Oradour-sur-Glane, Memorial village in Haute-Vienne, France
Oradour-sur-Glane is a partially destroyed village in Haute-Vienne where the ruins have been left exactly as they were found after the attack. The streets display damaged buildings, burned vehicles, and scattered personal objects that stand as silent evidence of what happened.
The village was attacked on June 10, 1944 by German Waffen-SS troops who killed all 642 inhabitants and destroyed the entire settlement. This massacre was an act of retaliation during World War II and remains one of the worst crimes against civilians in France.
The site preserves the names of victims on memorial stones and plaques set throughout the ruins, turning the streets themselves into a monument to those who lived here. These personal markers help visitors connect with the individual stories rather than just historical statistics.
The site is best reached by train to Limoges followed by a bus connection, a journey of about 30 minutes from the city. Plan for several hours to walk through the ruins and read the many inscriptions and memorials scattered throughout the space.
The church still stands today with bullet holes in the altar and gunfire marks on the walls, marking where women and children were held before their deaths. This building remains untouched, making it one of the most moving places at the memorial.
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