The fort that fell without a fight and was retaken in blood
You enter through the concrete barracks, deep inside a fortification designed to withstand heavy artillery shells. The cold underground galleries wind on and lead all the way to the 155 mm gun turret that once overlooked the valley.
Multimedia displays guide your walk with period films and photographs, firsthand accounts, and archival documents. It gives you a clear sense of how many men and how much fear these walls held.
Why visit Fort Douaumont
Built starting in 1885 under the Séré de Rivières system on a pentagonal plan, this is the largest defensive structure of the Verdun fortifications. Its sheer size speaks volumes about the defensive ambition of the site even before the battle broke out.
On February 25, 1916, a small German raiding party of 19 officers and 79 men captured it without a fight, just days after the Battle of Verdun began. The Germans occupied it for the next eight months, using it as a protective shelter and a base for their offensive operations. The fort was finally recaptured on October 24, 1916, by three infantry divisions of the French Second Army, with participation from two battalions of Senegalese tirailleurs.
A German necropolis within the fort
The visitor route also leads to the German necropolis, the final resting place of more than 600 German soldiers. Few places in Verdun bring together the traces of both opposing camps within the exact same fortification.
Perched at an altitude of nearly 400 meters, the fort overlooks the valley just southwest of Douaumont and sits close to the Verdun Memorial and the Douaumont Ossuary. It has been classified as a historic monument since 1970.
Friendly tip: bring warm layers even in summer. The interior of the fort stays cool and damp year round, and the tour takes place almost entirely underground.
Opening hours
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| From February to early April, and from late September to December | Daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM |
| From April to mid-September | Daily from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM |
Annual closure in early January. The ticket office closes 30 minutes before the site closes.
How long for this activity
Plan on one to one and a half hours to explore the entire site at Fort Douaumont.
*Information subject to change
Fort Douaumont is an iconic monument in our history. The fort is still in very good condition. Audio guides are available, but the explanatory signs are very well done. Guided tours are also organized and are really super interesting.