Best Places to Visit Reims Region – A Local’s GuideThis week, I’m taking you to visit Verdun and its surroundings! Verdun is internationally renowned for the Battle of Verdun, which marked the first world war. But while you can’t discover the Meuse department without visiting Verdun, you should also take the time to explore its other gems…
I was delighted to discover this discreet and little-known department, which is really worth a visit. So let me take you to visit Verdun, Bar-le-Duc, the vineyards of the Côtes de Meuse, Lake Madine, and also to sample some of its culinary specialties! Come on, follow me to visit Verdun and Meuse from every angle: you won’t be disappointed!
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT VERDUN AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
How to get to Verdun?
By car: Bar-le-Duc, the capital of the Meuse department, is located 1 hour 10 minutes from Nancy, 1 hour 20 minutes from Reims and 2 hours 45 minutes from Paris.
By train: via the Meuse TGV station, located in the countryside, equidistant from Verdun, Bar-le-Duc, and Commercy (about 45 minutes). It connects to Paris Est in 1 hour, Nancy in 30 minutes, and Strasbourg in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
A car is essential for traveling between the different sites of the Meuse region and enjoying them to the fullest. You can rent a car at the Meuse TGV station if you arrive by train, or take a direct shuttle to Verdun.
Where to stay to visit Verdun and the Meuse department ?
2 recommended accommodation to visit Verdun
TRIPLEX LA VUE DE CHÂTEAU, A COMMERCY
- Fully equipped, perfect for a family
- Amazing view on the castle
- From 100€
L’HÔTEL DE MONTAULBAIN, A VERDUN
- In the center of Verdun
- Charming hotel
- From 120€
How long to visit Verdun?
I was able to discover all of these sites during a 3-day stay in the Meuse. Allow for a busy day to visit Verdun and two additional days to explore the Meuse.
Bear in mind the distances between each town: between 40 and 55 minutes between Bar-le-Duc, Commercy, and Verdun.
Also note that the Verdun battlefield is located 15 minutes from the town of Verdun (where the citadel is located). However, within the battlefield, it only takes 5 to 10 minutes to travel between each site.
As a guide, allow 1.5 to 2 hours to visit the Verdun Memorial, 1 hour to explore the upper town of Bar-le-Duc, the forts, the ossuary and the citadel. 30 minutes are enough for the village of Fleury, the madeleine box and the truffle farm.
Restaurants I recommend in the Meuse department
– Bar-le-Duc: Le Grill de la Tour – delicious wood-fired grilled meats cooked right in front of you and local products (such as Brie de Meaux stuffed with walnuts!) in the heart of the upper town of Bar-le-Duc
– Commercy: Hôtel-Restaurant de la Madeleine – fresh, tasty cuisine at reasonable prices, located a little way out of Commercy, right next to the Boîte à Madeleines
– Lac de Madine : Hôtel-Restaurant du Lac de Madine – refined dishes based on local produce (including mirabelle plum soufflé!), ideally located next to the lake
– Verdun : Le Clapier – simple, traditional cuisine (try the delicious quiche lorraine!) in the center of Verdun.
– Douaumont: L’Abri des Pèlerins – the only restaurant located in the heart of the battlefield (it once welcomed pilgrims and families who came to pay their respects at this memorial site), offering simple, tasty dishes!
What to bring back from Verdun?
I was pleasantly surprised by the region’s many specialties! Here are a few ideas for local products to bring back from Meuse!
For those with a sweet tooth, treat yourself to Verdun dragées, Commercy madeleines, or redcurrant jam, seeded with a goose feather! Not forgetting, of course, the famous Lorraine mirabelle plum, available as jam, brandy, beer, and more.
Or how about Meuse truffles, sold at the Maison des Truffes in Boncourt in the form of salt, honey, or even freeze-dried to add a special touch to your dishes!
When it comes to drinks, let yourself be tempted by Lorabelle mirabelle plum beer, which is light and very tasty. You can find it at the Boîte à Madeleines shop in Commercy. The Domaine de l’Aumonière also offers wines from the Côtes de Meuse, as well as liqueurs and artisanal fruit juices.
VISIT VERDUN BATTELFIELD
Visiting Verdun is undoubtedly a must in France, as it allows you to remember the tragic events that marked the beginning of the last century. The visit to Verdun takes place in several stages, through the six historic sites of the 1916 Battle of Verdun.
I must warn you that visiting Verdun is moving, sometimes overwhelming, depending on your sensitivity. However, I believe it is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime, to remember the terrible fighting of the First World War and the 300 interminable days of this battle that left such a mark on people’s minds.
Verdun is an open-air history lesson that is both fascinating and memorable. Here are the six sites you absolutely must visit if you come to Verdun in the Meuse department.
