Battle of Bulge Trip in Belgium from Trier Germany HELP
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Battle of Bulge Trip in Belgium from Trier Germany HELP
Hello all,
My wife and I are vising my Grandparents in Bremen next month. We are taking some time to see Trier and Cochem before driving up. We have a hotel booked in Trier, then in Cochem. Wanted to take a day and see Bastogne and Kampgruppe Peiper sites around Stoumont. As we are very near some Maginot Line sights on the way to Belgium, also make a detour.
Is it realistic, from anyone who has been to the area, to drive from Trier to Hettange-Grande France to Ouvragge Immerhof then driving to Bastogne Belgium. Site-see in Bastogne followed by lunch then drive to Stoumont (through Foy, Noville) to see the route Peiper took on the northern shoulder of the offensive (in reverse), making our way back into Germany around Scheid (hopefully finding some of the Siegfried Line) and ending our trip in Cochem for the night?
If had to choose due to time, which would be best?
How difficult is it in this part of Belgium for those who only speak English and German (very very little French)?
How difficult, for the wife, will it be to track down public restroom while on the road in the Ardennes?
Any help is appreciated. Thank you!
My wife and I are vising my Grandparents in Bremen next month. We are taking some time to see Trier and Cochem before driving up. We have a hotel booked in Trier, then in Cochem. Wanted to take a day and see Bastogne and Kampgruppe Peiper sites around Stoumont. As we are very near some Maginot Line sights on the way to Belgium, also make a detour.
Is it realistic, from anyone who has been to the area, to drive from Trier to Hettange-Grande France to Ouvragge Immerhof then driving to Bastogne Belgium. Site-see in Bastogne followed by lunch then drive to Stoumont (through Foy, Noville) to see the route Peiper took on the northern shoulder of the offensive (in reverse), making our way back into Germany around Scheid (hopefully finding some of the Siegfried Line) and ending our trip in Cochem for the night?
If had to choose due to time, which would be best?
How difficult is it in this part of Belgium for those who only speak English and German (very very little French)?
How difficult, for the wife, will it be to track down public restroom while on the road in the Ardennes?
Any help is appreciated. Thank you!
#2
www.abmc.gov Not answering any of your questions, but you can look for cemeteries on this site in the area you will be visiting.
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A few years ago, we spent two days touring the Luxembourg and Belgian Battle of the Bulge sites from our base in Luxembourg City. Although I don’t know the geography of that area very well, I think you would be hard-pressed to do what you suggested and be able to see anything in any depth. You might want to limit your excursion to just the immediate Bastogne area, and then go from there to Cochem. Most Belgians who service tourists in that area speak English, and perhaps also German, so you shouldn’t have a problem with languages.
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Language won't be a problem. We had no problems with English, high school French and about 25 words of German.
What will be a problem is your itinerary. The areas you are talking about are quite rural, small roads, fairly low speeds and a TON of sights to see. What you are describing is like 3 days worth of sights - since there are cemeteries, small and large museums, charming villages and tons of monuments and plaques in them and the local churches.
You can limit it to one day - but will have to select only 2 places - at most - and I would look at viamichelin.com. Also - i fyuo do this get a realy GOOD paper map of the area.
What will be a problem is your itinerary. The areas you are talking about are quite rural, small roads, fairly low speeds and a TON of sights to see. What you are describing is like 3 days worth of sights - since there are cemeteries, small and large museums, charming villages and tons of monuments and plaques in them and the local churches.
You can limit it to one day - but will have to select only 2 places - at most - and I would look at viamichelin.com. Also - i fyuo do this get a realy GOOD paper map of the area.
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We had a terrific Friday evening and Saturday in Trier last summer and then went to Luxumbourg Saturday night and Sunday to visit the American cemetery there (were Gen. Patton is buried) and a museum in Diekirch. This isn't exactly what you are asking about, but if you want, you could see what we did in my trip report here. Details are in Days 6-7 and 8.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...kfurt-area.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...kfurt-area.cfm
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FYI: There are some WW II sites near Trier that might interest you. On a Sunday afternoon you can visit Panzerwerk Katzenkopf, just north of there on the Westwall line in the town of Irrel:
http://www.westwallmuseum-irrel.de/index_en.html
An intact bunker in Besseringen, south of Saarburg near Merzig, is open on Sunday afternoons as well:
http://bunkersite.com/locations/germ...nd/bwerk-1.php
http://www.westwallmuseum-irrel.de/index_en.html
An intact bunker in Besseringen, south of Saarburg near Merzig, is open on Sunday afternoons as well:
http://bunkersite.com/locations/germ...nd/bwerk-1.php
#7
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Wow, thanks all. TexasBookWorm, great write up on Trier. I speak German well with my family there, but French I havnt had since many years ago in High School and I would hate to rely on that.
I was worried about rushing too quickly through the sights, but we only have one day between Trier and Cochem and I promised my (uninterested in anything history) wife to go to Belgium - she only wants to say she's been there - easy. She knows I am huge into German history, so she's letting me have this day.
So with your suggestions, I think I've decided to cut out anything North of Bastogne (KG Peiper stuff) concentrating on the defense of Bastogne for BoB. Russ, the site around Trier look great, however we are pushing through the area on a Thursday.
We are in Trier for 2 days, on the third we are going to Ouvrage Immerhof early (A31 South over line to France from Luxembourg City), they will be closed but I hope to be able to walk the grounds - If not, I'll sadly drive off in the distance. Then perhaps stop in Luxembourg to visit Patton on the way to Bastogne (time permitting) - spending the rest of the day in and around Bastogne (Bizory, Foy, Recogne, Noville) then driving to Cochem to rest up for our next adventure on the Mosel. This should solve the bathrooms, language, and time issues by staying near major towns.
By doing this, driving time is cut way down. Thanks!
I was worried about rushing too quickly through the sights, but we only have one day between Trier and Cochem and I promised my (uninterested in anything history) wife to go to Belgium - she only wants to say she's been there - easy. She knows I am huge into German history, so she's letting me have this day.
So with your suggestions, I think I've decided to cut out anything North of Bastogne (KG Peiper stuff) concentrating on the defense of Bastogne for BoB. Russ, the site around Trier look great, however we are pushing through the area on a Thursday.
We are in Trier for 2 days, on the third we are going to Ouvrage Immerhof early (A31 South over line to France from Luxembourg City), they will be closed but I hope to be able to walk the grounds - If not, I'll sadly drive off in the distance. Then perhaps stop in Luxembourg to visit Patton on the way to Bastogne (time permitting) - spending the rest of the day in and around Bastogne (Bizory, Foy, Recogne, Noville) then driving to Cochem to rest up for our next adventure on the Mosel. This should solve the bathrooms, language, and time issues by staying near major towns.
By doing this, driving time is cut way down. Thanks!
#8
www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lx.php Good decision, as it's only about an hour from Trier.
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Iris1745, Thanks! Good call. As we were cutting the Peiper route from the day and we are literally driving around Luxembourg City (Trier to Bastogne) it would be worth the stop as we pass right by.
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