Destroyed village of Bezonvaux. Many of the villages around Verdun were totally destroyed during the battle. After the war the ground was considered too badly contaminated and too dangerous to allow it to be cultivated so the region was declared a 'Zone Rouge' and simply planted with trees. However the villages were allowed to retain their identity and each one has a small chapel which is used once a year and they still are regarded as towns by the French authorities and each still has a mayor.