Visit Verdun and its citadel
Let’s start our tour of Verdun with the citadel, located in the city center. Its underground galleries, built between 1886 and 1893 in a tense historical context—the neighboring Alsace and Moselle regions had become German 15 years earlier—could accommodate 2,000 men. The citadel played a decisive role in the Battle of Verdun, serving as a sophisticated logistical base just a stone’s throw from the battlefield.
I loved the highly immersive tour, which takes place aboard a small audio-guided train that takes you into the darkness of the citadel’s galleries. As the journey progresses, you discover the daily life of this military base during the war. From the command room to the bakery, via the barracks, you can see every nook and cranny of this hive of activity!
I recommend starting your visit to Verdun with the citadel, as the historical background will give you a better understanding of the battlefield sites.
Visit Verdun and its memorial
The Battle of Verdun has left such a mark on our memories and history because the numbers involved are beyond comprehension.
Over an area of 35km by 15km around the town of Verdun, the 300 days of battle in 1916 claimed 300,000 lives, left 400,000 wounded and saw 60 million (!) shells fired between the French and Germans. It was also the longest battle, witnessing a destructive artillery war, fought in the muddy trenches of the Verdun forest.
The Battle of Verdun also has symbolic significance, as the French soldiers defeated the German army, which at the time represented a well-oiled war machine, on their own. The following battles were won alongside the Allies.
Finally, the Battle of Verdun also symbolizes the futility of combat, since after 300 days of horror, the front line returned to where it had been at the start. This left people with the feeling that these battles had been “for nothing.”
The Verdun Battle Memorial is now run by a foundation of former soldiers. Recently renovated with a very successful scenography, it immerses visitors in a dark environment marked by the sounds and images of war.
The memorial provides a better understanding of the soldier’s journey on the front, from his arrival to his departure, but also of daily life during wartime and the command structure of such a battle. This battle left its mark on all the soldiers, as three-week rotations were organized. Almost all the soldiers therefore “did Verdun.”
It is their objects, their tools, and their faces that you will discover at the memorial. A fascinating and very informative visit that will give you a better understanding of the rest of your visit to Verdun.
Visit Verdun – Fort de Douaumont
Now head to Fort de Douaumont. It was one of 38 forts built in the Meuse region to control the entire plain up to the new border (Alsace and Moselle had been German since 1871). It was used to house a garrison and a cannon to defend the territory.
But in February 1916, more than 1,000 cannons were lined up by the Germans with the aim of bringing Verdun, a French symbol, to its knees in order to break the morale of the troops. And although the city of Verdun was never taken, the Fort of Douaumont was quickly captured by the Germans, who occupied it throughout the Battle of Verdun.
A visit to Fort de Douaumont allows you to explore the damp corridors of the fort, the mechanisms of the large cannon, and the lives of the soldiers inside. It is a very powerful experience and, of course, a must-see on the Verdun battlefield.
Visit Verdun and the Douaumont Ossuary
The Douaumont Ossuary is undoubtedly one of the most striking places on the battlefield. Launched on the initiative of the Bishop of Verdun, it was built in 1932 following an international fundraising campaign. 130,000 French and German soldiers whose bones remained on the battlefield are buried there.
You can visit the central monument, which represents a sword and contains 46 crypts representing the 46 sectors of the battlefield. The view from the top is breathtaking, with 15,000 white crosses decorated with flowers lined up outside and surrounded by the forest.
A place of peace located in the middle of the battlefield, the ossuary symbolizes the shared suffering of both sides. It is also a particularly powerful and moving place of contemplation that is definitely worth a visit!
The destroyed village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont
I found the visit to the destroyed village very surprising, and I can only recommend it if you come to visit Verdun! It’s quick, but it also allows you to take a break in the open air, which is not insignificant on an emotionally charged day, most of which is spent indoors.
There are no fewer than nine villages that “died for France” on the battlefield of Verdun. They are marked by a plaque like any other French commune. And even though there are no longer any inhabitants, Fleury still has a mayor!
The village occupied a key geographical position, and if the Germans had managed to take Fleury, they could have easily descended on Verdun. This explains the ferocity of the fighting and the fate that befell it. The village changed hands 16 times between May and July 1916!
The ground was plowed to a depth of 10 to 15 meters and remains polluted by gas and shells to this day. I was fascinated by the contrast between the shell craters still visible and the renewal of the forest planted in the 1920s, which has regained some of its former glory. It is now classified as a “forest of exceptional interest,” with the appearance of unique flora and fauna, including orchids and amphibians.
