Verdun, northwest

Our air Bnb host's mother agreed to drive us on a 80 mile tour to take in some far flung sights far off the tourist path
First stop was the destroyed town of Montfaucon.  There is a large monument to the Americans. There are several partial buildings, remaining, including the church.

All of the forest areas are shell craters, from a few feet to over 30 feet deep.

Next stop was at the American cemetery in Romagne sous Montfaucon.  This piece of American soil was kept in immaculate shape.  A monument to the dead that they could not identify is on a hill overlooking, graves to those they could. In the visiter center,  was a map that confirmed my thoughts on where Luther was injured.

We then went to St Juvin to find that gully from 11 October the diary spoke of.  There is a deep gully on both sides of the road, but the front lines were on the north side of the road. So I know within a mile of the site.  Luther was trying to evacuate wounded soldiers and was waiting on an ambulance to come, when an artillery barrage found them.  

We then went to Vauquois.  Please look this one up.  The town was completely blown to bits.  a line of craters over 100 feet deep mark the town. You have to see it to believe it. Google maps shows it.

Last stop was in the forest at the Haute Chevauchee Kaisertunnel.  Here we got to walk in the trenches., and shell craters

From one side of verdun to the other, the thick forests hide shell craters.  We have seen over 100 miles of the front lines here, and the craters are everwhere a forest is.  This was farm land before the war, but there are too many unexploded ordinances to farm, so the trees take over.
As the trees grow,they pick up metal fragments.  Treasure seakers are killed when they find a shell.  Fire fighters are killed when the heat sets one off.

Seeing the front lines and what the men endured has been humbling.

Tomorrow, Paris.

Village detruit Fleury

This town was destroyed in the beginning of the Verdun battle.  The shell craters were still surprisingly large after over 100 years. They now have a maker for each building.  The city limits signs continue to mark the boundary of Fluery.

Ossuaire de Douaumont

Near Verdun. Touching tribute to the fallen.

Front lines

We made it up to what was the front lines north of Nancy. Luther mentioned Millery and Pon de Mons.  The church in millery was built in the late 1800's, so I am sure he was there.  Now there is little mention of the war.  There is a river in the middle of a very wide valley.  It is easy to see how the terrain would keep opposing armies funneled up.

Continued up the moselle river to st mihiel on a very hot Sunday.  I mention Sunday because many shops are closed, including the ones selling water. Finally found a cafe and bought 6 liters.  Enough   to finish the 60 mile ride, pulling our trailers.  Ouch. 

Just outside of Toul, we saw our first cemetery, with soldiers from both wars, both French and Canadian.

We are staying at the only hotel in town, and were lucky to find a food trailer just outside.  A big change from the 5star Michelin  restaurant we enjoyed in Nancy.

St Mihiel is another location of a large battlefield during the great war.

French countryside

France is a series of beautiful scenes after beautiful scenes. The drivers love cyclists and will never touch you.  Wrong way down a one way street is no problem.  Stay away from pedestrian zones and all is good.

Hospital

Most of the places we have visited of Luther's are rear areas.  A couple were a few weeks after the armistice.  They were on a train line so the men could be moved back quickly, but far enough to allow the men to relax. 
As we were leaving Choumont, I spoke to an older gentleman, eho informed  that many Americans were stationed as well as Pershing.
With much research, I found the hospital where he was treated as well as the rehab unit.  The hospital was in bazoilles sur meuse.  It was a 1000 bed tent hospital.  The area is now a hay field. 

Canal

France is crisscrossed by canals that currently handle pleasure boats.  With locks it is possible to travel from the Atlantic to the alps.  The canals are lined with a paved, sometimes poorly, trail that bikes are welcome on.  We traveled from Langres to Chaumont, downhill on a trail.  With a strong tailwind.  Perfect.