Overview

The Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in France covers 113.5 acres and contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II in Europe, a total of 10,481. Their headstones are arranged in nine plots in a generally elliptical design extending over the beautiful rolling terrain of eastern Lorraine and culminating in a prominent overlook feature. Most of the dead here were killed while driving the German forces from the fortress city of Metz, France toward the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. Initially, there were over 16,000 Americans interred in the St. Avold region in France, mostly from the U.S. Seventh Army's Infantry and Armored Divisions and its cavalry groups. St. Avold served as a vital communications center for the vast network of enemy defenses guarding the western border of the Third Reich.

The memorial, which stands on a plateau to the west of the burial area, contains ceramic operations maps with narratives and service flags. High on its exterior front wall is the large figure of St. Nabor, the martyred Roman soldier overlooking the silent host. On each side of the memorial, and parallel to its front, stretch the Tablets of the Missing on which are inscribed 444 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The entire area is framed in woodland.

 

Image
Vintage poster of Lorraine American Cemetery
A vintage poster was created by French artist DOZ for all ABMC cemeteries and five monuments and memorials to mark ABMC’s centennial. At this time, we are not offering printed versions of the posters, but the high-resolution printing file for each poster is available here for personal use. Please note that the posters are copyrighted and may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. Please contact ABMC Public Affairs at publicaffairs@abmc.gov with any questions.
Dedicated:
Location: France
Burials:
10481
Missing in Action:
444
Acres:
113.50

Virtual 360

Experience this site in a 360 degree view. Immerse yourself now with the beauty, serenity and history of the cemetery.

Photos

Browse photos, videos, interactive websites and apps dedicated to memorializing those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces overseas. Their service, achievements, and sacrifice are illuminated — dive in to learn more.

Cemetery Information

Visiting Hours

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the visitor building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.

Contact Us

Lorraine American Cemetery
Avenue de Fayetteville
57500
St Avold
France

Directions

GPS Coordinates: 49° 7' 19" N , 6° 42' 40" E

Lorraine American Cemetery is less than one mile north of the town of St. Avold, France.

Travel via Car
Lorraine American Cemetery is less than one mile north of the town of St. Avold, France on highway N-33. St. Avold is 28 miles east of Metz, France and 17 miles southwest of Saarbrücken, Germany. The cemetery can be reached by car from Paris via the toll autoroute A-4 in about four hours.

Travel via Train
Travel from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to St. Avold via train takes about three and a half hours. Taxicabs are available at the train station.

Travel via Airplane
Paris is about 220 miles from the cemetery.

Travel via Public Transportation
Taxicabs are available at the train station.

Lodging
Hotels are available in St. Avold, Forbach, Saarbrücken, and Metz.

 

News & Events

Download this infographic to see where ABMC sites are located throughout the world.

Experience the history of World War II through a new interactive timeline. View maps, watch videos, see photos and read about the events that shaped the war.

During Memorial Day weekend ABMC sites will pay tribute to the more than 218,000 individuals commemorated at these overseas cemeteries.

In these last days of World War II in Europe, American soldiers continued to fight bravely. One such soldier was Pfc. Charley Havlat, who was shot in a German ambush on May 7. Havlat is considered to be the last American killed in the European Theater of Operations.

U.S. Citizen Information