Hike - On the footsteps of Charles Peguy

Officially inaugurated on 5 September 2004, the museum's collection brings together numerous objects discovered in recent years during excavations on various French battlefields: weapons, helmets, bowls, bottles...The museum also houses documentation on the Great War, including books, magazines, posters, postcards and photos, as well as a scale model of the battlefield with figurines. In 2004, following the 90th anniversary ceremonies and the many historic marches accompanied by 12 Moroccan officers, a replica of a complete Moroccan rifleman's uniform was donated by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Another mannequin represents Charles Péguy, in his 276th Infantry Regiment Lieutenant uniform. The military canteen bearing his name was kindly donated by the Péguy family. On 6 September 2009, Michel Péguy, Charles Péguy's grandson, presented the museum with the kepi and epaulettes from Lieutenant Péguy's ceremonial uniform. The Musée 14-18 de Villeroy is a 5th category public establishment with a capacity of 19 people. The museum publishes books, which can be found on the website.

On 5 September 1914, only a few hours after the first Battle of the Marne started, poet and writer Charles Péguy was struck in the head by a bullet as he gallantly led his men in an attack on German positions.At around 4.30pm, in scorching heat, the 276th Infantry Regiment to which he belonged set off towards the Monthyon hillock, to cover the retreat of Moroccan riflemen who were fighting against the Germans. Out in the open, in a field that offered no shelter whatsoever, the men fell one after the other under German machine-gun fire. This memorial stone pays tribute to this monument to French literature, who fell on the field of honour in the first moments of the battle. At the base of the cross, some verses remind us of the work of this great author and his patriotic sentiments. "Blessed are those who died for carnal earth. Provided it was in a just war. Blessed are those who died for four corners of earth. Blessed are those who died a solemn death. Blessed are those who died in great battles. Stretched out on the ground in the face of God. Blessed are those who died for their hearth and fire, And the lowly honours of their fathers' houses. Blessed are those who died, for they have returned Into primeval clay and primeval earth. Blessed are those who died in a just war. Blessed is the wheat that is ripe and the wheat that is gathered in sheaves." Charles Péguy – Eve (1913) – Extracts

On 5 September 1914, the Germans were at the gates of Paris and fighting was raging in the countryside around Meaux.It was on the plain between Chauconin Neufmontiers and Villeroy that Lieutenant Charles Péguy led his men to the rescue of their Moroccan comrades who were fighting the Germans a short distance away. The fighting was fierce and many men were killed. Today, many of them are buried in the "Grande Tombe" (Great Tomb), not far from where they fell. After the war, the bodies were not repatriated to the military cemeteries. The Great Tomb is thus one of the last mass graves in France, where soldiers and officers are buried.

An essential collection on the 1914-18 war.With a collection of almost 70,000 objects and documents tracing the daily and military life of the 14-18 war, the Musée de la Grande Guerre, which opened its doors on November 11, 2011 on the site of the First Battle of the Marne in Meaux, is Europe's largest museum on the First World War. Over 4,000 m², it presents one of the richest and most diversified collections on the First World War, in an attractive and innovative scenography. The Musée de la Grande Guerre is the ideal place for a family visit. A veritable educational treasure trove through the collection: see, hear, touch, handle.... A playful itinerary accessible to visitors aged 5 and over: projections of archive images, trench reconstructions, a video space in which visitors are immersed among the soldiers in the trenches or on the battlefield, games to discover the composition of uniforms, the sounds of war, the geographical evolution of conflict zones... Several audio tours are available free of charge on your cell phone or tablet; ask for instructions at reception. Since November 2024, come and discover an installation never seen before in France: an open-air trench. This new space in the museum grounds offers a unique immersive experience accessible to all, not to be missed. Transport yourself to the heart of the trenches of the First World War. At once educational, accessible and didactic, this trench is a unique device where you are the actor in the discovery. Complementing the permanent exhibition and the museum's collections, this scenography gives an insight into what man can experience, at the heart of tragedy, whatever his camp or nationality.