From the Verdun Memorial to Bezonvaux via Fort Douaumont

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb walk that takes in some very interesting sites from the Battle of Verdun.

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Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Trails of little interest, with a section of the trail not yet restored following major forestry work. The boundary is impassable. Some of the points of interest listed on the route remain untraceable.

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Date of your route : Jun 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike on 18 June, hot and sunny weather, very dry terrain.
As I was already somewhat familiar with the Verdun massif, I wasn’t on unfamiliar ground; it was a relatively easy walk, following mainly forest tracks, with little shade, I did have a few difficulties finding certain paths; at point No. 3, the crossroads was very overgrown, and it’s a very narrow path that leads uphill. The Orient fortification and the Alsace command post were impossible to find, buried beneath the vegetation, though I did have the app just in case.
The same goes for the Bezonvaux fortification, which is also heavily overgrown, but nevertheless gives a sense of the murderous madness of men during the bombings.
Please note: paths 9 and 10 are passable in dry weather, but will be difficult in wet conditions, as forestry machinery has carved out very deep ruts.
It’s easy to forget you’re on a hike, as your thoughts turn to remembering those who fell, whatever their nationality.
The village of Bezonvaux still raises the question: why such madness?.....

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Date of your route : Aug 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Most of the historic sites can be reached by walking through the local vegetation along the main route.

There are a few sections made difficult by muddy ditches created by vehicles passing through. There is a dangerous descent (see photo) in the first quarter of the route, near point 3, where the path is covered in branches and bark following partial deforestation.

There are few forest tracks; for the most part, the walk follows fairly wide gravel paths.

Douaumont Fort is the reward – a magnificent structure and a lovely viewpoint. No particular difficulties apart from the section mentioned above.

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Although the route and itinerary are fairly precise, the sites of interest along the route are difficult to access, or even impossible to find, due to dense vegetation and virtually non-existent signposting – apart from that found on the main roads, which is therefore intended for a different type of visitor.
From my point of view, the historical interest of this walk left me a little disappointed, as it was limited solely to sites developed for mass tourism.

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