the former_ Hôtel de la Haute-Pierre, the property of the Duke of
Suffolk, lover of Mary Tudor, Queen of England. He had this mansion
pulled down and the fine Hôtel de Suffolk built, which, for a long time,
served as the Government House. Finally, in 1776, _Clairisseaux_ built
the present palace. The =iron railings= of the grand staircase and, _in
the inner court_, =two bas-reliefs=—one recalling the humanity of the
Duke of Guise in succouring the soldiers of the Duke of Albe after the
raising of the siege; the other glorifying the peace concluded in 1783
between England, France, Spain, the United States of America and
Holland, are especially noteworthy.
[Illustration: STATUE OF KAISER FREDERICK CHARLES DRAGGED DOWN FROM ITS
PEDESTAL BY THE PEOPLE OF METZ]
_Return to the Place de la République and take on the right the Avenue
de la Citadelle, which separates the Esplanade from the Place de la
République. Follow this avenue, which soon skirts on the left the
Engineers’ Barracks, and a garden._
_Beyond the garden, turn to the left into the Avenue du Maréchal Joffre,
which leads to the Place du Roi-George (in front of the old railway
station)._ It was here that the statue of _Kaiser Frederick III. was_
pulled down by the people. _Not far from this square may be seen_ a
round tower—a relic of the ramparts of the Middle Ages.
_Turning his back on the old railway station, the tourist next takes
Avenue Serpenoise (beside the gardens), along which run the tram lines._
_On the left is_ the Serpenoise Gate (1852).
_Continue along the Avenue, which skirts, on the left, first the
Engineers’ Barracks, then Place de la République._
_Beyond the latter the Avenue is continued by Rue Serpenoise_—the
busiest street in Metz—_which take. Rue Ladoucette, which continues it,
leads to Rue Fournirue._
_Take the latter on the right, then Rue du Change (which continues it to
the right) to_ =Place St. Louis.=
[Illustration: SERPENOISE GATE, _leading to the Place de la
République_.]
[Illustration: PLACE ST. LOUIS AND THE ARCADES]
In former times, Place St. Louis (or Place du Change) was occupied by
sixty moneychangers’ stalls. Several of the houses in the square have
retained their battlements, pointed or semicircular arches, tricusped
windows and Renaissance balconies. The name of St. Louis comes from a
statue of Louis XIII., found among the ruins of the citadel and which
the Curé of St. Simplice took for one of Louis IX. Mystery plays used to
be acted in the square, which later was used for the execution of
criminals. Finally, it became the corn market.
_At the end of the square take Rue Royale, then turn to the left into
Rue Coislin, which skirts the Coislin Barracks._
_At the end of Rue Coislin take Rue Pont-à-Seille to Place des Charrons,
then, at the end of this square, Rue du Grand-Wad, to the Rempart des
Allemands. Follow the latter to the left as far as the_ =German Gate.=
[Illustration: PLAN OF PLACE ST. LOUIS]
[Illustration: PORTE DES ALLEMANDS (GERMAN GATE) _Seen from the Quai des
Allemands._]
The =German Gate=, on the banks of the Seille, is a remarkable structure.
Mention of it occurs as early as 1324. In the 15th century it was
completely restored by the architect _Henri de Banceval_.
_Opposite the Gate take the Rue des Allemands; on the right is_ the
interesting Church of St. Rucaire. _Continue to Place des Paraiges._
[Illustration: THE GERMAN GATE]
[Illustration: THE GERMAN GATE _Seen from the right bank of the
Seille._]
[Illustration: THE TAN-YARDS]
[Illustration]
_At the end of the square, take Rue Saulnerie to the right (continued on
the left by Rue du Paradis), which leads to Rue des Capucins. At the end
of the latter is Place des Maréchaux, in which stands the_ Church of St.
Ségolène, built on the site of an oratory founded by St. Ségolène in the
8th century. The present church, built at two different periods (the
choirs, nave and portal are earlier than the aisles), dates from about
the 13th century. Long, narrow windows, mostly double, end in
stanchions. The two side chapels contain fine stained-glass. Note the
curious open-work gallery of the organ loft, and several interesting
paintings.
_Turn to the left and take the Rue des Trinitaires. Skirt an old
building with a square turret, beside a doorway_—“Hostel St.
Ligier”—_then turn to the right into Rue de la Bibliothèque_.
_In this street, at the corner of Rue Chèvremont, there is_ a large
building (formerly the Church of the Petits-Carmes), _the work of
Sébastian Leclerc_, in which are housed both the library (80,000 volumes
and 1,987 manuscripts) and the Museum (local archæology, natural
history, objects of art and three rooms of pictures).
