Bombs and grenades: 5 tips in the Ardennes

Tanks, statues and commemorative monuments – you can't miss them. In the Second World War, the Ardennes was a huge battlefield. You can't drive into a village without stumbling upon an abandoned tank in a village square. And: there are almost more war museums than campsites. Check out these 5 tips in the Ardennes, which are more than worth a visit.

Rolling hills, green forests, glistening rivers. Just two and a half hours away are the Ardennes – a wonderful destination for campers. And: an area full of history. In such a peaceful landscape, it's hard to imagine what happened here decades ago. The Ardennes was the scene of a huge battlefield in the Second World War, where Adolf Hitler tried in vain to stop the advance of the Allied troops after their landing on the Normandy coast during D-Day.

Tips in the Ardennes

In the harsh winter of '44-'45, more than forty thousand soldiers died, some as young as 18. This made it one of the bloodiest battles of WWII – no wonder the Ardennes is teeming with commemorative monuments and museums. From the campsite, you can make interesting excursions and even participate in special Battletours, visiting important places. For your next camping holiday, we have selected 5 tips that will give you goosebumps.

Tip-1 – Spotting tanks

The Ardennes is full of abandoned tanks. In Grandmenil, Celles and Houffalize, for example, there are three German Panther tanks, which were left behind by the Germans. And in La Roche-en-Ardenne you can admire both a British Destroyer M10 and an American Sherman tank. A special one is the German Königstiger in La Gleize: a monster of 69,000 kilos with armor plates up to 20 centimeters thick – no American bazooka could penetrate it. Yet it was conquered by the Allies: the Germans had to leave it behind because they ran out of fuel…

Tip-2 – Bastogne War Museum

An impressive place is the Bastogne War Museum, which is built in the shape of a star. The same star that the Americans wore on their uniforms and tanks. Here you will learn all about the 'Battle of the Bulge', where the Allied troops in Bastogne were completely surrounded by the Germans. Modern 3D techniques show you how the Allies were still able to defeat the German superior force. Films and photos show the harsh winter conditions in which the soldiers had to fight.
(More information at: www.bastognewarmuseum.be)

Tip-3 Musée de la Bataille des Ardennes

A huge collection of rifles, pistols and revolvers: you'll find them in the Musée de la Bataille des Ardennes in La-Roche-en-Ardenne. Here you can see the famous 'Enigma' decoding device that the German Wehrmacht used to translate secret messages. On three floors you can see 120 dolls, in uniforms of the American, English, Scottish and German troops. Including the combat jacket of Lieutenant-Colonel Cathaert: the commander of the 7th Battalion Black-Watch, part of the 51st Scottish Highland Division that liberated La Roche-en-Ardenne from the Germans on January 11, 1945.
(More information at: www.batarden.be)

Tip-4 Military cemeteries

It's sobering: 40,000 soldiers died during the Battle of the Bulge. Each cemetery has a separate spot for them, but there are also many military cemeteries. Like near Hotton. Here lie 666 soldiers, including 526 British, 88 Canadians, 41 Australians, 10 New Zealanders, one Polish soldier and an 18-year-old Belgian from the 53rd Welsh Division. In Hombourg and Neupré are the largest American cemeteries, together with more than 13,000 fallen soldiers. There are also cemeteries for German soldiers, such as in the village of Eupen. If you book a 'Battle-tour' (from 12 years old) you will learn everything about the Battle of the Ardennes and visit the most important battlefields.
(More information at: www.battlefieldtours.nu en www.regjans.com)

Tip-5 Museum Baugnez 44

A relatively new museum can be found just outside Malmedy: 'Baugnez 44' is a tribute to 84 American soldiers who were disarmed and executed on December 17, 1944, in a meadow at the Baugnez crossroads, near Malmedy. This happened after the paratroopers had surrendered to a German SS-Kampfgruppe, after they had been encircled during heavy fighting. A few soldiers survived by playing dead in the snow. The museum shows a film about the massacre and features survivors and eyewitnesses.
(More information at: www.baugnez44.be)

Bonus: camping tip

Parc La Clusure is a 4.5-star family campsite in the Ardennes. The shallow river Homme flows along the grounds (300 pitches). Swimming pool, bistro, luxury restaurant and traditional pub with Belgian beer tastings. Animation program for children and extensive activities for teenagers: mountain biking, abseiling, paintball, campfire evenings and ghost tours. The campsite has its own mini-market and offers Wi-Fi, an American Diner (bistro) and a campsite restaurant. Free Wi-Fi.
(More information at: www.parclaclusure.be)

Camping Parc La Clusure is located at Chemin de la Clusure 30, in Bure (municipality of Tellin, postcode 6927), Belgium. Route from Brussels: highway A4 (E411), then exit 23a Tellin. Follow signs for Tellin, then Bure. Follow the camping signs. From Maastricht: A25 past Liège, then N63, N836 and N803 to Tellin. Follow the camping signs.