Verdun Battlefield Tour, Expert Historian & Tickets Included

We really enjoyed our tour of Verdun with Gwendal. He picked us up at our hotel and drove us to all of the major sights in Verdun. We already knew some of the history, but he was able to provide details and insights that you can't get elsewhere. He also offered a lot of flexibility in the tour based on our interest. He was easy to talk to (his English is excellent) and kept us engaged the entire day. We highly recommend the Verdun tour.

Gwen is a fantastic guide with deep knowledge of the Verdun battlefield and the war in general. He has great energy and his passion for the subject was obvious. His English is excellent and we really enjoyed his approach to the tour - a perfect mix of information/knowledge, mapping of the battlefield, and timing across the tour. This tour was more than worth the cost and I would recommend it to anyone looking to explore Verdun.

Gwendol is incredibly knowledgeable and describes the history of Verdun and the surrounding area during World War I in a very captivating manor. We learned an incredible amount about this important time in history and highly recommend this tour

Gwendal was a wonderful guide. He had so much information and so passionate. He tailored the tour for our interests and was so pleasant. Would definitely recommend!

It is better to have a guide rather than do it on your own. He pointed out many sites that we did not know about.

The drive and knowledge where to stop, what was there to see. This was most helpful. The museum and Ossuary are incredible. The driver/guide did an amazing job at showing us the sights and points of interest. This was great and intimate experience for my family ( 2 adult a 12 and 9 year old). We were the only ones on this tour. The Mercedes van was very comfortable. This tour did only a drive by of the city of Verdun, so be aware of that. Had to take photo of the gate from vehicle at rolling speed.

Knowledgeable and friendly guide who made our day trip to Verdun worthwhile, informative , and meaningful. Thank you so much!

Our Verdun battlefield tour was a deeply educational and memorable experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, providing insightful details that brought the history of the area to life. We left with a much greater appreciation of the events that took place, thanks to his expertise and engaging descriptions.

We had a wonderful trip to the Verdun battlefield today. Gwendal took us to the key battle sites, monuments and museums. It gave us a strong sense of how this horrific battle played out between the French and the Germans. Highly recommend.

The guide was amazing. His knowledge was very broad, and his interest in discussing WW1 topics was phenomenal. He was kind enough to come pick us up at the apartment we had rented in Verdun and the tour lasted 8+ hours. We visited around 9 different locations, and this was so much inspiration that we could have spent the next 3 days revisiting a lot of those places. Our impression was that you can get the tour adjusted to the pace you need. We wanted to see as much as possible, so that is what we got. But with the guide's knowledge, you can easily spend more time at each site.

Amazing tour! Gwendal was incredibly knowledgeable on all facets of Verdun and clearly painted the picture of the battlefield. We would have loved to take his Champagne tour as well, but just ran out of time. We will definitely return! Highlight recommend!

Our guide was excellent, both in arranging the logistics of the tour and applying his historical knowledge of the Battle of Verdun. I highly recommend this tour for those interested in the period. You will walk away with an appreciation of the events and their impact on both the French and the Germans that really only be gained by seeing the ground. Here are a couple of notes: The TGV ride from Paris to the Champagne-Ardennes Station is about 40 minutes. The ride from the station to Verdun adds an hour and a half each way…so travel time from and back to Paris consumes a bit over 4 hours of the day. This means that the time in Verdun is short enough that you cannot see everything that is available. For example, we were able to explore Fort Douamont but did not get to see Ft. Vaux.

We loved our tour! Guide was incredibly knowledgeable, entertaining, and friendly. The sites chosen told the story of the battle with snapshots of different perspectives and points in time, and the day felt well planned and timed. Lunch at the museum was delicious with plenty of options, and the drive to/from the train station and between sites was comfortable. Was a highlight of our trip and would 10/10 recommend for history buffs and novices alike!

Gwendal Roger's tour is highly recommended because of his knowledge of the culture and language as well as his passion and knowledge of the rich cultural heritage of Verdun, and the historical significance of WWI. His language skill set, comprehensive knowledge of the historical sights, passion and patience brought out the best of the city. He shared many interesting anecdotes. His tour exceeded all expectations.

My son and I took this historical tour in July 2024. This was the best guided tour experiences I've ever had. If you're a WW I history buff and you find yourself in Champagne region, you can't miss it. The guide gave us a really good overview of the context of the battle at first while we were standing atop one of the famous fortifications, which is an experience you just can't get from books. Then we visited the remaining remaining forts where we heard the details of the soldiers' lives, how they fought and died in this place during one of the world's most horrific battles. The tour was provided by a history teacher who brought this period to life for us. We got so much more out of this than just visiting the memorial on our own. This all-day excursion was done in a luxurious manner from beginning to end, with pick up and drop off at our hotel in Reims. Prepare to be amazed.

