Had the chance to join a St.Hubert mass before a boar shoot at Verdun in France. The Forest of Verdun is a huge forest where the battle took place during WW1. The area was planted where the land could simply not be used again. Whole villages were turned into no more than a smear on the French countryside. We had asked to join the shooting party as part of our quest to secure the finest hunting in France, we had already visited in the spring. As with all our hunts we want to know all we can before taking clients. The visit was planned together with viewing a number of hotels and restaurants and visiting the Fort at Douaumont.
We arrived the night before and viewed 2 hotels in the area before checking in at the 3rd , this 3rd one ended up being our choice for trips as it is superb. After a wonderful meal we retired and awoke the next morning for a drive to the shoot where we met up with the Guard de Chasse and followed him into Verdun where the Tromp de Chasse was played at 7.30 on a Sunday morning. This was outside the town hall. We then went to the Forest and we ended up at one of the Churches in the Forest. Well all that's left of the church in fact, a few column's and the alter. The rest of the church has gone and the village is no more than dust. The mass was very moving, to be in such a place, with the sun shining through the tree tops, the tromp being played and the priest blessing the hunting dogs that would be used that day. Around 200 people came to the mass. Once the last tune was played we went back to the forest lodge where we prepared for the hunt.
This hunt was more about the mass than the hunting and a respect for the game and the hunters than the amount of game shot, we only did 2 drives and a leisurely lunch but still ended the day with 4 Boar 2 Reds and 1 Roe which shows the potential that this open forest shoot has to offer.
We moved hotels that night and the next day visited another hotel and restaurant as well as a Champagne cellar in Reims. before heading back to Calais. We also spent a couple of hours visiting the fort which was very sobering.
All in all a very moving experience for us and an honour to be welcomed and made part of. This will become one of our shooting destinations for next year so if you feel this would interest you please keep an eye on our website or our facebook group page.
View attachment 34970
We arrived the night before and viewed 2 hotels in the area before checking in at the 3rd , this 3rd one ended up being our choice for trips as it is superb. After a wonderful meal we retired and awoke the next morning for a drive to the shoot where we met up with the Guard de Chasse and followed him into Verdun where the Tromp de Chasse was played at 7.30 on a Sunday morning. This was outside the town hall. We then went to the Forest and we ended up at one of the Churches in the Forest. Well all that's left of the church in fact, a few column's and the alter. The rest of the church has gone and the village is no more than dust. The mass was very moving, to be in such a place, with the sun shining through the tree tops, the tromp being played and the priest blessing the hunting dogs that would be used that day. Around 200 people came to the mass. Once the last tune was played we went back to the forest lodge where we prepared for the hunt.
This hunt was more about the mass than the hunting and a respect for the game and the hunters than the amount of game shot, we only did 2 drives and a leisurely lunch but still ended the day with 4 Boar 2 Reds and 1 Roe which shows the potential that this open forest shoot has to offer.
We moved hotels that night and the next day visited another hotel and restaurant as well as a Champagne cellar in Reims. before heading back to Calais. We also spent a couple of hours visiting the fort which was very sobering.
All in all a very moving experience for us and an honour to be welcomed and made part of. This will become one of our shooting destinations for next year so if you feel this would interest you please keep an eye on our website or our facebook group page.
View attachment 34970
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