Unlike the martyred villages of the Second World War, Fleury was evacuated just before the fighting, thus sparing the lives of its 400 inhabitants. But you can still discover its ghostly atmosphere and the small signs that mark the location of the trades that once existed in the village…
Visit Verdun – Fort de Vaux
More austere than the Fort de Douaumont, the Fort de Vaux is legendary in the Battle of Verdun. The defense of the fort in June 1916 took place around a fierce battle concentrated in a narrow corridor. And surrender was won meter by meter after seven days of horror.
A visit to Fort Vaux is undoubtedly more meaningful for younger visitors, as it is scripted with mannequins. You will discover the command post, the infirmary, the dovecote, and more. In any case, it is a great complement to Fort Douaumont!
Practical tips to visit Verdun
– Verdun Battlefield Pass: a pass covering the five major sites to visit in Verdun (citadel, Fort de Douaumont, ossuary, Fort de Vaux, memorial). You can buy it on the website or when you visit one of the sites. €28 (instead of €34) for those over 16 (€15 for children), valid for one year for one entry per site.
– Village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont: free access at all times.
DISCOVER CÔTES DE MEUSE VINEYARDS
Of course, there’s more to the Meuse region than just Verdun! I highly recommend exploring its other gems if you come to visit Verdun ! Its countryside is undoubtedly one of its most beautiful assets, with vineyards, fields, and lakes. Come on, let’s go discover them!
Côtes de Meuse vineyards
Head for the Côtes de Meuse, where you’ll discover beautiful rolling countryside dotted with small wooded hills. Orchards are also everywhere, with thousands of mirabelle plum trees! But I also loved discovering the mix of nature and historical tourism, with history sometimes mingling with the fields and orchards!
This is the case at the American Memorial at Montsec Hill, which overlooks Lake Madine and the Meuse hills… Because, yes, wine is also produced in the Meuse!
Only a few producers grouped together in a small number of villages produce Meuse wine, covering a total area of 35 hectares. However, this wine has been around since Gallo-Roman times and was once the source of the Duke of Bar’s wealth!
Head to the village of Viéville-sous-les-Côtes to find out more… This typical village combines wine-growing houses and farms along its single street. And I strongly encourage you to visit the Domaine de l’Aumonière for a tasting!
The pretty vaulted cellar will welcome you to try the estate’s wine specialties. And you may be surprised, as they even produce a sparkling blanc de blanc with mirabelle plums, which is light and very tasty! Mirabelle plums really are queen in Lorraine!
Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir, brandies, and fruit juices are also featured at the estate.
Practical information – Domaine de l’Aumonière in Vigneulles-lès-Hattonchâtel: open every day except Tuesday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Free admission for tasting the estate’s products.
Hattonchâtel village
Just above Viéville-sous-les-Côtes, stop off at the village of Hattonchâtel. Perched on a rocky promontory, this curious village has a few pretty houses and a 14th-century cloister. Hattonchâtel was influenced by an American benefactor, Miss Skinner, who helped rebuild the village’s architectural gems destroyed during the First World War.
At the end of the main street, head to the castle, the village’s hidden gem! Renovated in the early 20th century thanks to Miss Skinner, it has a beautiful park with views of the surrounding area and features very distinctive architecture.
If you have the opportunity, I recommend trying the castle restaurant, which offers candlelit dinners and gourmet cuisine in an exceptional setting! This will also give you the chance to discover the magnificent rooms of the castle, which are richly decorated.
Practical information – Château d’Hattonchâtel: free visit of the grounds, interior open to hotel guests and restaurant customers only. Guided tours by reservation on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. – €4.50.
LAKE MADINE
Now head to Lake Madine, located at the foot of the Meuse hills. It is part of the Lorraine Regional Nature Park. It is also a large nature reserve for wildlife, as it is located on a migratory route… Nearly 20,000 water birds find refuge here to spend the winter!
I recommend taking a stroll along the birdwatching trail that winds around the lake from the discovery center. You can even walk to the observatory, where you can spot the birds on the lake. The tranquility of the place and the soft colors make for a very pleasant walk! I really enjoyed this very natural area, away from the leisure center.
For the more athletic, the lake also offers a wide variety of activities. You can rent windsurf boards, paddleboards, and more. I had the opportunity to try paddleboarding on the lake: it’s a very enjoyable activity that allows you to get close to the birds and see the lake from a different angle!
Practical info for Madine Lake
– Paddleboarding on Madine Lake: rental at the lake’s water sports center, €15 per hour for a paddleboard.
– Madine Lake bird trail: free access, starting from the lake’s discovery center. 6 km, no difficulty. More information on the lake’s website.
BAR-LE-DUC, A MAGNIFISCENT RENAISSANCE TOWN
As you know, I always fall in love with towns and villages that have preserved their heritage. And Bar-le-Duc was a wonderful surprise in the Meuse region! This is a must-see if you come to visit Verdun battlefield and region.
