Grande Tombe de Villeroy

The Grande Tombe de Villeroy is a national necropolis in Chauconin-Neufmontiers housing a collective burial of 133 soldiers within a rectangular stone structure. A marble stele erected in 1932 displays the names of the fallen and stands as the focal point of this war memorial.

The site originated from the Battle of the Marne on September 5, 1914, when soldiers of the 276th Infantry Regiment fell in combat against German forces. The stone burial structure and marble mosaic stele were built later to preserve the memory of this early World War I battle.

The site bears the name of the nearby village of Villeroy and displays soldier names on a marble mosaic created as a tribute. Visitors come here to pay respects and reflect on the cost of early 20th-century warfare.

The site is accessible via departmental road 129 between Villeroy and Chauconin-Neufmontiers, roughly 10 kilometers from Meaux. The burial ground is best experienced on foot since the area is compact and allows you to walk the perimeter and read the names displayed.

One name on the marble memorial belongs to French poet and officer Charles Péguy, who died in the same battle. The landscape around the burial site has remained largely unchanged since 1914, framed by a hornbeam hedge and two poplar trees at the entrance.