Musée du Fort de la Pompelle, Military museum in a historic fort in Puisieulx, France
The Musée du Fort de la Pompelle is a military museum housed inside a late 19th-century fort in Puisieulx, a village a few miles (about 8 km) east of Reims. The thick stone walls, underground tunnels, and preserved chambers form the backdrop for collections of weapons, uniforms, personal objects, and photographs from the First World War.
The fort was built after the Franco-Prussian War following plans by General Séré de Rivières and completed in 1883, with the purpose of defending Reims. During the First World War, it was the only section of the defensive ring around the city that the allied forces held throughout the conflict.
The fort is home to what is considered the largest collection of German military headgear in the world, with hundreds of helmets and caps on display. Walking past these cases gives a very direct sense of who the soldiers were and what they wore.
The museum is open from spring through fall and closed on certain public holidays, so checking before visiting is a good idea. Allow enough time to explore both the indoor rooms and the grounds outside, as the paths around the fort are marked with explanatory signs.
French flying ace René Dorme was killed in 1917 while flying over the fort, and the museum keeps objects in his memory. His story sits alongside a section dedicated to the Russian Expeditionary Corps, two brigades that joined the defense of the site in 1916 and 1917.
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