Tag Archives: WW1 Battlefield Tours

La Vie en France #35: Laundry Day–When You’ve run out of Clean Clothes

November 5, 2018 by Randy
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    So what does one do when one runs out of clean clothes on a vacation to the battlefields?  The answer can vary widely.  There is the “old wash socks and underwear in the sink trick.”  They can then air dry in the hotel room, using the radiator on cooler days.  If one is staying in a small hotel or B&B, one can ask the host / hostess politely if they could do a load.  Of course, one should pay them for their efforts!  Continue reading →

La Vie en France #34: Boureuilles: Jump-off Line for the 28th and 35th Divisions

November 5, 2018 by Randy
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  What a difference a year makes!  Last year, the Webmaster rented a gite in “The Punchbowl” of Doulcon for six months.  Doulcon was liberated by the 5th Division on 3 November, 1918–quite late in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  This year the Webmaster is renting the “Gite les Rosiers” in Boureuilles.  This gite is basically on the 28th and 35th Division jump-off line of 26 September–just a few kilometers south of Varennes-en-Argonne.  Said another way, the front-line of 26 Sept. ran east-west from Vauquois Hill (about Continue reading →

Then and Now: Montfaucon d’Argonne 1918-19 Versus Today

October 29, 2018 by Randy
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    Few sites on the Meuse-Argonne American battlefield are as heavily visited as Montfaucon d’Argonne; and yet it remains difficult to “see” the town as it looked at the end of the war.  Moving from a destroyed village to a preserved memorial park that can be visited safely by thousands annually requires considerable clean-up and sanitization.  Thus, one sees the Memorial, the (enhanced) church ruins and a scattering of observation pillboxes, along with some good signage; but one does not see the ruined town Continue reading →

People of the Meuse-Argonne: Mike Cunha

September 2, 2018 by Randy
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    Even today French locals, other Europeans and Americans find themselves drawn to the Meuse-Argonne region of France.  Once drawn there, many return time and again; often working on a multi-year research or preservation project.  In this irregular series, the Webmaster hopes to introduce readers to some of these individuals and their labors of love.     1)  What are your name, nationality and occupation? My name is Mike Cunha.  I am an American, and I work as a social studies / history teacher.  Continue reading →

Travel Tips: Practical Safety (and Comfort) Tips For Your Pilgrimage

August 31, 2018 by Randy
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    The last Travel Tips topic–“Seeking Permissions…”–received so much feedback that the Webmaster felt it best to follow this up immediately with a discussion of “Practical Safety (and Comfort) Tips for Your Pilgrimage.”  Many of the cultural topics have been covered in the “La Vie en France” blog post category or elsewhere on this website; but repetition can be a good thing given the large numbers of Americans planning to travel “Over There” this fall.  The goal is not to scare anybody from making Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: August 20 Update on Harry Rupert and Chatel-Chehery Photo Exhibition

August 20, 2018 by Randy
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  The photo exhibition (about 150 photos) on the grounds of the Chateau in Chatel-Chehery is open for visitation during the times listed above.  However, the tent–which includes a slide show of several hundred additional photos–is closed for an indefinite period.  Harry Rupert has spent months planning this exhibition, so please support him by visiting it!   As reported in late July, Harry suffered a major health issue.  He is home and is recovering; but he still has very little energy and his recovery is Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Still Space Available on Meuse-Argonne.com Events this Fall

August 14, 2018 by Randy
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  Readers who do not yet have firm plans for Centennial Celebrations in France might like to know that there is still space available in certain Meuse-Argonne.com events this fall.  Specifically:   Small-Group Battlefield Walk Series, 20 – 27 Sept.  (Click on Title for Link to Details.) Three days still have openings: Tuesday, 25 Sept., Meuse-Argonne V Corps Wednesday, 26 Sept., Meuse-Argonne III Corps Thursday, 27 Sept., Meuse-Argonne Heights East of Meuse The tour is designed with flexibility so participants can select only the morning Continue reading →

Books and Movies: Back Over There… by Richard Rubin

July 30, 2018 by Randy
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  “Back Over There” is a fun-to-read travelogue; and it marks Richard Rubin’s second grand effort to educate an American public that is largely ignorant of or apathetic to the United States’ role in World War I.  In this book the author explores the American battlefields of Northeastern France; meeting a wide variety of Frenchmen, and other Europeans living in France, who show him the physical remains of the American WW1 battlefields in their backyard.  He intertwines these encounters and cultural vignettes with snippets of Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Harry Rupert Health Issues Close Chatel-Chehery Exhibit Temporarily. Stay Tuned for Updates.

July 26, 2018 by Randy
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  The Webmaster has been informed that Harry Rupert has suffered a serious health issue and it will take some time, which is still uncertain how long, to recover.  Unfortunately, this means that Harry’s photo exhibit in Chatel-Chehery is closed for an undetermined period of time. The Webmaster met Harry during his stay in France in 2017, and he and Harry struck up a good friendship.  Harry is well known in the area.  He volunteers at the Morolager near Binarville on Saturdays.  He was written Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Yankee Division Commemoration, 29 July, Braye-en-Laonnois

July 15, 2018 by Randy
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  The Yankee Division graffiti in the quarries underneath the Chemin des Dames is well-documented.  This is a chance for visitors to view those quarries and to commemorate the Yankee Division in the Aisne Sector and on the Chemin des Dames! The event will take place on Sunday, 29 July at 15h00.  Location is the Yankee Division Monument at the Carrieres de Froidmont (Quarries of Froidmont) in Braye-en-Laonnois.  It will take place in the presence of General Leonid Kondratiuk, National Commander of the Yankee Division Continue reading →