In the footsteps of heroes

The duration of this itinerary is estimated at five days.

A journey through time in total immersion

History has been built over the years in the Land of Memory. This is because so many key events took place here during the two World Wars. Of course, many heroes stood out during these periods. There were many acts of bravery in battle, courageous civilians who resisted the oppression of the invaders, and small missions that sometimes remained secret and unknown but which made the liberation of Europe possible.

There are many stories about the adventures of heroes through the ages, from the most famous to those who sometimes acted in the shadows. We have imagined an itinerary to follow in the footsteps of these heroes. We discover history through their experiences. Please take part in this adventure where we honor all the actors who have impacted the construction of today’s Europe! Designed especially for adventure lovers with inspiring stories, this itinerary combines historical facts, culture, and remembrance. During the journey, the visits are varied and interactive to immerse us in the eventful past of the Greater Region.

Follow the heroes of the World Wars in Belgium

To begin this journey that promises to be rich in emotions, go to the Province of Liège. To learn more about the soldiers’ living conditions in the Fortified Position of Liège, you can visit Fort Flémalle and Fort Hollogne, among the last to surrender in 1914. You also should not miss the National Necropolis of Loncin to walk in the footsteps of the fallen soldiers. Finally, you can book a guided tour of Fort de la Chartreuse, which bore witness to numerous acts of bravery by Belgian and German civilians!

We can continue with a visit to the American military cemetery of Neuville-en-Condroz where 5,328 soldiers who fell during the Battle of the Bulge are buried and where German resistance fighters are buried among the Allies. In Wereth, there is one of the few memorials dedicated to the African-American soldiers who disappeared during the massacre of the same name. Then, head for the museums of La Roche and Manhay 44, which will remind you of the ferocity of the fighting. A German Panther tank from the barrack is currently in front of the Manhay History 44 museum in Grandmenil.

We then head for the Baraque de Fraiture, a strategic crossroads linking Liège to the Ourthe Valley (La Roche and Houffalize). This is where two SS Panzer units encountered the heroic resistance of Major Parker, with his few hundred artillerymen, and his three howitzers like the one presented here. The tanks of the two SS Panzer units then continued their progression towards Malempré, Manhay, and Grandmenil.

Discover Land of Memory in other territories

In the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the historical immersion continues on the Sentier des Passeurs de Troisvierges, a 9 or 12 km walking circuit that retraces the actual route taken by the smugglers of resistance fighters and other people opposing the Nazi from Luxembourg to Belgium. The adventure continues at the Battle of the Bulge Museum in Wiltz to discover the lives of the soldiers and inhabitants during the Second World War. We then go to the Museum of the Resistance in Esch sur Alzette, which tells us about the reactions of the Luxembourg population under the Nazi occupation.

In France, we can continue with a visit to the Meuse Argonne Cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon to learn more about the unique history of the American soldiers who fell in the First World War. On the way, we can stop at the Museum of Argonne in Varennes, which hosts an extraordinary exhibition of large-format relief images of the Great War. The effect is striking, we can look face to face with the soldiers, thanks to the digitized and incredibly restored stereoscopic plates. Afterward, the guided tours of the Chattancourt Trench and the Verdun battlefield are a must. Finally, the historical exploration ends in the old court of Saint-Mihiel, which hosts the exhibition “From the Occupation to the Liberation.”