FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, NY, JUNE 26, 2014 — To mark the 100th anniversary of World War I, Atout France has compiled the "Top 14" Memorial Sites along the Northwestern Front many of which are hosting events to pay tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives during the "Great War." Please see several of the sites detailed below. You may find information about the additional sites in the links to the press releases at the bottom of this page.
Nord-Pas de Calais
NOTRE-DAME-DE-LORETTE NECROPOLIS
Between Lens and Arras, the Artois Hills are home to numerous memorial sites created to pay homage to the men of the French army who fell, particularly in the offensives of May and September 1915 in the region. Notre-Dame-de-Lorette National Necropolis in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, with 20,000 graves, and the remains of another 22,000 soldiers in ossuaries, remains the largest military cemetery in France.
Upcoming event: On November 11, 2014, as part of the international Armistice ceremony, the International Memorial to Fallen Soldiers in Nord-Pas de Calais during WWI will open in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire.
Picardy
Upcoming event: On 2 July 2014, The 6th Continent, a land art installation by landscape architect Gilles Clément, will be unveiled in Péronne. Seen as a place of peace dedicated to humankind as a whole, the 6th continent will open opposite the Historial, Museum of the Great War. 6th continent will be inaugurated almost exactly a century after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, which threw the world into the first world conflict.
A concert will be given at the event.
Tel. +33 (0)3 22 71 22 71 – www.somme-battlefields.com
HISTORIAL, MUSEUM OF THE GREAT WAR - PERONNE
The German occupation of the town of Péronne began in August 1914, and it immediately became a centre for intense military and logistical activity, particularly during the Battle of the Somme. Built by the Conseil Général de la Somme in 1992, the Historial of the Great War gives an introduction to the Circuit of Remembrance. This outstanding museum compares and objectively examines the painful experiences of the 3 main warring parties according to historical chronology. The Historial’s collections of over 1,600 exhibited objects, and the quality of its temporary exhibitions give visitors an excellent understanding of the historical and military dimensions of the First World War.
For more information: Historial, Museum of the Great War
Paris Ile-de-France
MUSEUM OF THE GREAT WAR, PAYS DE MEAUX
With a collection that is unique in Europe, the Museum of the Great War, Pays de Meaux offers a new perspective on the first global conflict, through innovative displays which illustrate the huge social changes and upheaval it caused. These attractive displays open up the Great War to people from all different backgrounds. From the reconstruction of a battlefield to the planes and tanks in the main gallery, through projections, soundscapes and interactive displays, the museum plays on visitors' senses (items to touch and handle, etc.) using the most up-to-date techniques.
For more information: Museum of the Great War, Pays de Meaux
Upcoming event: From 28 June to 30 December 2014, the museum is hosting the exhibition Join Now! The British Empire Goes to War.
Belleau
The wood at Belleau was the scene of terrible fighting from 6th to 25th June 1918. Using machine guns and fighting hand to hand, the United States Marines halted the German advance and gained mastery of the battlefield of Belleau Wood. For its baptism of fire, the 2nd Division suffered 7,876 dead, wounded or missing in action. Belleau Wood still has the remains of trenches, shell holes and ruins. A huge chapel with a neo-Romanesque bell tower, erected on the site of the trenches, dominates the American cemetery where nearly 2,300 soldiers rest in peace. Across the road, the village church faces the cemetery. At the center of Belleau village stands the Remembrance Museum of Belleau 1914-1918, officially opened on 24th May 2008. For the American army, Belleau has become a symbol of commemoration on Memorial Day, a day dedicated to the memory of those young American Marines and Doughboys who gave their lives to save France.
For more information: Belleau
