5/5 Adam B. 1 year ago on Google
You
will
not
find
photographs
of
Marshals
Gamelin
or
Weygand
on
the
walls
of
this
museum
and
there
are
no
large
maps
with
red
and
blue
arrows
showing
grand
strategy
and
the
movements
of
corps
and
armies.
What
you
will
find
are
dozens
and
dozens
of
realistic
figurines
in
authentic
uniforms
and
equipment
and
carrying
the
weapons
of
1940.
This
is
a
museum
about
the
ordinary
men
and
women
caught
up
in
the
events
which
turned
Europe
upside
down.
The
exhibitions
are
laid
out
“old
school”.
There
are
no
sterile
displays
of
items
taken
out
of
context
and
hung
on
a
white
wall
with
an
explanation
written
by
an
intern.
This
is
a
museum
created
from
decades
of
hands-on
collecting
and
researching
and
is
clearly
a
labour
of
love.
You
will
not
find
any
interactive
touch
screens
as
the
curator
and
his
family
have
packed
as
much
as
they
can
into
every
available
square
metre
of
space.
This
has
not
just
been
thrown
together.
Each
item
has
been
placed
carefully
to
enhance
the
dozen
or
so
dioramas
with
the
vehicles
and
artillery
being
the
stars
but
with
the
ancillary
items
bring
it
to
life.
The
figures
are
not
just
shop
dummies
draped
in
old
uniforms
but
realistic
posed
models.
It
would
have
been
nice
to
see
some
more
BEF
and
a
bit
about
the
RAF
Advanced
Air
Striking
Force
which
was
based
in
the
surrounding
area
but
the
curators
want
to
use
authentic
uniforms
and
equipment
and
British
items
from
that
period
are
not
as
plentiful.
It
was
good
to
see
a
section
on
the
civilian
refugees
of
1940.
A
traumatic
period
for
all
concerned.
For
a
small
private
museum
they
have
a
impressive
display
of
armour
and
rare
vehicles
and
artillery.
It
was
not
well
sign-posted
in
Fismes
thanks
to
municipal
red
tape
but
even
during
February
when
many
museums
are
closed,
there
were
several
groups
going
round
the
displays.
We
were
lucky
to
know
it
was
there
and
sought
it
out.
We
were
also
lucky
to
speak
to
Robin
whose
excellent
command
of
English
meant
he
could
answer
any
questions
we
had,
but
it
did
mean
we
kept
him
back
from
working
on
a
new
exhibition
space
which
will
focus
on
the
fighting
around
Fismes
during
the
First
World
War.
Once
that
is
finished
I
am
sure
it
will
be
an
excellent
addition
to
the
museum
and
a
draw
for
American
tourists
in
the
area.
There
was
a
small
booklet
in
English
to
give
some
context
for
the
displays
without
giving
you
information
overload
and
with
some
appropriate
humour
too,
to
help
lighten
the
mood
for
a
museum
dedicated
to
such
a
catastrophic
time
for
France.
This
museum
is
magnificent
and
gives
a
fascinating
glimpse
into
a
period
which
is
overshadowed
by
the
events
of
1944.
Buying
something
from
the
small
shop
at
the
end
will
help
it
grow
even
more.
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