We were in the Limousin region and we absolutely wanted to make a detour to visit the martyred village of Oradour-sur Glane.
This visit marked us. We come out different. We wonder about the nature and cruelty of humans to themselves. The suffering felt by the only 6 survivors in Oradour-sur-Glane on June 10, 1944. See that this drama happened so close to home and there is so little time.
We advise you to start the visit with the memory center which is a permanent exhibition which tells the chronology of events in the region to arrive at this dark conclusion.
Then you access the village, and you discover places of life that we could see in all the rural villages of this time, the garage owner, the forge, the butchers, the bakers up to the village square at the foot of the church.
When you look at this square with the ruins of its cafes and shops, you can imagine a lively rural village.
Then you have to go into the church, the place where the women and children have been gathered.
In the center of the site, below the memorial, you can see an exhibition of objects found in the ruins.
Crossing the different streets, you will discover the places of massacres indicated by commemorative plaques.
Rusty objects are scattered around the ruins like car wrecks, bicycles, or more surprising sewing machines.
This village atmosphere where time has stood still is surprising, oppressive, and will not leave you indifferent.
Usually we visit happy places like landscapes, castles, beaches ... but this experience in Oradour-sur-Glane was really enriching. I advise you like us to visit this historic place.
The main points to see:
• The center of memory
• The martyred village
• Cemetery
• The memorial
