The intermediate fortification of Meroux was built between 1908 and 1913 to reinforce the line of defence between Fort of Vézelois and the Fort of Fougerais.

Small in size and with a very simple design, it represents the final step in the evolution of French fortification before the First World War.

Built entirely of concrete, it has a trapezoid shape and is surrounded by a ditch defended by two counterscarp coffers.

Access was via the ditch and all of the fort's parts are interconnected by bulletproof underground passages.

There is a parapet for infantry on top.

It could accommodate over 400 men in its barracks.

Fort of Méroux

Rue de l'Ouvrage

90400 Meroux

Tourist Information Office

2 rue Clemenceau

90000 Belfort

Tel.: +33 (0)03 84 55 90 90

Fax : +33 (0)3 84 55 90 70

E-mail : tourisme90@ot-belfort.fr

Quizz : Forts et citadelles

It is a large fort made from limestone masonry with a pentagonal layout, designed to hold 650 men and some 30 artillery pieces. It is characteristic of the forts with a massif central and batterie basse (main structure and low battery) in which the long-range and short-range artillery are assembled on the rampart bordering the ditch while the infantry stand over the caponiers and on the roof of the central barracks. But shortly after it was completed, it was already outmoded and had to undergo modernisation.

It is one of the rare forts in the area to have been constantly maintained to keep abreast with technical progress: in 1888, a concrete shell was poured over one-third of the central barracks; the majority of its long-range artillery was distributed around the neighbouring batteries, the fort became a point d'appui for the infantry and underwent a complete refit (caponiers replaced by counterscarp batteries, shelters built for cannons on the flanks and concrete shelters over the ramparts, variety of fortifications). In 1908-1909, two 75-mm cannon towers and two machine gun towers were erected.

During the First World War, the fort was used as a hospital, but from 1917, fortification work resumed with the digging of deep underground rooms and galleries to provide communication with the exterior (entrances at the rear and machine gun outposts at the front).

The successive modernisations it received gave this fort a particular personality and makes it an excellent testament to the development of French fortifications between 1885 and 1918.

Tourist Information Office

2 rue Clemenceau 90000 Belfort

Tel: 03 84 55 90 90

Fax: 03 84 55 90 70

E-mail: tourisme90@ot-belfort.fr

La Caponnière

The grounds of the psychiatric hospital in Cadillac-sur-Garonne, a bastide founded in the 13^th century with the support of the King of England, received 98 World War One veterans with facial and brain injuries.

Its old cemetery keeps their memory alive... Among the belligerent countries involved in WWI, France and Germany mobilised the largest number of men of fighting age: 80% of all men between the ages of fifteen and forty-nine.

Once the armistice had been signed, alongside the families of the 1,375,800 dead and missing, the country had to take care of 4,266,000 injured veterans, of which there were ten to fifteen thousand with facial injuries, called “Gueules Cassées”, a term that originated with Colonel Yves Picot, founder of the Union des Blessés de la Face (Union of Facial Injury Victims). Victims of the brutality of the first industrial conflict, during which 70% of injuries were caused by incessant artillery fire, these men were desocialised by the war. They had to re-learn civilian life, deal with their handicaps, and live under the eyes of a nation embarrassed by these heroes who did not “Die for France”, a reflection of the country’s condition at the end of the war.

To the north-east of the bastide of Cadillac, in the Gironde department, the “brain injuries” section at the psychiatric hospital contains the graves of 98 injured veterans who came back from the front mentally ruined and were put here to live out the rest their lives, as at the establishment in Moussy-le-Vieux (Seine-et-Marne) and Coudon (Var).

These men were doubly forgotten after their deaths because, as they were patients at the psychiatric hospital, their deaths were not recorded by a municipal officer. Their tombs and their identification markers, many of which have fallen off, are now anonymous.

Two plaques were presented, however, in 1937 and 1956 by veterans from the Gironde department at the initiative of the Saint-Blaise Association in Cadillac, honouring “the memory of their comrades, victims of brain injuries in the War of 1914-1918”.

Website: Mémoire des hommes

Around 1610, the Lord of Boisgeffroi, André Barrin, built a double corps de logis. This structure, which was renovated, converted and redesigned by its various owners, would go on to become the current Command Post of the North West region.

Until its sale in December 1702 by André Barrin's daughter, the mansion remained in the possession of this rich family.

