20.10.2026 18:00
The village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont, which was razed to the ground in France during World War I, could not be rebuilt even after 110 years. No one lives in the village today, which was heavily bombarded during the Battle of Verdun. The settlement, bearing the traces of the war, continues its existence in France with a special status.
The village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont in France, which bears the traces of World War I, has not returned to its former days despite 110 years having passed. The village, completely destroyed by intense bombardment during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, was not rebuilt. Today, not a single person resides in the settlement where people once lived.
IT WAS UNDER BOMBARDMENT FOR MONTHS
The village, located in northeastern France, was at the center of the Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest clashes of World War I. During the fighting between German and French armies in 1916, the area was subjected to artillery fire for months. While the houses, roads, and other structures in the village were completely destroyed, the land was covered with the traces of war.
THERE IS STILL UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE UNDER THE GROUND
Unexploded artillery shells and other munitions left from the war period around Verdun still pose a safety risk today. Pollution left by chemical weapons and war materials used in the region in the past is also among the environmental problems.
For this reason, access restrictions are applied in some parts of the old battlefields, and ordnance clearance operations continue.
NOT ERASED FROM THE MAP, GIVEN SPECIAL STATUS
Although Fleury-devant-Douaumont was physically destroyed, it was not removed from France's official administrative records. The village holds the 'Village that Died for France' status used for settlements that were completely destroyed in the war and were not rebuilt. Although no one lives in the settlement, its administrative existence is preserved. A mayor is appointed to administer the village.
IT CAN BE VISITED TODAY
The claim that entry to all of Fleury-devant-Douaumont is forbidden does not reflect the truth. The old village area is preserved today as a historical memorial and visitor site. In the area, there are traces of the settlement destroyed in the war, monuments, and routes that visitors can use. However, security restrictions continue in some nearby old battlefields due to unexploded ordnance.