Great private tour. Best way to see the battlefield is to get a local guide. They took care of us all the way and made sure we got on the right train to Paris.

Our guide was quite knowledgeable and really enhanced everything that we say. It was a fulfilling and interesting day.

The encyclopedic knowledge of our guide-Gwyn was amazing! We saw so many sites, and learned so much.

Fabulous experience, Gwendolyn was superb guide, really let us experience the battlefield to the fullest, his knowledge, patience, initiative in maximizing our Verdun time and still getting us to our train on time was impressive

This was a wonderful tour! Our guide was knowledgeable and pleasant! We traveled in a private car & were provided with a bottle of water as well as receiving a great commentary! All the important sites were visited & we had plenty of time to explore!

This was an important day on our three week stay in France and was beyond worth it. Roger was fantastic! As a local and former history teacher, he REALLY knows his stuff. My son is a history buff, and the two hit it off immediately. So many details and visualizations. Just wonderful. A truly meaningful day.

What an excellent tour! Gwendal, the driver/guide/historian extrodinaire was professional, personable and extremely knowledgeable. For those history buffs, and even for those who aren't, this was a day well spent. We are actually considering a return visit next year to have him guide us on another historic tour.

Gwendal did a great job of guiding us around the various sites associated with the Battle of Verdun. We appreciated his familiarity with the military history and landscape and enjoyed his company. Having him as a guide was a definite asset.

The tour was fantastic. Gwendyl firstly speaks excellent English and his communication before and during the tour is impeccable.Transportation was smooth to and from the hotel in a comfortable and very clean vehicle. He is also flexible within reason. Top highlights: 1. Gwendyl did a fantastic job of bringing history to life. He started the tour showing us troop movements on a map and why certain areas were of military importance. It gave us a sense of direction and bearings on where we were in each stop. He is very knowledgeable and the tour is very organized. 2. There is nothing that can describe the area that was ravished by this war. The lumps and bumps. The craters from the bombs. The trenches still visible after over 100 years. 3. The loss was staggering. The Ossuary and graveyards solidified this. Whole towns gone. Land still unusable. 4. The old forts and bunkers are super cool. 5. The museum is fantastic. It really brings home what you witnessed throughout the day. We liked it a lot. The movies and stories. 6. My teen really liked it. Be prepared for a long day of being outside. We went in December and it was still enjoyable. The countryside is gorgeous too. I am so glad we chose to do this. It’s important to know history. I can’t say enough good things about this your.

Gwendal is a fantastic guide. He really knows the history and brings it to life. The landscape is not changed and you can still see all the craters from bombs and the trenches. The old forts and bunkers are pretty cool. The museum is really well done too. I like how he took the time to explain with a map before we started. To see the location of Germans and French. To see the movements and why certain places were wanted by the troops. So many lost their lives here and it’s important to know history. My teen liked it too. Pick up and drop off were smooth. Gwendal was great with communication too before and during the tour. This was one of my favorite things we did in France. There is so much history in this country. Also the countryside is gorgeous. Even in winter.

The private tour with Gwendal was convenient and he was always very nice and pleasant. Visiting the Verdun battlefield site is an absolute must for any military history enthusiast. But whether you're an enthusiast or not (like my wife), this is place represents monumental history, however tragic and savage it may be. So regardless, you're in for an amazing yet somber experience. The Battle of Verdun was 300+ days of absolute carnage and on this tour you are privately transported to all the essential sites. The best ones being: Fort Douaumont (it's huge inside), the museum and the Douaumont Ossuary (the most somber place I've ever been). The battlefield is very well preserved where the land is still littered with craters from all the shelling over 100 years ago. Pictures don't do a place like this justice. You have to be there.

Gwendyl was very knowledgeable about the battle at verdun. He has a nice coherent tour planned. I really appreciate that he covid tests every other day- i think he should sell that message. Wish he had a business card to give me. Dropped us off at our hotel in verdun since no plan to go back to reims. Very comfortable car. Great tour!!

Gwendal was flexible with our pickup, providing an excellent overview of the day, the Champagne region, WW1 overview, and getting our background and his covered. Very welcoming with excellent command of English, his insight into WW1 Verdun operations, by both the German and Allies, was very comprehensive. We learned a lot and gained a great appreciation for the history of these hallowed grounds. Recommend...excellent tour!!

