trench of the bayonets

While the story regarding this memorial is shrouded in legend, it is still a worthwhile visit. Regardless of whether the legend is fact or fiction, it is important to honor the memory of the legions of soldiers who perished in trenches throughout Verdun. Visiting on a quiet, cold and misty December morning was a powerful and moving experience.My wife and I were glad we had the time to reflect on the great courage of those who fought so valiantly.Allow 30 minutes for your visit.

I think a better building could have been built to honor these brave men who died here. The building is really large and seems to be a bit run down. The addition of some signage would also help, even if it was in French, you could at least use a translator to find out what happened here. I knew what this place was and learned about the story behind the trench, but my traveling companion did not know what happened here. That is where something providing an explanation would be handy. It would go a long way to honor the memory of these men. This is maybe a 15 minute stop on your day. There are signs along the road to point the way to this monument.

Again, I was here on a cold, very windy and rainy day in January. I was the only person, I'd seen no others all day. I could feel the tragedy. There are various stories about the circumstances of the trench, however, all of the legends agree that the Men buried here died where they stood, and still exist in those positions. The site is very well preserved, its not flashy, but why should it be? Its a little overgrown, a little over used, but if you step back and in your minds eye picture what it must have been like a hundred years ago, with the craters, the rifle butts, the earth, its scary. The fear of the men in the trenches still resonates. Maybe because I was there on my own, with the wind, the creaking trees, the rain and the mud I had a better experience. If I was with a tour I'm sure it would have been tougher to get a full sense of the scene. Try going early in the morning when your less likely to have a distraction. Thank God I will never have to defend my freedom, crouched in a trench, cold in the mud, praying to see another sunrise. Thank God for these Men. That should be your only thought when honoring this site. Its not simply a morbid spectacle. Try walking off the path for a minute, you will get yelled at, know why? Because there is still death lurking in the earth. War is hell.

I expected information about who was buried here and why. This was lacking. I learned later that the bayonets or stolen from this site many years ago.

Poorly maintained now as well. The legend sounded interesting, but the truth is not and as a monument to fallen soldiers it has fallen into disrepair. Sad for the wrong reasons.

This is about a five minute stop. Very close to Fort Douaumont. Not much history is illustrated at the memorial, so it pays to know the story about the memorial before you visit.

I think it's almost accepted that the legend of the trench of bayonets is taken with a pinch of artistic liberty but nevertheless it is a poingnant setting and a well thought out memorial to all those who died in the trenches during the war. The stillness and remoteness of the location adds to the appreciation of this setting - well worth a short trip.Small parking area available at the roadside, there are signposts leading the way.

For this monument you have to know the story beforehand you visit it. It's a small place hidden on a small road close to the Ossuary. It's not well marked, you have to look out for signs and directions.

This is a brief stop with free roadside parking, only a couple of minutes beyoun the nearby Ossuary. The story of the bayonnettes isn't really illustrated well here, so I'd do some reading beforehand. But with the story in mind, the monument can be appreciated. But after viewing the interior, circle around to the back of the structure and venture a few paces into the woods. There you will find what appear to be the remnants of Allied trenches, so close to the German trench, it's eerie.

The trench of bayonets is like no other attraction in the world. Its a line of trenches that is protected by an overhead cover of concrete. When you take a closer look, you will see the broken off bayonets of rifles just sticking out of the ground. When the Germans were pounding Verdun, they pulled in some of the most massive guns of the war. These were called "Thor" and the like and would lob a shell that would heave up the earth in such a massive explosion as to often bury men alive, as in what happened here. Its sobering and awesome to bear witness too. Its part of the Verdun battlefield and a MUST SEE.Happy Travels

There is a lot of folklore surrounding this site but nothing other than the actual memorial itself to see. The memorial is rather run down and there is no history around the actual event of folklore - worth a short visit but suggest you read up on the story before arriving.

A dour and uninspiring concrete roof sits on top of plain concrete pillars covering this memorial to a platoon of men supposedly buried en-mass by a large German artillery shell. For years bayonets poked out of the soil but now there are very few left. The circumstances of how these men came to be buried here is rather contentious and it has even been suggested that there is little more than a grain of truth in the story. Whatever the truth may be there is no changing the fact that this particular memorial is pretty uninspiring and it is only the concept of what it stands for that makes it worth a look. There are better places to visit around Verdun quite frankly - and then some.

There are so many other great memorials so I'd rate this one the one to visit if had time left only.

This monument needs no further explanation as anyone visiting will know the history. The monument itself is now just a long mound of earth with no visible bayonets now but you can imagine what it looked like originally when it was discovered.This monument is very close to all the other historical sites in that area and easy to find.

I don't really care what most of the other reviews say. This is a beautifully done tribute to soldiers slain there. It really makes you question why wars happen.