The new owner was René Le Prestre, seigneur of Lézonnet, and the mansion was renamed de Lézonnet in 1731, before becoming the Hôtel de Châteaugiron in 1733, since René Le Prestre had acquired the domain of Châteaugiron among others. He converted the original structure, giving it its current appearance.

In 1797, the mansion was sold when the de Lézonnet family left Rennes. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the mansion was owned by the Comtesse de Martel and her son-in-law Alexandre Roznyvinen de Piré, who lived in half of the building, with tenants occupying the rest.

In 1860, Princess Napoléone Élisa Bacciochi, Napoleon's niece, bought the hotel and restored it to a single residence in its original splendour. It is her we have to thank for the sumptuous inlaid floors and the chandeliers as well as the staircase and pedimented canopy on the facade. Before her death in 1869, she bequeathed the mansion on the rue de Corbin to the imperial prince.

A military property

Under Napoléon III, the War Department bought the Hôtel de Châteaugiron on the 31st July 1869.

At the fall of the Second Empire, the mansion became the headquarters of the 16th infantry division and later of the 10th Army Corps and the 10th Regional Division.

From 1871 up to the modern day, the mansion has continuously been the headquarters and residence of successive generals, except for the period where the property was occupied by the German authorities (20th June 1940 - 4th August 1944).

After the Liberation, the mansion was the headquarters of the 3rd Regional Division and then of the Defence of Rennes Military Authorities.

In 2000, it became the command post of the North West Region.
 

This historical monument, administered by the Ministry of Defence, is part of a Defence Culture Protocol, signed on 17th September 2005.

Ministère de la défense

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration

Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

The Arthur Batut museum located in Labruguière in the Tarn département pays tribute to the work of one of the pioneers of aerial photography, the first photographer after Nadar to have taken pictures of his region. Aerial photography or kite aerophotography has existed for over a century. We owe the first aerial view to Félix Tournachon, known as Nadar (1820-1910). This first image was taken from a height of 520 metres from a hydrogen balloon in 1858. Born in 1846 Arthur Batut spent most of his life in Labruguière at his property called "En Laure". His taste for research gave him an interest in archaeological history. But it was photography that finally harnessed his energy. He undertook research into autochromes, stereoscopy and photography from kites. Arthur Batut built his own kite. It was a flat diamond-shape 2.50 metres by 1.75. The frame was wood, covered in paper and reinforced at the corners with tough cloth. This kite had a stabilising tail made of paper. It was equipped with a camera made from cardboard and cork. In the spring of 1888, in the Tarn département, it was this device that Arthur Batut (1846-1918) took the first aerial photo (in 8x8cm format) by kite.

This observation and intelligence went on to be used in the First World War as a valuable complement to the work of aviators. These days, although aerial photography by aeroplane or helicopter and remote sensing by satellite are commonplace, the technique using kites or balloons is still used in specific applications for taking low-altitude aerial images: the environment, architecture, archaeology, town planning, etc. The Arthur Batut Museum at Labruguière, between Castres and Mazamet, was founded by Serge Nègre in 1988 to display the works of this pioneer. Opened on the centenary of the invention of kite aerophotography, the museum displays the collections donated by the inventor's family for public exhibition. The collection includes photographic equipment, glass plates and original prints. Examples of kites are displayed in the main room. There are also further examples of Batut's ingenuity such as the tinder wick used as a shutter release.
Batut's correspondence with his peers and detractors completes the portrait of the inventor. New life is brought to the museum with an exhibition gallery that regularly displays the work of contemporary creators of historic images or reports.
Musée Arthur Batut(Arthur Batut Museum) Kite photography 9 ter, rue Gambetta 81290 Labruguière Tel: +33 (0)5 63 50 22 18/05 63 70 34 01 Open 3-6pm, closed on Tuesday Local Tourist Office(Office municipal du tourisme) Place de l'Hôtel de Ville 81290 Labruguière Tel/fax: +33 (0)5.63.50.17.21 E-mail: ot-labruguiere@wanadoo.fr

Troyon fort was built between 1878 and 1879, as part of the defence line between Nancy and Verdun that General Séré de Rivières had devised. This "central massif" or "low battery" fort stands between Troyon and Lacroix sur Meuse, and had two advantages: it was neither armour-clad nor concrete. Dimensions: 320 m wide, 270 m long, spanning 5 ha Garrison: 800 men (450 in 1914) Weapons: Trench protection: six canons, twelve breeches Six Hotchkiss 40-mm revolver canons Shooting platforms: twelve 90-mm canons (three batteries x four canons) Four 120L canons Indirect fire: Two 15-cm bronze "Louis-Philippe" mortars This fort also had two 1907 "Saint Etienne" machine-gun sections and three periscope observation posts. It did not have an armoured dome (as Loncin had), but it had 18 open-air double (two-gun) platforms.