_Besides the museum, take Rue Chèvremont, which runs into Rue de la
Boucherie, in which turn to the left to St. Georges Bridge over the
Moselle._
_Cross this bridge, from which there is a lovely view, and take the Rue
du Pont St. Georges. Rue Chambière opens at once on the right, and leads
to_ =Chambière Cemetery=, in which are the graves of the French soldiers
who fell in the siege of 1870.
_The road passes between the large slaughter house and cattle market,
and huts serving as an army stores._ _Cross an_ old cemetery, in the
middle of which are several monumental tombs. _Skirt the Jewish cemetery
and the Moselle, as far as the_ =Military Cemetery=: numerous graves under
the trees. In the centre stands a pyramid thirty-seven feet high, with a
great number of piled up coffins carved on the base. Here lie the
soldiers who died in the Metz hospitals of wounds received in the
battles of Borny, Gravelotte, St. Privat, Servigny, Peltre and
Ladonchamps—7,203 in number.
[Illustration: MOSELLE RIVER _Seen from St. George’s Bridge._]
[Illustration: MOSELLE RIVER AND ST. GEORGE’S BRIDGE]
On the principal façade is a bas-relief in white marble representing
religion, taken from a disused vault belonging to the _de Salse_ family.
On the other side are inscriptions. At the base of the pyramid is the
inscription: “_The Women of Metz to those whom they nursed._”
Beside the pyramid there is a monument to the memory of the fallen
French officers.
For forty-eight years wreaths, tri-colour cockades and ribbons were
piously placed on these graves, and on each anniversary day the women of
Metz covered them with flowers.
_Take Rue du Pont St. Georges to Rue St. Vincent_ (_on the left_), which
follow, _then turn to the right into Rue des Bénédictins_.
_Apply at No. 7 to visit the_ =Church of St. Clément.=
[Illustration]
Founded in 1668, the choir, nave and aisles were begun in 1680 by
_Spinga_, an Italian. The portal was damaged during the Revolution.
To-day the church forms part of the college founded by the Jesuits. A
fine cloister with a well should be visited.
_Return to Rue des Bénédictins and follow it as far as Rue St. Vincent
(on the left), which leads to the square of the same name, where stands
the curious_ =Church of St. Vincent=, founded in 1248.
Partially destroyed by fire in 1711, by an apostate monk, it was used as
a stable during the Revolution, and then as a hospital in 1814. Once
more a church, a portal in composite style was added. The graceful nave
on twelve shafted pillars, the symmetrical choir and the fine chapels in
pointed style are well worth seeing.
_Continue along Rue St. Vincent, on the other side of the square. Its
continuation, Rue St. Marcel, leads to Rue du Pont-à-Mort, into which
turn to the left._
[Illustration: ST. MARCEL BRIDGE AND THE PROTESTANT CHURCH
_Seen from Moyen Bridge._]
_Cross the Moselle by Moyen Bridge_ (lovely view). _Take Rue St. Marie,
which continues the bridge_, then Rue du Faisan on the left, _leading to
the_ pretty little Place de Chambre. This square owes its name to the
Knights of Malta, who in 1323 lived there in a castle called _Petit St.
Jean_.
_From the Place de Chambre return to the Cathedral and to the Place
d’Armes by the narrow Rue d’Estrées._
[Illustration: MOYEN BRIDGE]
[Illustration: MOYEN BRIDGE AND THE CATHEDRAL _Seen from Saulcy
Island._]
THIRD DAY
METZ-ETAIN-VERDUN
(_See Itinerary, pp. 138–139_)
[Illustration]
_Leave Metz (Place d’Armes) by Rue d’Estrées, cross Place de Chambre
(soon reached on the left), take Rue Faisan, then Rue St. Marie, leading
to Moyen Bridge over an arm of the Moselle. Cross the bridge and take
Rue du Pont-à-Mort. Cross the ramparts, then the second arm of the
Moselle. Take Rue de Paris and, follow the tram lines towards Moulins;
after crossing the second belt of ramparts and the railway, the route
turns to the left._
[Illustration: THE PREFECTURE BRIDGE]
_The road hereabouts is bordered with fine trees. After passing through_
=Ban-St.-Martin= (Infantry Barracks _on the right_) and
=Longeville-les-Metz=, _the tourist arrives at_ =Moulins.=
_At the fork, take the Verdun road, on the right, which passes in front
of the barracks._
_Two hundred yards beyond Moulins leave on the right the Briey road, and
at the milestone marked “Metz 7 km.,” turn to the left into the uphill
road to_ =Gravelotte.=
[Illustration]
_Near milestone “Metz 9 km.,” there is_ a fine view of Metz: _in the
foreground_ the village of Rozérieulles is seen in the valley; _in the
background_, the Moselle valley and Metz.