My husband and I had an amazing day with Gwendal. My husband's #1 request for our trip was to visit Verdun and Gwendal gave us a truly unforgettable experience. We saw and learned so much about the key role that this region played during WW1. You can tell that Gwendal is extremely knowledgable and genuinely interested in the topic. He also made the day extremely stress free, with pickup and drop off at our hotel in a very comfortable van and tickets already taken care of. I honestly couldn't imagine touring this region without an english speaking guide.

We had a wonderful day with Gwendal, he was very informative, fun and spoke perfect English. Being driven around was so nice and stress free. He even let us customize our tour by stopping for a champagne tasting at the end of the Verdun tour. If you’re interested in WW1 history, this is the absolute best way to tour Verdun.

Had a lovely tour of the battlefields of Verdun by Gwendal who had solid expertise on the subject. We were fortunate to be the only two people on the tour and Gwendal adjusted comfortably, increasing time in some areas and reducing it in others to meet our desires. I would offer some recommendations for those considering the tour: ● Try and pick a non-rainy day! Much of the tour is outside... ● It's worth learning about the early days of World War I where fortifications in Belgium fell much more quickly than had been expected. This failure impacted French thinking about Verdun's fortifications before the battle. ● Don't miss the Verdun Ossuary. And definitely reserve time for the the battlefield Museum which is modern and excellent. Finally, remember where you are going. Verdun was a major, months-long battle that led to minimal changes in the strategic realities of the front. Hundreds of thousands of casualties were recorded on both sides making the battle a historic symbol for the pointlessness of the war. As a result, the battlefield can be overwhelmingly depressing. But at least you will leave the battlefield with a deeper understanding of the background and reality of the battle, delivered by an expert on the topic.

A long day but full of interest, Gwendal was an excellent guide showing us places we would not have seen if we had travelled alone

The tour was wonderful. Gwendal is a very knowledgeable and also personable guide. We really enjoyed listening to his insights. I would definitely recommend him and the tour.

We had such a great time on this tour. Gwendal met us at the train station at Reims and then we drove to Verdun (1.5 hours by car). It was amazing just how much history is preserved. There are craters everywhere from the massive amount of shelling that took place. Gwendal took us to many historical sites where we found old trenches, bunkers with cannons and the giant Fort Douaumont. The museum we went to was really well done and we learned so much. The memorial building is incredible and if you look in the windows of the basement you can see all the bones of unidentifiable soldiers piled below. Gwendal was an outstanding guide and I would definitely recommend the tour.

We had an outstanding tour with Gwendal. He pointed out countless things we would’ve missed on our own, organized the stops in a way that gave us a deeper understanding of the battle, and patiently answered all of our questions about Verdun and the region. Highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the battle.

My 13yo and I took a day trip from Paris because of his interest in WWI. From the time of booking, Gwen was extremely helpful. He could tell we misunderstood where we were starting so he contacted us right away. He helped us with the proper train tickets. He has an excellent knowledge base like a professor, but able to explain it very well. He was considerate and thoughtful like helping us with water and umbrellas. Having done the Overlord tour from Bayeux WWII after this one, one way he could make it over the top would be to add personal stories like the Overlord Band of Brothers tour. This tour also carried 11x17 pictures driving to various sites to help orient us to the battle positions and geography, topography. They brought the museum out to the sites. However, Gwen already did an excellent job. At the museum towards the end, we could see all of the geography, topography, memorabilia and personal stories.

Fantastic museum, Gwen was a very knowledgeable guide. It would help to have laminated maps for those of us touring to get a sense of the greater geography. However, the transport was first rate, Gwen had water for us, and was very accommodating to what we needed. The sites will be in our memories forever. We even went to the American Memorial at Belleau Wood on our own to continue the learning.

Our tour guide, Gwendol, was extremely informative- we saw more than we had ever expected. It was the highlight of our trip!

Very impressive. Knowledgeable and pleasant guide. Sad story of what people can do to each other. We don't learn anything from it. Should be compulsory visits for all European school pupils.

For a small price we visited a well-preserved fortress where you can imagine what it must have been like and what hardships the soldiers were exposed to

Verdun is worth the detour!! The war sites need to be done. Fort Duaumont and ossuary and also enjoyed the visit to Fort de Vaux. But also the Chattancourt trench upstream

Doing Verdun takes us into another world. The ossuary of Douaumont , the fort of Vaux , the fort of Douaumont . Hand-to-hand fighting over a piece of wall, a shell hole a piece of trench. We still wonder how they managed to fit in this hell.

Very friendly and available guide! Answers to our various questions asked and being conveyed is a plus!!! Considering all the important points of the great Battle of Verdun including the ossuary!

It is difficult to remain indifferent during this visit! History makes sense and we imagine the horror of this war for all those soldiers who fought to defend our country but also for those who fought to take our country Let's not forget the inhabitants either