The upper town offers a beautiful Renaissance district that is incredibly well preserved and renovated by its passionate residents.
It’s no surprise that Bar-le-Duc is classified as a town of art and history! Its facades, magnified by the bright yellow stone of the region and enhanced by numerous sculpted details, give it a unique character.
The Renaissance district was once home to the Duchy of Bar (neighboring the Duchy of Lorraine), with the Duke’s castle and the residences of the aristocracy… Today, it still overlooks the town of Bar-le-Duc from a height of around 100 meters and is home to some beautiful 16th- and 17th-century mansions with elegant facades and pretty colored shutters.
Feel free to stroll through the old town to discover its hidden gems. For example, push open the door at 73 Rue des Ducs de Bar to discover an old 15th-century wine press! You’ll even get to see behind the scenes of the mansions, as each house now has its own small courtyard and a garden laid out in the former city moat.
Please note that you can visit Bar-le-Duc on your own using the discovery tour on the “Bar-le-Duc cité Renaissance” app, or take a guided tour with the tourist office.
Guided tour of Bar-le-Duc: visit the tourist office website to find out about all the tours available.
ENJOY VERDUN REGION CULINARY SPECIALITIES
Madeleines de Commercy
The Meuse is also full of culinary specialities that you might not necessarily expect! There’s much more than just Lorraine mirabelle plums! Let’s start with the delicious little madeleines… Did you know that they originate from Commercy, in the Meuse? You have to go back to 1755 to understand why…
At the time, King Stanislas, Duke of Bar and Lorraine, was hosting a dinner at the castle. But when the chef ran off with the dessert, a young servant named Madeleine offered him a replacement in the form of an original cake that she had inherited from her grandmother. The guests were delighted, and the duke named the dessert “madeleine” in honor of the young pastry chef!
Now it’s time to taste them! To discover them, I’ll take you to the Boîte à madeleines in Commercy. This is where the Zins family makes 12,000 madeleines a day by hand! For three generations, this passionate family has been delighting the taste buds of food lovers far beyond the borders of the Meuse region. You can also watch them at work on site!
The madeleines are all made on site and you can taste them fresh out of the oven! And believe me, the delicious smell that fills the room is worth the trip alone! Don’t hesitate to go there for breakfast, as there is even a tasting room.
Practical information – La Boîte à Madeleines: free admission – production every day except Monday and Sunday morning, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Shop open every day. Website.
Truffles of the Meuse region
There is another specialty of the Meuse region that is even more surprising: truffles! If you think of the Lot or Provence when you hear the word truffle, head to the Maison des Truffes et de la Trufficulture in Boncourt-sur-Meuse. I loved learning more about this exceptional product, which I knew nothing about.
Did you know, for example, that they can only be bought between October and December, and that forest truffles are too strong to be eaten?
You’ll also learn how to best combine them in cooking, how to choose them, and how to recognize the different varieties of truffles, including the mesenteric truffle native to the Meuse.
Between October and December, you can also visit the museum’s truffle farm with a truffle dog and watch it “dig” (search for truffles)! A truffle market is also held on Saturday mornings during the season, with tastings and a shop open outside the season.
Practical information – Maison des Truffes et de la Trufficulture: see the website for the latest news.
OTHER IDEAS TO VISIT VERDUN REGION
Of course, it takes more than three days to fully explore the Meuse. Here are some other ideas for exploring the region if you come to visit Verdun and have a little more time…
– Saint Mihiel Abbey (20 minutes from Commercy): a former Benedictine abbey famous for its superb, well-preserved library
– Vent des Forêts (25 minutes from Bar-le-Duc): a contemporary art trail in the heart of the forest, this is an unusual place to visit in the Meuse!
– Beaulieu-en-Argonne (35 minutes from Bar-le-Duc): a pretty village in the Meuse, full of flowers and located in the Argonne Forest
– Beer Museum in Stenay (40 minutes from Verdun): just a stone’s throw from the Belgian border, the museum traces the history of brewing traditions and offers tastings!
– Nancy (50 minutes from Commercy): prefecture of the neighboring department and former capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, Nancy is a beautiful city, famous for its Place Stanislas (him again!)… It is also the capital of Art Nouveau! Not to be missed if you come to visit the Meuse and Lorraine.
This blogpost is the result of a partnership with Meuse Attractivité. However, I remain entirely free to express my own opinions and am completely sincere in my recommendations. A huge thank you to Mélissa and Audrey for their valuable advice and to the various service providers for their warm welcome!
Coming soon on La Marinière en Voyage…
Discover the Célé Valley in the Lot, the Gorges du Verdon, the most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace, and many other places! So, to make sure you don’t miss a thing, subscribe to the newsletter!