In the trenches at Massiges

The highlight, and one of the inspirations for this trip was a visit to the trenches of Massiges.  These trenches have been recently been reconstructed to resemble the trenches during World War 1.  It is still a work in progress.  Signs indicated it was not up to safety standards for public visits...though I doubt it met safety standards in 1914 either.

Fort Vaux and Douaumont

Our first stop after lunch was Fort Vaux.  Fort Vaux was the second fort to fall during WW1.  Walking through the tight underground corridors it is hard to imagine how the soldiers stationed there and fighting must have felt.  This is not a place for claustrophobes.


Fort Vaux


Not even 1 km away from Fort Vaux, we moved forward to 1942 to WW2.

WW2 mass grave of resistance fighters

They were executed by the Gestapo a few months after Bain-de-Bretagne had been liberated in 1944.

           

We then returned back to WW1.  The second fort we visited was Fort Douaumont.  This fort, though larger than Fort Vaux, was not heavily defended and fell rather quickly after being attacked.
Both of these visits were quite interesting as you walk around following a guided tour with an i-Pod explaining the different events, locations in the fort.

*click on the yellow links to find a Wikipedia article about the history of the fort.

Fort Douaumont

A quiet picnic on the banks of the Meuse

We had lunch before proceeding to the next historical site.

It was a nice quiet park, with several ducks and fish in the water to keep the kids entertained.  I did manage to stop the kids from exploring long enough to take a few portraits.

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Summer Walks

Another nice thing about summer, is we often go on walks...more so than during the school year.  Always something new to see, or see in a different light.  Here are some photos from last nights escapade, kid shots and artsy-fartsy shots.

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