Bastogne - visit to the WW II Battle of the Ardennes museums
Visiting Bastogne has been long on my bucket list, but the long drive usually has put me off. Jan suggested it now during our staycation in the east of Belgium where we were in search of new activities.
So in the 2nd half of August we crossed most of the Ardennes and even a corner of Luxemburg to drive up to Bastogne. After a nice lunch in a great history downtown restaurant that features train wagons as part of the restaurant infrastructure, we headed to the museums;
Upon our arrival and a quick visit to the tourist office I quickly realised we would need to make selections as she pointed 6-8 museum and several walks to us, each worth one or multiple hours of visit.
First we went to the Bastogne Barracks with the Museumpass, located at the military domain where they still restore historic vehicles.
We explored the multiple halls filled with a great amount of historic war vehicules used in the Battle of the Bulge and the rest of the WWII (and the evolution of technologies and needs during that war). Very impressive, but it lacked the story of the war. The children didn't get yet what had happened there yet.
So in the 2nd half of August we crossed most of the Ardennes and even a corner of Luxemburg to drive up to Bastogne. After a nice lunch in a great history downtown restaurant that features train wagons as part of the restaurant infrastructure, we headed to the museums;
Upon our arrival and a quick visit to the tourist office I quickly realised we would need to make selections as she pointed 6-8 museum and several walks to us, each worth one or multiple hours of visit.
First we went to the Bastogne Barracks with the Museumpass, located at the military domain where they still restore historic vehicles.
We explored the multiple halls filled with a great amount of historic war vehicules used in the Battle of the Bulge and the rest of the WWII (and the evolution of technologies and needs during that war). Very impressive, but it lacked the story of the war. The children didn't get yet what had happened there yet.
So then we went to the Bastogne War Memorial museum. It's location next to the famous American memorial monument in Bastogne. It was in deplorable state though (plaques visible fell down) and not accessible right now for the coming years, waiting for a renovation. That was disappointing because exploring this monument was the symbol of visiting Bastogne for me.
The Bastogne War Museum is a private museum, not part of the Museumpass . We cursed at first at the price (7,5 Euro just to access the parking lot, 95 euro for entrance for all of us) but I immediately have to add now: it's worth it. It's a very good qualitative museum, it also gives entrance to the fox holes and another museum in the next 6 months.
The Bastogne War Museum you visit with an audioguide (and only an audioguide). It connects autoatically when you approach displays and tells the story of 6 charachters in the war all the time. I was afraid that it would be too much and too long information, but the pace was just right. It's a lot but it was interesting.
The story starts rightfully with the 30ies leading up to the war, the Blitzkrieg. So it's not just about the battle of the Bulge.
The Bastogne War Museum you visit with an audioguide (and only an audioguide). It connects autoatically when you approach displays and tells the story of 6 charachters in the war all the time. I was afraid that it would be too much and too long information, but the pace was just right. It's a lot but it was interesting.
The story starts rightfully with the 30ies leading up to the war, the Blitzkrieg. So it's not just about the battle of the Bulge.
After we were just in time to go to the Bois Jacques 4 kms further, where there's still some fox holes visible where Easy Company had fought after being airdropped from December 21 to January 13th when they conquered the village Foy 2kms further.
The little preserved wood is no longer freely accessible but is now part of the museum part. It is fenced and scanning your ticket gives you access. There are no other facilities around.
There is local wifi which allows you to download the VR app. It is recommended to do that, if not the wood just remains a dead wood with some holes. But with the app, you see the easy company, hear their stories
Interesting place to end our afternoon in Bastogne. I now just really want to watch Band of Brothers.
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