Zone Rouge

[Khaki]

I understand there is or was such an area at Verdun that is off limits due to large amounts of unexploded ordnance that was never cleared, are there many other such 'no go' area's in F & F.

just curious

khaki

[Marilyne]

Hi,

As far as I know, except for locally defined smaller places, designated as such after having found something - like a field in Ypres, for example, where right now, DOVO is working since a few weeks - there is only one "zone rouge" left, and that's Verdun.

But there are place where you might find signs saying that the ground is dangerous, like at the Somme or at Vimy... over there they let the sheep mow the grass, to be on the safe side... )

MM.

[Khaki]

Thanks Marilyne,

khaki

[Scalyback]

The zoned off bits near Vimey ridge etc. I was on a tour with the oracle that is Paul Reed, he mentioned the sheep and siaid it was to do with the worst case possible for the Candian's. A bus load of American school kids wiped out on the bus by something going bang. All the school kids have a top lawyer for daddy, thus the following lawsuits would bankrupt Canada!

Having exercised in Canada(camp Proteus) I can see the logic about it, they are very risk adverse. Uk cadets get automatic rifles on exercise, cadets in Canada get noting!

[Christina Holstein]

The original Zone Rouge was the part of the front line between the Channel and Switzerland that was so destroyed that it would cost more to restore than the land was worth. At first it was more or less a continuous line but there isn't much left of it now, as most of it has been reclaimed. The area of forest known as the Zone Rouge in Verdun isn't off limits and you can walk the forest paths in most of it. I don't recommend going off the path because there is plenty of unexploded ordnance around, and holes too, but the foresters do and so do the hunters.

Christina

[Guest Ungern]

This is the right answer : The original Zone Rouge was the part of the front line between the Channel and Switzerland that was so destroyed that it would cost more to restore than the land was Worth.
The reality is quite différent .
The difference is that the value of the land is different from place to place ....
At arrival, people have so protest for different reasons in différents régions that the "Zone Rouge" has significatively incrased in the poor régions,and considerably reduce in the rich regions ...

[Khaki]

Thanks for the interesting replies everyone,

khaki

[trajan]

A 'filler' from the Daily Mail (and it is not even August yet!) with some photographs I have not seen before - not that I specialise in this one! See:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3125088/Inside-toxic-grave-longest-battle-history-French-forest-300-000-died-300-days-Battle-Verdun-littered-bodies-arsenic-unexploded-shells-grows-100-years.html

[KIRKY]

Great link with some huge shells on view, see that the driving bands have gone from the recently discovered shells!

TK