Butte de Montsec


This 375m-high mound, site of a US monument with a bronze relief map, is surrounded by a round neoclassical colonnade. The monument commemorates the achievements of the American soldiers who fought here in 1917 and 1918. It’s a 50-minute drive south of Verdun via the D964.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. St-Mihiel American Cemetery

7.82 MILES

In this WWI cemetery, the graves of 4153 American soldiers who died in the 1918 Battle of St-Mihiel radiate towards a central sundial topped by a white…

2. Cathédrale Notre Dame

23.96 MILES

Perched on a hillside, this Romanesque-meets-Gothic cathedral shelters a gilded Baroque baldachin, restored after WWI damage. Much of the stained glass is…

3. Centre Mondial de la Paix

23.96 MILES

Set in Verdun’s handsomely classical former bishop’s palace, built in 1724, this museum’s permanent exhibition touches upon wars, their causes and…

4. Porte Chaussée

23.98 MILES

Once part of Verdun's original city ramparts, this 14th-century gate was later used as a prison from 1755 to 1860.

5. Monument à la Victoire

24 MILES

Steep steps lead up to this austere 1920s monument commemorating war victims and survivors. The crypt hides a book listing the soldiers who fought in the…

6. Citadelle Souterraine

24.02 MILES

Comprising 7km of underground galleries, this cavernous subterranean citadel was designed by military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban in the 17th…

7. Fort de Vaux

24.14 MILES

Located in crater-scarred countryside 10km northeast of Verdun, this fort was constructed between 1881 and 1884. It was the second fort – Douaumont was…

8. Porte St-Paul

24.18 MILES

Built in 1877, this city gate is adorned with a marble plaque recalling the ‘victorious peace’ that inspired a ‘cry of joy’.