Death', is 46 m high and offers a beautiful view of the battlefield. The bell tower was donated by the Americans and is, together with the chapel, one of the oldest parts of the monument. Halfway up the climb, you can see the equipment and some scenes highlighting the soldiers of each camp behind glass. At the top of the tower you can enjoy the view, signs indicate in which direction you are looking. Here you will also find the two symbols of the monument: the beacon and the bell. The red and white light of the beacon swings over the battlefield every night and can be seen from dozens of kilometres away. Louise Anne Charlotte, the bell of victory, was donated by the American Mrs. Thorburn Van Buren. She was cast in Orléans and is honoured in every procession through the towns in the vicinity of Douaumont. The bell was inaugurated in 1929 by the founder of the Ossuary, Monsignor Ginisty, and rings three times a day and during major ceremonies to remind everyone of the fate of the fallen soldiers.

The Myth of the First World War “In memory of the French soldiers who sleep standing, rifle in hand, in this trench – their brothers in America.” This is the inscription in front of the Memorial of the Battle of Verdun in the ghost town of Douaumont. The monument was financed by a wealthy American banker, George T. Rand, who was moved by the famous legend surrounding the site. It is said that French soldiers buried standing, with weapons in hand, died from enemy shells. Bayonet Trench is one of the myths of the First World War. In 1922, it was classified as a historical monument and in 2014 it was considered a site of national importance. After the war, excavations uncovered 21 bodies of French soldiers. Fourteen were identified and buried in the Necropolis of Fleury, opposite Douaumont. The seven other bodies that remained unknown were reburied in the "Bayonet Trench". For many, the myth persists, while others question it. Especially since no body was found standing upright. In any case, the legend of the "Bayonet Trenches" shows above all how much the Great War left an almost indelible mark on the collective imagination. As the bloody conflict of the Battle of Verdun drew to a close, glorious stories quickly emerged in which the nation sacrificed itself for the fatherland. Source: https://www.landofmemory.eu/sites-historiques/tranchee-des-baionnettes/

The national necropolis of Bras-sur-Meuse contains the remains of 6,537 soldiers who died for France. During the First World War, 6,386 French soldiers were gathered here, 2,000 of whom are in two ossuaries. It was created in 1916 during the Battle of Verdun (February-November 1916) and was gradually expanded from 1919 to 1934. It is a cemetery for the regrouping of bodies exhumed from military cemeteries on the right bank of the Meuse, in particular those of soldiers who died in the first aid post or in the ambulances stationed at La Fourche, the crossroads of the roads to Louvemont and Douaumont. The ossuaries contain the remains of unknown and unidentified soldiers who fell on hill 344, Haudromont, Froideterre, Cote du Poivre, Thiaumont, Louvemont, etc. In 1961, the remains of 151 soldiers who died during the fighting in June 1940 and were buried in various villages along the Meuse during the Second World War were collected here. Among the soldiers is Corporal Louis Micol, of the 19th Chasseurs Battalion, founder of one of the first newspapers on the front, Le son du cor , a trench newspaper of the chasseurs, who died in Brabant on 18 September 1915 (grave no. 390). Want to know more? Click on https://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/fr/bras-sur-meuse

The Saint Martin's Church was destroyed during the Battle of Verdun. After the Great War, the Saint Martin's Church was restored. The opening took place in the presence of Bishop Jean-Paul Gusching, Bishop of Verdun. Note that the church, before it was destroyed in 14-18, originally stood in the old village. Triggered to the full story? You can read it here on the large information board.