Youngman's Euro Tour

Is Verdun worth a visit? Have an interest in WW1 and this is on the list of
places to see.

Verdun is absolutely worth a visit. Douamont and Vaux you can go into. The Brits has to accelerate the Somme offensive because the French were on the point of mutiny. This point interests me - why didn't troops mutiny at the madness earlier.
Eventually the Americans came in and mounted an offensive at Thionville, just up the road. Its not a UK battlefield at all, but it was one of the seminal encounters of WWI - probably the one.
The sense of mayhem and slaughter is still there as such a small area was fought over in a couple of hills just outside Verdun.
Lots of French and German tourists there still visiting the place, so there is not the chilly feel of some of the Somme and Western Front places.
Some very good books on the battle have been written. The translated French ones are a bit iffy and overly emotional. Also, Marshal Petain saved their bacon, but then became a German collaborator in WWII, running the Vichy Government. So when is a hero a shameful figure?? Difficult stuff.

After Venice, how about a few quiet days touring the spectacular Dolomite Range. A Mecca for rock climbers around the world.

Little did I know it was also a rendezvous for bikers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I did the corners at their speeds, but slowed in the straights to look at the scenery so got roared past, and then found myself doing silly speeds in the bends thinking "Oh bugger, bugger!" Lots of concentration required on technical and some VERY BUSY bits of road.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...fromshare&Ux=0

Will someone please tell the Harley boys to stick to the straight and wide please? Packs of them can choke a good road sometimes.


This will be the last post for a while unless I can find some friendly internet cafe's in the EAST!

YoungMan. Thanks for that. Indeed it is.
Saw 'the lost battalion' dvd recently about the U.S 77th 'liberty' Division in the Argonne Forest, just n/w of Verdun. Excellent viewing.
Also reading 'Paths of Glory' about the French Army 14-18.
May pay my respects to the place that the Germans wanted to 'Bleed the French white' shortly.

BTW, superb photos. Keep flying the flag for the SV.

You are all too kind.
Mostly I enjoy doing 300 miles in a day and then popping down to local zoo to moon the female baboons.
They love it.

Nice. Keep the pics coming for those of us currently deskbound