German forces tried to surround Verdun very early on in the Great War. They moved 20 km into French terrain, from Bois le Prêtre to Eparges through Saint Mihiel, in September 1914. They held that pocket - Saillant de Saint Mihiel - despite France's deadly yet persistent attempts to take it, until American troops freed it in September 1918. Troyon Fort played a pivotal role in the September 1914 fighting that led to the Saillant de Saint-Mihiel.
The bombing started on 8 September 1914, and the troops there were ordered to ward off assaults for at least 48 hours - lest German troops surround Verdun (Troyon is south of Verdun). Major Neuhoff, a 10th Division German Army Staff Officer, ordered the fort's troops to surrender on 9 September 1914. But 166th Infantry Regiment Captain Heym, the man in charge of the fort, dismissed him. German forces pounded the fort with shell fire shortly afterwards. The pummelling ceased on 10 September 1914. The fort had held on and its heroic resistance changed the course of the war. Had it fallen, German forces would have crossed the Meuse river and enveloped Verdun.
Association Ceux de Troyon Association "Ceux de Troyon" BP 32 55300 Saint-Mihiel Tél. : 06.83.07.32.12 Fax : 03.29.84.35.99 Open 1.30 pm to 6.00 pm Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. Getting there: you will find signs to Fort de Troyon leaving Troyon and Lacroix Group visits (for 10 or more people) poss. weekdays by appointment. Comité Départemental du Tourisme (Departmental Tourist Authority) Tel: +33 (0) 329 45 78 40 Conseil Général de la Meuse (Meuse Department General Council) Hôtel du Département Place Pierre-François Gossin 55012 Bar-le-Duc cedex Tel: +33 (0) 329 45 77 55

The small Séré de Rivières fort was built between 1881 and 1884 and extended after 1888 with concreted barracks, communication vaults for the caponnieres and vaults at the entrance way. The fort was demilitarized in 1915. The Fort de Vaux saw the removal of its garrison and the disarmament of its two "Casemates de Bourges" (or concrete bunkers). According to the general staff, the forts would have become useless, since torpedo shells could put holes in their armour. But they were useful as ramparts, helping to stop the enemy progress... something the general staff didn't realize until it was already too late. In 1916, the fort came under attack. Petain's dissolving of the RFV (fortified Verdun) led to the establishment of a fixed garrison which, under the orders of Major Raynal, resisted the 50th German division between 2 and 7 June 1916. Dying of thirst and having lost all hope of reinforcements arriving, the garrison finally surrendered. From that point on, the French artillery bombarded the fort. They took it back on 3 November 1916, and an entirely rearmed Fort de Vaux went on to play an important role in battle until November 1918.

Fort de Vaux Directions From Verdun, take the D913a for 3km, turn right at the crossroads in the direction of the "Memorial" and take the D913 for 2.5km Opening hours January Annual closing February-March Daily: 10am-noon / 1pm-5pm April-May-June Daily: 9am-6pm July-August Daily: 9am-6.30pm September Daily 9am-noon / 1pm-6pm October-November Daily 9am-noon / 1pm-6pm December Daily 10am-noon / 1pm-5pm Tarifs Adults 3€/person Adult groups 2,50€/person Children 1,50€/person Military (in uniform) free Military 2.5€/person Family (2 adults + 2 children) 8€ Guided tour in French 50€ Guided tour in English or German 60€

The Argonne region was at the heart of the Great War's battles. Straddling the Meuse, the Marne and the Ardennes, this massif felt the echo of battles at Marne and Verdun, witnessed violent confrontations on its own soil, and served as a rearguard base for many soldiers. The Vaux-Marie, the Butte de Vauquois, the Haute-Chevauchée...several Argonne names are famous, for less than felicitious reasons... The General Staff felt that the butte de Vauquois, which dominates the entire eastern region of the Argonne, was an excellent observatory and a key strategic site. On 24 September 1914, the Germans took the butte and transformed it into a veritable fortress. On 4 March 1915, after several unsuccessful attempts, the French began to make a comeback. The fight for space had begun. The soldiers went underground to dig several kilometres of tunnels and combat gullies so that they could infiltrate the enemy camp, set off tonnes of explosives, and decimate enemy numbers as much as possible, The Butte de Vauquois became something akin to a termite colony, made up of multi-level underground construction (more than 17km of wells, tunnels and gullies). It served as a major site in the Mine War (519 reported explosions, of which 199 are German and 320 French), and was liberated by the Americans on 26 September 1918. As a still-intact Great War site, the Butte de Vauquois is a classified Historic Monument.