_At the top of Hill 342, the road passes near_ =Joan-of-Arc Fort=,
formerly the German fort “_Kaiserin_.” It stands about 300 yards to the
right of the road. _The latter, a little further on, turns sharply to
the left near a_ =monument= surrounded with trees, which was erected to
the memory of the soldiers who fell in 1870. Several graves bear the
inscription: “Krieger v. 18 8–1870.”
_St. Hubert Farm is soon reached, then the deep_ =Ravine of Mance=,
_along_ which the defeated Germans were forced to retreat in the course
of the great battle of August 16, 1870, fought between the villages of
Gravelotte (_which the tourist soon reaches_), Rézonville and
Mars-la-Tour (_further west_).
In =Gravelotte= (_12 km. 700 from Metz_) _take the road to Doncourt (D.I.)
on the right, in front of the Post Office_. _The road passes close to_
=Mogador Farm=, from which Kaiser Wilhelm I. saw his troops thrown into
confusion and beating a hurried retreat under the cover of night.
_After passing in front of_ =Malmaison Farm=, _the old frontier is
crossed_.
_Eight kilometres 900 beyond Gravelotte_, =Doncourt= _village is reached.
Cross through and keep straight on along D.I. After passing by Jarny
Mines, the road crosses the railway (l.c.) and enters_ =Jarny= _village, 4
km. from Doncourt_. Several houses were destroyed and the church badly
damaged.
_Two kilometres beyond Jarny_, =Conflans-en-Jarnizy= _is reached_. Several
of the houses were destroyed. _Go through the village and at the far end
take the Etain road. 5 km. from Conflans_, =Jeandelize= _is reached_. The
church (_on the right_) was torn open by shells. Note the Renaissance
doors of several of the houses.
_Keep straight on._ =Olley= _village (on the right) is passed, 2 km.
beyond Jeandelize. There is_ a large German cemetery _fifty yards from
the road on the right_.
=St. Jean-lés-Buzy= _and_ =Buzy= (_the latter 11 km. from Conflans_) _are
passed through, after which_ =Hill 198=—on which is a German stronghold
with blockhouse, trenches and barbed wire entanglements—_is reached_.
The partly destroyed village of =Warcq= _is next passed through, after
which_ 2 km. further on, =Etain= _is reached_.
[Illustration: NEAR GRAVELOTTE. GRAVES OF FRENCH SOLDIERS WHO FELL ON
AUGUST 18, 1870]
[Illustration: ETAIN. RUINED CHURCH AND HOUSES _Seen from the bridge
over the Orne, on the road to Verdun._]
ETAIN
Etain was looted by the Swedes in 1622, during the reign of Louis XIII.
Later, it was often taken and retaken by the French, Germans, Spaniards
and Lorrains. Its fortifications were destroyed under Louis XIV. By the
Treaty of Vienna (18th century) the town was definitely ceded to France.
In October, 1792, Kellermann’s advance guards, in pursuit of the
Prussians, encamped at Etain.
[Illustration: ETAIN. THE TOWER AND SOUTH FRONT OF THE CHURCH _The tower
was used as an observation-post by the Germans._]
[Illustration: ETAIN. CHEVET AND NORTH FRONT OF CHURCH]
In 1914, the town was bombarded by the Germans on August 24, from 1 p.m.
to 2 a.m. the next day, and again on the 25th at 11 o’clock, with
incendiary shells.
[Illustration: ETAIN CHURCH. CENTRAL NAVE SEEN FROM THE CHOIR]
Many of the inhabitants were killed on the 24th. On the 25th others, who
had taken refuge in the cellars of the Town Hall, perished under the
ruins of that building. 200 fled along the Verdun road. A girl
telephonist remained at her post and kept in touch with Verdun every
quarter of an hour. Her last message (on the 25th) was: “A bomb has just
fallen on the office.”
The same day French troops routed the German XXXIIIrd D.R. in a glorious
battle at Etain. Nevertheless, the enemy occupied the town, which was
systematically looted. Every two days train-loads of furniture, linen,
wines, food, cloth, boots, tools and raw materials were sent to Germany.
In April, 1915, French troops captured Hills 219 and 221, Hôpital Farm
(formerly belonging to Order of St. Jean de Rhodes) and Haut-Bois Farm,
reaching the immediate vicinity of the town, without, however, entering
it.
_In the_ partly destroyed town, _N. 18 is picked up again, which take to
the left_. The greatly damaged church (_photos, pp. 141 and 142_) _is
seen on the right_. Its belfry was torn open by the bombardments,
leaving visible the interior, where the Germans had installed an
observation-post.
[Illustration: ETAIN CHURCH. LIGIER RICHIER’S “DESCENT FROM THE CROSS”]
_Viollet-le-Duc_ considered the Church of Etain, with its three naves,
as one of the five most remarkable churches in the Meuse province.
