Has anyone visited Oradour-sur-Glane? (WWII site)

Thomas, To answer your question, Yes, I've visited Oradour sur Glan. It's a very moving site and I believe well worth a visit! It would probably be a good idea to check on the hours of operation during the winter. As I recall, none of the residents were able to escape as all of the exits were methodically blocked by the SS at the beginning. When they rounded everyone up in the Fairground, they were told this was just a "routine check" to look for weapons or whatever, so no one had any idea what was to follow. As you may have read, there were a few survivors. As I recall, this included one woman (Mdme. M. Rouffanche, who passed away in 1988) and three or four men from the Laudy Barn. Rather than hiding out until the SS departed, one man made the mistake of trying to escape across a farmer's field. I won't elaborate on his fate. I'm not sure how "authentic" all the Cars are, so I won't get into a debate on that point. The burned-out car near the Fairground reportedly belonged to Dr. Desorteaux, although some reports indicate it was the car of the town wine merchant. There was a car repair shop in town which might explain why there were more cars there than one would expect in a small town. When I was there in mid-2009, construction was underway on some kind of memorial or Museum near the graveyard. That's probably complete by now. If you have any comments or information after your visit, be sure to post here as the information may be of use to others on the HelpLine. Happy travels!

It's worth that much of a detour, but it doesn't justify an all-day trip. It's one more chunk of the world that's been screwed over by war, not unique. The ruin part is just to the east (and very small, maybe a thousand feet by half that much) of the present, fully-functioning village. Some of it appears a bit contrived, such as the carefully placed wrecked cars with fresh coats of primer on the skelton and everything else missing.

Ed says "... fresh coats of paint" on the wrecked cars. It is a memorial, after all, and as such needs to be maintained.

We stopped there a few years ago when driving from Paris to the Dordogne. It's not far off the motorway. It was a moving site, well worth seeing if you are in the area. Rick has all the info in his France book.

Wrecked cars as from a junkyard. Body and chasis only - - no motor, no transmission. And, most importantly, all upright with no schrapnel damage. All also painted uniformly in reddish-brown rustoleum, not the black of the era. Also more cars than probaby existed in the village at that time due simple economics. And begging the question of why they were still there when the population must have developed an acute case of the haul-butt. The place is advertised to be as-is/as-was. Tain't so and the cars are the main detractor. It's still worth a visit.

We stopped in on our way from the Dordogne to the Loire. Very much worth you while, but a very sobering site indeed. The museum is excellent as well and helps you understand the whats and wherefores. Leaves you in no doubt as to just how evil humans can be.

I myself have never been there, as yet, but agree completely with Ed in calling into doubt the site's historical accuracy especially as regards to the shrapnel evidence, here the lack of it, and the colour of the cars...they were black in 1944. Read the book by the British military historian, Max Hastings, as to how and why this atrocity happened ...evidence that war brutalises men. Still, the town should be seen.

We stopped in to see the village the last time we were in the Dordogne. It was very moving, the museum was good. I think it is worth a side trip. We are planning on being in area again this spring and plan to go again to show our traveling companions. Doris, Shoreline, WA

Worth the detour, and do go thru the museum first as it helps understand the event with an eye towards DDay landing and other Allies victories. It made quite an impression on my then-15 year old son as he saw the Nazis killed all kinds of people. Allow 2 hours for both the site and the museum.
The bleakness of Oradour prepared him for Auschwitz the following year.

We (17-year-old daughter and myself) made a detour to visit Oradour-sur-Glane on route to Dordogne from the Loire Valley. Because it was cold & rainy, we didn't spend a lot of time in the ruined town but found the exhibit and film very touching and well worth the stop. We probably spent 2-3 hours there.