Ornes, commune in Meuse, France
Ornes is a commune in the Meuse region of France with fewer than 10 residents spread across more than 18 square kilometers (7 square miles) of land. Forests and ponds shape the landscape, and traces of the past remain visible in several locations throughout the area.
The village was completely destroyed in 1916 during the Battle of Verdun and remained under German control for over a year. When French forces reclaimed it in 1917, the decision was made not to rebuild it due to extensive contamination from unexploded ammunition.
The name Ornes comes from the small stream that begins here and flows through the region. Before the war, it was a farming village where people grew crops and raised animals, and this rural heritage shapes how people understand the place today.
Visitors can follow a marked path through the forest that shows where houses, the church, and town hall once stood. It is important to stay on marked trails, as the ground still bears scars from war damage and may be unsafe in unmarked areas.
The village was officially declared "dead for France," meaning it will not be resettled, a rare status held by only a handful of places in the country. This decision means it remains one of the few villages intentionally preserved as a memorial to those who died in war.
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