Begun in the 13th century, it was completed in the 15th. The imposing
choir, with its large, many-mullioned windows, is 15th century. In
the right aisle are a remarkable holy-water basin, and a statue of
Our Lady of Mercy by _Ligier Richier_. The basin is of bell-metal
and, like those of Nevers and Bourges, shaped like a mortar, but the
epitaph round it proves its sacred origin. The _Ligier Richier_ group
(1528) represents the Virgin Mary gazing on the dead body of Christ. It
differs slightly from that of Clermont-en-Argonne, attributed to the
same sculptor.
[Illustration: PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE MEUSE HEIGHTS]
[Illustration: FIÉVÈTERIE FARM AND VILLAGE OF EIX
_Seen from the Verdun road._]
_Beyond Etain, N. 18 crosses the Orne stream (photo, p. 141) and the
military defences of the town, of which several concrete works remain._
_The road crosses Woëvre Plain. Shortly before reaching the
level-crossing, before arriving at the railway station and village of_
=Abaucourt=, the Meuse Heights can clearly be seen on the horizon, at the
end of Woëvre Plain (_panorama above_).
[Illustration: Abaucourt]
_Go through_ =Abaucourt= (razed to the ground) _to_ =Fiévèterie Farm= (in
ruins), _which lies at the foot of the Meuse Heights (photo, p. 144). A
road starts on the left of the farm and leads to the small ruined
village of_ =Eix=, which was the scene of fierce fighting throughout the
war.
_The road up the_ =Meuse Heights= _is fairly steep and passes between the_
=Forts of Souville= _and_ =Tavannes= (_on the right_) _and_ =Moulainville
Fort= (_on the left_). _It then descends in a gentle slope to Verdun,
which is entered by the Faubourg Pavé and Chaussée Gate._
CONTENTS
PAGES
American Forces engaged 4–7
Map of Meuse Defences in 1914 8
Military Operations in the St. Mihiel Salient, 1914–1918 9–20
American Offensive in the St. Mihiel Salient, 1918 14–19
General Map of the ground covered by the Itineraries 21
FIRST ITINERARY
VERDUN TO COMMERCY 22–71
Map 22
Calonne Trench 24–27
Eparges 28–33
Hattonchâtel 37–39
Vigneulles to St. Mihiel, _via_ Chaillon 41
Vigneulles to St. Mihiel, _via_ Apremont, Brûlé Wood, and Ailly
Wood 42–46
Brûlé Wood 46–49
Ailly Wood 50–52
St. Mihiel during the War 53–54
Visit to St. Mihiel 55–69
The Seven Rocks 62
Chauvoncourt 63
Fort Paroches 64–65
Fort Camp-des-Romains 69–70
Plan of Commercy 71
SECOND ITINERARY
(_a_) COMMERCY TO PONT-À-MOUSSON 72–108
Map 72
Thiaucourt 87–88
Pont-à-Mousson 89–96
Mousson 97–101
Prêtre Wood 102–108
(_b_) PONT-À-MOUSSON TO METZ 109–137
Map 109
Metz 113–137
The Fortifications 115
After the Armistice 116–119
Plan of Metz 120
Visit to the Town 121–137
The Cathedral 122–125
THIRD ITINERARY
METZ TO VERDUN, _via_ ETAIN 138–145
Map 138–139
Etain 141–143
[Illustration: THE AMERICANS IN THE GREAT WAR. VOL. 1.
MICHELIN ILLUSTRATED GUIDES
TO THE BATTLEFIELDS (1914–1918)
THE AMERICANS
IN THE
GREAT WAR
VOLUME 1.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE
(CHÂTEAU-THIERRY, SOISSONS, FISMES.)
_A panoramic history and guide_
_Price_ $1
MICHELIN & Cie., CLERMONT-FERRAND
MICHELIN TYRE Co. LTD., 81 Fulham Road, LONDON, S. W.
MICHELIN TIRE Co., MILLTOWN, N. J., U. S. A.]
[Illustration: THE AMERICANS IN THE GREAT WAR. VOL. III.
MICHELIN ILLUSTRATED GUIDES
TO THE BATTLEFIELDS (1914–1918)
THE AMERICANS
IN THE
GREAT WAR
VOLUME III. MEUSE-ARGONNE BATTLE
(MONTFAUCON, ROMAGNE, ST MEMEHOULD)
_A panoramic history and guide_
_Price_ $1
MICHELIN & Cie., CLERMONT-FERRAND
MICHELIN TYRE Co. LTD., 81 Fulham Road, LONDON, S. W.
MICHELIN TIRE Co., MILLTOWN, N. J., U. S. A.]
* * * * *
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_Paris and its environs_
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It is impossible, in a few lines, to paint the exceptional charms of
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Its vistas of the Champs-Elysées seen from the Tuileries and the Arc de
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The city’s historical monuments are of inestimable value, and the most
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[Illustration: Hotels and Motor-Agents]