The Forêt d'Exception® label - The Froideterre Trail

By the end of June 1916, the defence of Verdun had reached a critical stage. Clearing the attackers in extremis from around the ouvrage de Froideterre would greatly contribute to relieving the overall situation. The 130 men of the garrison realised that, from 23 June, they were in serious danger of being encircled. Undaunted, they determined to fight on, galvanised by the firepower of their armoured turrets. Despite suffering heavy enemy fire, which caused significant damage, the ouvrage held out until it was relieved and resupplied. But up until the following year, Froideterre remained only some 1,000 to 2,000 metres from the enemy front lines. When the immediate threat had receded, significant efforts were taken to improve the access to the ouvrage by means of underground galleries. Having been spared during the massive German scrap metal drive of 1940, today the ouvrage still possesses its armoured turrets and lookout cloches, together with the only optical signal post still visible on the Battlefield.

Le dépôt intermédiaire "D" de Froideterre. 26 dépôts de ce type furent construits dans le camp retranché de Verdun. Installés entre les forts et les batteries, ils permettaient le ravitaillement en munitions.

In the incredible leap forward of the Germans on 23 June, the assault waves from the crest rolled forward passing Fleury and reached as far as the ouvrage de Froidterre. In their progress they met determined pockets of resistance. On the Southern slope of the Ravin des Vignes, 400 Poilus were sheltering in an arched gallery, buried 12 metres below ground, which took its name from the four ventilation chimneys which are all that can be seen from the higher ground. During the terrible days of June, conditions inside were atrocious. Wounded and unwounded men struggled to breathe, in the knowledge that at any moment they could be buried alive, or gassed, or burned alive by flamethrowers. They were saved on 23 June when men of the 114 th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion courageously cleared the enemy away from the entrances at bayonet point.