ETAIN

THE PREFECTURE BRIDGE

The road hereabouts is bordered with fine trees. After passing throughBan-St.-Martin(Infantry Barrackson the right) andLongeville-les-Metz,the tourist arrives atMoulins.

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 toGravelotte.

Near milestone “Metz 9 km.,” there isa fine view of Metz:in the foregroundthe 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 nearJoan-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 amonumentsurrounded 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 deepRavine of Mance,alongwhich 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).

InGravelotte(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 toMogador 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 ofMalmaison Farm,the old frontier is crossed.

Eight kilometres 900 beyond Gravelotte,Doncourtvillage is reached. Cross through and keep straight on along D.I. After passing by Jarny Mines, the road crosses the railway (l.c.) and entersJarnyvillage, 4 km. from Doncourt. Several houses were destroyed and the church badly damaged.

Two kilometres beyond Jarny,Conflans-en-Jarnizyis reached. Several of the houses were destroyed.Go through the village and at the far end take the Etain road. 5 km. from Conflans,Jeandelizeis reached. The church (on the right) was torn open by shells. Note the Renaissance doors of several of the houses.

Keep straight on.Olleyvillage (on the right) is passed, 2 km. beyond Jeandelize. There isa large German cemeteryfifty yards from the road on the right.

St. Jean-lés-BuzyandBuzy(the latter 11 km. from Conflans)are passed through, after whichHill 198—on which is a German stronghold with blockhouse, trenches and barbed wire entanglements—is reached.

The partly destroyed village ofWarcqis next passed through, after which2 km. further on,Etainis reached.

NEAR GRAVELOTTE. GRAVES OF FRENCH SOLDIERS WHO FELL ON AUGUST 18, 1870

ETAIN. RUINED CHURCH AND HOUSESSeen from the bridge over the Orne, on the road to Verdun.

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.

ETAIN. THE TOWER AND SOUTH FRONT OF THE CHURCHThe tower was used as an observation-post by the Germans.

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.

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 remainedat 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 thepartly destroyed town,N. 18 is picked up again, which take to the left. The greatly damaged church (photos, pp.141and142)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.

ETAIN CHURCH. LIGIER RICHIER’S “DESCENT FROM THE CROSS”

Viollet-le-Ducconsidered 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 byLigier Richier. The basin is of bell-metal and, like those of Nevers and Bourges,

PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE MEUSE HEIGHTS

Panoramic view

FIÉVÈTERIE FARM AND VILLAGE OF EIXSeen from the Verdun road.

FIÉVÈTERIE FARM AND VILLAGE OF EIX

Seen from the Verdun road.

shaped like a mortar, but the epitaph round it proves its sacred origin. TheLigier Richiergroup (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.

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 ofAbaucourt, the Meuse Heights can clearly be seen on the horizon, at the end of Woëvre Plain (panorama above).

Abaucourt

Go throughAbaucourt(razed to the ground)toFiévèterie 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 ofEix, which was the scene of fierce fighting throughout the war.

The road up theMeuse Heightsis fairly steep and passes between theForts of SouvilleandTavannes(on the right)andMoulainville Fort(on the left).It then descends in a gentle slope to Verdun, which is entered by the Faubourg Pavé and Chaussée Gate.

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