_The tourist can go from Verdun to Metz either by the Route Nationale
No. 3, the Porte Saint-Victor--Haudiomont--Mars-la-Tour and the
battlefields of August 1870 (see page 166), or by the Route
Nationale No. 18 (the Route d'Étain) and R. D. 1._
=Étain.=
In 1914 Étain was bombarded on August 24th and 25th. On the 24th many
inhabitants were killed. On the 25th, the inhabitants who took refuge
in the cellars of the town hall perished under the ruins of the
building, but 200 others escaped to Verdun.
On the same day the French forces, north of Étain, crushed the 33rd
German D. R. Nevertheless the order to retire was given and the enemy
occupied the town which they pillaged methodically. Every other day
convoys took back to Germany, furniture, linen, wines, groceries,
cloth, footwear, tools, and even materials.
In April 1915, the French troops came back quite near Étain where the
line was established until February 1916.
In the town, which is partly destroyed, the church, much damaged, can
be seen on the left.
Through the steeple which was cut in two by the bombardments can be
seen the internal structure: the Germans had fitted up an observation
post inside.
Viollet-le-Duc used to consider the church of Étain with its three
naves one of the five noteworthy churches of the Meuse. It was
commenced in the 13th century and finished in the 15th.
The majestic choir, with its large windows with manifold mullions,
was 15th century. Inside (right aisle) could be seen the font and the
Notre-Dame-de-Pitié by Ligier-Richier (_photo page 164_).
[Illustration: ÉTAIN CHURCH IN 1918.--_The Central nave, looking
towards the choir._]
[Illustration: ÉTAIN CHURCH.--_Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, by
Ligier-Richier._]
[Illustration: IN 1920. AT THE ENTRANCE TO ÉTAIN.--THE HÔTEL DE LA
SIRÈNE (RUE NATIONALE), _formerly the Crown Prince's Headquarters in
1916._]
[Illustration: Map of Metz (TN).]
[Illustration: METZ.--PANORAMA VIEW TAKEN FROM SAINT-QUENTIN FORT.
(Cliché LL.)]