From Paris: WWI Battlefields Belleau Wood & Chateau Thierry｜France

Begin your tour at Belleau Wood, where you can walk alongside the original, deep trenches and foxholes dug by soldiers, still perfectly visible under the forest canopy. See the dramatic, cratered landscape left behind by heavy artillery fire and intense combat. Look out over the historic field where the Marines made their heroic, open charge against enemy lines. Spot ancient trees that still carry the silent scars and marks of WWI shrapnel.

Next, visit the Bulldog Fountain, an ancient stone fountain that has become a legendary pilgrimage site for the U.S. Marine Corps. Look closely at the carved stone spout shaped like a dog's head, matching the famous nickname given to the Marines. Watch visitors take part in the tradition of drinking the fresh running water directly from the dog's mouth for strength and protection.

Continue to the Villedommange Fountain, a stone fountain where exhausted, battle-weary Marines finally found fresh water during the brutal June 1918 fighting. Look closely at the ancient stonework, which still bears the visible impacts, chips, and scars from intense gunfire.

Next, visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery. Gaze across the perfectly manicured lawns where 2,289 white marble headstones stand in flawless, curved rows. Walk up to the striking, Romanesque-style chapel built directly over the trenches where the 4th Marine Brigade fought. Read the etched names of 1,060 heroic soldiers whose bodies were never recovered, carved into the stone walls.

Then, marvel at the Château-Thierry American Monument, a gigantic, twin rows of majestic stone pillars built to honor the joint triumph of American and French forces. See the two massive stone statues representing the United States and France standing hand-in-hand in eternal unity. Look out from the monument's terrace over the entire Marne River Valley and the city below.

Next, relax at a classic, welcoming local restaurant right in the heart of this historic countryside town. Enjoy a peaceful meal near the banks of the famous Marne River, offering a beautiful setting to recharge. Take the unique opportunity to pair your authentic French lunch with a glass of locally produced Champagne.

Finally, explore a massive, world-class collection of over 70,000 artifacts and authentic uniforms from all fighting nations at the Museum of the Great War in Meaux. Stand right next to actual WWI military technology, including real fighter planes, heavy artillery, and early tanks. Walk through a life-sized, incredibly realistic reconstruction of a frontline battlefield trench. See one of the legendary, original Parisian Renault taxis that transported soldiers directly to the frontlines in 1914.