Association des Amis de Vauquois 1, rue d'Orléans - 55270 VAUQUOIS Tel.: 0033 (0)3 29 80 73 15 Answering machine. We will return your call as soon as possible. E-mail: amis.vauquois@wanadoo.fr Daily free, self-guided visits of the above-ground site (follow the arrows). Guided tours of the German and French underground installations by Association guides: [list]the first Sunday of the month at 9.30am [list]1 and 8 May (from 10am to 6pm) annually [list]September on national "journées du patrimoine" annually [list]on appointment for groups (minimum 10 people) A free map of all the 14-18 sites open to the public is available at all the sites and at Meuse tourist information offices.

Camp Marguerre, Loison Camp Marguerre, (also known as the negro village) is just a few kilometres from the site and is well worth the detour. This village, in the middle of the woods behind the German front, was a centre for the study and the production of reinforced concrete. A marked path and information panels make it easy to safely discover these many perfectly conserved homes and buildings. Visiting this site throws light on the daily life of a German soldier before and during the Battle of Verdun. Its surprising setting lends itself to a remarkable architectural ambiance.

Duzey Battery For a long time, Duzey was thought to be the site of the "Big Bertha canon." Actually, though, it's the home of "Max," a 20 tonne, very long range navy cannon. A visit to the camp reveals its imposing stature, the special arrangements that had to be made to house it, the ingenious methods use to conceal it, and the impact its shooting had on the Battle of Verdun.
To be discovered... The Camp "de la Côte de Romagne at Azannes", on the "Vieux Métiers d'Azannessite". (Open to the public on Ascension Day, Thursdays in May and certain Fridays in July and August)
Pays d'Accueil Touristique de Damvillers-Etain-Spincourt 14 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville BP 6 55230 Spincourt Tel: 0033 (0)3.29.87.87.50 Fax: 0033 (0)3.29.87.87.56 Email: pays-accueil-tourisme@wanadoo.fr Directions For forest sites, follow the signs to Loison Free, self-guided tours (except for the Camp de la Côte de Romagne) Group services: guided tours in French, English and German From March to October, reservations essential Tarif: 2€30 per person per site A free map of all the 14-18 sites open to the public is available at all the sites and at Meuse tourist information offices. Tel: 00 33 (0)3 29 86 14 18 Regional Tourist Board Tel: 00 33 (0)3 29 45 78 40

On 8 December 1920, Alexandre Millerand, the President of the Republic, unveiled an imposing concrete monument in the forest at Morchée. Designed by the architect A. Ventre, it houses the graves of seven unknown French infantrymen who died in 1916. The metallic door into this covered "trench" is the work of wrought-iron craftsman Edgard Brandt, who went on to create the bronze burner for the flame on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in 1923. Throughout the 1920s, the Registrar of War Graves and Births, Deaths and Marriages of the sixth military region dug up and exhumed this site, a locus of remembrance for the former members of the 137th Infantry Regiment who fought here. 21 Frenchmen were found, amongst them an unknown lieutenant. Not one of them was standing, rifle in hand, and the rusty guns on the ground served only to indicate the dead buried by the enemy in a shallow alleyway. The discovery of these disarmed bodies lying on the ground invalidated the myth of a still standing regiment buried alive by an aerial attack, a myth that several former soldiers from the 137th had themselves denied, but which somehow lives on, even to this day. 14 of these 21 bodies were identified and buried in the military cemetery at Fleury, and when that site became disused were buried together in the national necropolis at Douaumont. The seven remaining bodies were re-interred in the "trench," and, since their original arms had been taken during a raid, rifle carcasses and bayonets with broken blades were placed next to wooden Latin crosses.

Regional Tourist Board Tel: 0033 (0)3.29.45.78.40 Service des Nécropoles Nationales de Verdun 13, rue du 19ème BCP 55100 Verdun Tel: 0033 (0)3.29.86.02.96 Fax: 0033 (0)3.29.86.33.06 e-mail: mailto:diracmetz@wanadoo.fr