May 2 (2 of 3): It was still raining as we departed the van. The parking lot of Fort Douaumont was a white muddy field. Barbed wire encircled the fort’s perimeter, and green grass covered the surrounding craters. There was a winding path leading up to the top of Fort Douaumont, but we headed down into the entrance door and visitor’s center. My first impression after crossing the fort’s threshold was the stench. It smelled like a rotten Pont l’Eveque cheese. (Pont l’Eveque is a pungent cheese when it’s fresh.)