Vaux-devant-Damloup: History and Landscape

Vaux-devant-Damloup is historically shaped by its complete destruction during the Battle of Verdun in 1916. Alongside this, Fort de Vaux, the Chapelle Saint-Jacques-et-Saint-Philippe, the Étang de Vaux, and the vegetation offer different perspectives on the destination. When looking for a hotel, it helps to consider whether your travel interests lie more in history, architecture, or landscape. The historical dates place the site in time, while the pond and viewpoint offer concrete impressions of the landscape.

Vaux-devant-Damloup and the events of 1916

Vaux-devant-Damloup was completely destroyed in 1916 during the Battle of Verdun. This date is a key point of reference in time for the former village. The Étang de Vaux is also connected with the fighting that year: in March and April 1916, the fighting was centered around the pond. The two details refer to different locations, but to the same period of the year. This makes it possible to consider the destruction of the village and the fighting at the Étang de Vaux side by side in time. If you are exploring the history, the spring of 1916 provides a specific timeframe.

Fort and Chapel: Construction Dates and Heritage Listing

Fort de Vaux takes us back to an earlier point in time: it was built between 1881 and 1884, decades before the events of 1916. The temperature inside is 12°C year-round. You can take this into account when planning your visit, whatever the season.

The protective chapel of Saint Philippe et Saint-Jacques was built in 1933 by the architect Delangle. Together with the clock tower, the Chapelle Saint-Jacques-et-Saint-Philippe was listed as a historic monument on December 15, 2021. The protective chapel is also designated as a point of interest at the destroyed village of Vaux. The construction date, heritage listing, and designation as a point of interest offer different historical and cultural points of reference.

Explore the Former Village with VIAVO

The VIAVO augmented reality application presents the former village of Vaux-devant-Damloup in 3D. It lets you explore the site on a walking loop set up in collaboration with the ONF. The application also offers separate tours focused on history and biodiversity. Each topic has a version for adults and one for children. This lets you choose between a historical and a nature-focused perspective; the two topics are presented as separate tours. The 3D representation and walking tour feature the former village, while the two topic versions offer different perspectives.

Étang de Vaux and Views of the Landscape

The Étang de Vaux is a small pond at the confluence of the Fausse-Côte, Bazil, and Fontaines ravines. Its description combines a specific landscape feature with three named ravines. Its history also takes us back to the fighting in March and April 1916. You can therefore view the pond from two perspectives: as part of the landscape and as a historic site.

From the viewpoint at Fort de Vaux, the view extends south over stands of spruce, scrub, and deciduous vegetation, and north over stands of black pine. The directions also make comparison possible: several types of vegetation are noted to the south, and black pine to the north. If you are interested in the landscape, you can look south and north and focus on these different stands.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Saint-Aubin-Sur-Aire, Les Trois-Domaines, Ligny-En-Barrois, Pagny-Sur-Meuse, Pareid, Sommeilles, Stenay, Forges Sur Meuse.

Go to the main travel overview: Meuse.