Highlights
- Three-day small group tour of French and Belgian battlefields from World War One
- Visit historic battle sites including Pozières, Beaumont Hamel, the Salient, Passchendaele, Ypres, Fromelles and Loos
- Other sites can be added according to your interests
- Two night's accommodation with breakfast
- Enjoy personalized attention from your expert guide on this small group tour
- Tour group numbers restricted to a maximum of 16 people
Useful Information
3-Day Small Group Tour of French and Belgian WWI Battlefields
With a maximum group size of 16, and a university educated guide/driver, you are sure to have a memorable and personal experience of these sobering sites from World War One.
Itinerary
Tour the Somme battlefield covering major sites from the calamitous first day through the whole five months of the battle. You'll see Delville Wood, the Welsh memorial at Mametz Wood, the huge Lochnagar mine crater, the sunken road where the Accrington Pals were virtually wiped out, the Poziere battlefield and Windmill Hill (both important sites for Australians), Courcellette, site of the first major use of tanks supporting Canadian troops, and the nearby tank memorial.
Also included is Albert, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. An undoubted highlight, however, will be your guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site. Other sites will be added according to the interest of the tour participants.
Overnight at Hotel Kasteelhof 'T Hooghe or similar
Day Two:Ypres - The Somme - Villers-Bretonneux - Ypres (B,D)
On your day touring the Salient you'll see, in the company of a first class guide, some of the most important sites that remain; the German cemetery in Langemark, the area of the first gas attack by Vancouver Corner, where flame throwers were introduced into modern warfare, John McRae's Essex Farm site, Hooge crater and museum, the Passendaele area and Tyne Cot cemetery.
You'll walk the moonscape of the Hill 60 battlefield and see literally dozens of memorials to British, Australian and Canadian regiments. You'll also spend time in Ypres itself with the opportunity to visit St George's Chapel, the Menen (Menin) Gate Memorial. You will also have the opportunity to take an optional tour of the 'In Flanders Field' Museum.
Overnight at Hotel Kasteelhof 'T Hooghe or similar
Day Three: Ypres – Fromelles - Vimy Ridge - Lille (B)
On this day you'll visit sites connected with the 1915 battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert, and Neuve Chapelle, where the Indian Army gave a magnificent account of itself. You'll see where Adolf Hitler served and the bunker he is reputed to have used as a billet.
Australian's will enjoy seeing the Fromelles memorial. Tour the Loos battlefield, site of the disastrous battle of 1915, and Vimy Ridge where we take a tunnel tour. Canadians will find this of special interest during the 90th anniversary commemorations. You'll also see sites in and around the pretty city of Arras including (subject to opening) the recently discovered underground hospital and the French National memorial at Lorrette de Notre Dame.
Reviewed by Allison G, October 2012
Excellent tour. Guide was very knowledgeable and went out of his way to accommodate our requests. Transport was comfortable and spacious. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Christine W, October 2012
A wonderful moving experience. The entire tour was organised well, even though the weather was not good, our Guide patiently reorganised the tour according to the needs of his passengers, most accommodating for those who wished to see things of most interest to them. Our Guide was a wonderful historian and most entertaining and made the day. We would highly recommend to anyone wishing to make this trip. Another trip,stay at the Novotel Lille across the road from the Eurostar and TVG Train station, so if time is a problem London is 1.5 hours by Eurostar.
Paul and Chris, Sydney
