Commissioned by Napoleon, the Arc de Triomphe honors French combatants in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. At 161 feet high and 144 feet wide, it is the largest triumphal arch in the world, as of April 2011. Listed on the monument is the names of French victories and generals, and beneath the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. From the top of the monument, visitors can admire a panoramic view of the French capital.
One of Canada's most significant war memorials is in Vimy. The Vimy Memorial commemorates the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a battle that is remembered with more pride than any other Canadian engagement during World War I, according to Veterans Affairs Canada. Overlooking farmer's fields and the hills of northern France, the monument pays tribute to approximately 66,000 Canadians that died during the war. It also includes the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were killed in France.
In the heart of a field still marked by war is the Verdun Memorial, the site of battles from 1914 to 1918. Historic battles at Verdun in 1916 included the participation of two out of three French World War I soldiers. Inaugurated in 1967, the Verdun Memorial includes a museum that educates visitors on France's war effort and the battles in the region. Visitors can also see the site of the destroyed village of Fleury, Douaumont Fort, Douaumont Cemetary and National Necropoli, Fort de Vaux, and the Trench of Bayonets.
The bloodiest battles of the Franco-Prussian War occurred in and around Metz. On Aug. 12, 1870, German soldiers prevented the French from retreating to Verdun. After fighting at Saint-Privat, the French besieged in Metz. Several necropolises and monuments to the war dot the area around Metz, and a map outlining battlefields and memorials can be obtained from the Metz Tourism Office. At the Queuleu Fort in Metz, a monument also marks the region's inhabitants who were arrested and deported during World War II.
