Overview
The World War I Montfaucon American Monument is located seven miles south of the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial and 20 miles northwest of Verdun, France.
It consists of a massive granite doric column, surmounted by a statue symbolic of liberty, which towers more than 200-feet above the war ruins of the former village. It commemorates the American victory during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during the period Sept. 26, 1918, to Nov. 11, 1918, when the American First Army forced the enemy to conduct a general retreat on this front.
On the walls of the foyer are an engraved map of the operations with a narrative and a special tribute to the American troops who served here. The observation platform on top of the memorial is reached by 234 steps and affords magnificent views of this battlefield.
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Cemetery Information
Visiting Hours
The inside of the Montfaucon American Monument is currently open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on American and French holidays.
Contact Us
Montfaucon Monument
Montfaucon d'Argonne
France
Directions
GPS Coordinates:
49°
16'
20"
N
,
5°
8'
31"
E
The Montfaucon Monument is located next to the small village of Montfaucon-en-Argonne in the Meuse region of Northeast France. The monument is about 20 miles northwest of the city of Verdun. As an alternate to GPS coordinates, a user can input the town center of Montfaucon-en-Argonne and follow the road signs to the site.
Travel via Car
Travel by car from Paris is approximately 145 miles via toll highway A-4 and takes about 3 hours. Those coming from Paris should use exit 29.1 near the village of Clermont-en-Argonne and then travel north via the small town of Varennes-en-Argonne. Once there, follow the American Monument signs to the cemetery. Be sure to take note of the American Cemetery signs which direct traffic to a different location: the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery near the town of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. The monument is about six miles south of the cemetery.
If driving from Verdun travel North towards the village of Consenvoye and follow the signs for American Monument.
Travel via Train
Non-stop bullet train (TGV) service from the Gare de l'Est train station in Paris to the Meuse-TGV train station near Verdun is available and takes about an hour. A shuttle bus takes you from the train station to Verdun.
Travel via Airplane
Paris is approximately 145 miles from the monument.
Travel via Public Transportation
Public transportation to the monument is not available.
Lodging:
Hotels are available in Verdun.
Publications
News & Events
Download this infographic to see where ABMC sites are located throughout the world.
Experience the history of World War I, “The Great War,” through an interactive timeline and map.
More than 500,000 Americans lost their lives in World War I and World War II defending democracy on soil and water far from the United States. The sacrifice of these men and women will be honored during ceremonies at America’s military cemeteries overseas, where more than 200,000 of these individuals are buried and memorialized.
Memorial Day–the federal holiday in which we honor our veterans and remember those who died while in the armed services–originated in the aftermath of the Civil War.