Fort de Vaux

Useful Information

photography — Fort de Vaux, Lorraine, France. Public Domain.

Location:	D913A, 55400 Douaumont-Vaux. (49.2000015, 5.4704415)
Open:	04-FEB to 14-APR daily 10-17:30. 15-APR to 17-SEP daily 10-18:30. 18-SEP to DEC daily 10-17:30. [2023]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5, Children (8-18) EUR 4, Children (0-7) free, Family (2+1) EUR 12. Combo Museum + 2 Forts: Adults EUR 17, Children (8-18) EUR 11.50. [2023]
Classification:	Casemate
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:	not allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Fort de Vaux, D913A, 55400 Douaumont-Vaux. Mémorial de Verdun, 1, avenue du Corps européen, BP 60048 - Fleury-devant-Douaumont, 55101 Verdun Cedex, Tel: +33-329-88-19-16. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1881-1884	Fort de Vaux built.
1914	Battle of the Frontiers.
1916	destroyed in the Battle of Verdun.
2023	inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Description

Fort de Vaux (Fort Vaux) in Vaux-Devant-Damloup, Meuse, was a polygonal fort forming part of the ring of 19 large defensive works intended to protect the city of Verdun. During the Battle of Verdun it was the second fort to fall. But while the actual fort was destroyed and only a grassy hill remains, the underground installations of the fort are well-preserved and are open to the public for guided visits.

The Battle of Verdun is one of the spectacular parts of World War I, and of great interest to visitors. It also has its 100-years anniversary lately. A century after this war, there were numerous new sites created, to satisfy the massive public interest. One of those sites is the Mémorial de Verdun, a new multimedia museum which is intended to give as much information as requested to visitors of Verdun. The museum is the first place where visitors should go, then there are two forts which can be visited additionally. They offer a combo ticket for all three sites.

The first contact with the German army was on 11-SEP-1914, but after the 75 mm turret fired 22 rounds at the German detachment in the Bois de Mabras, they retreated. The next contact was in 1915, on 18-FEB-1915 the fort was bombarded by twelve 420 mm rounds which caused little damage. It seems the inactivity convinced the army to disarm the fort and send the guns and ammunition to the front-line. Nevertheless, the fort was filled with gunpowder, so it could be destroyed in case of an enemy approach.

In 1916, Fort Vaux was bombarded by nearly 8,000 shells per day. Its crew resisted and fought heroically. It thus came to a symbol of the resistance of the soldiers at Verdun. Eventually they surrendered due to exhaustion.