WWI Arras & Vimy Ridge Battlefields Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

Richard was generally knowledgeable about the first world war and Canada's specific role. (But not as much in depth info as the Normandy tour we took later in the week). In particular he said several times that there were no Canadian First World War cemeteries (there are in fact two at the Vimy Memorial site). Also kept us waiting a half-hour while we went to wash the car - he ran into an unexpected queue - but still.

We did not get the guide mentioned in most of these reviews. Instead, we got Julian. Out of the 8 of us on the tour, two were French speaking and he spent most of the time talking to them in French. Most of the way there we got the odd tidbit and the other French couple got a private tour. After spending $600, we realized we could've spent much less by getting ourselves to Arras and taken a few taxis. The guide at Vimy was great because it wasn't Julian. So disappointed as this was a bucket list trip.

This small group trip was amazing! Our guide, Nicola, was so knowledgeable about WWI. Her running commentary and stories through the day really brought the war to light. We learned so much about what our ancestor probably went through as he fought and died at Vimy Ridge. We highly recommend this day trip.

My wife and i took the day tour from Paris to Vimy and Arras. When we arrived we met another couple from Vancouver who also we on the tour. So, we had only four of us which made it feel like our own private tour. Nicola was a wonderful tour guide. She was pleasant, accomodating and had an incredible knowledge of war history. On the approximate 2 hr trip to Vimy, Nicola gave us a detailed history of world events leading up to WWI (and WWII), which was a great refresher for my wife and i, and i also learned a few new details that i had not previously known. Nicola took us to numerous war memorials (including the spectacular Vimy memorial), burial sites and historic ruins which were absolutely fascinating. It was a very humbling experience to experience the magnitude of death and destruction borne by these young men. The tour included a tour of the trenches and underground tunnels at Vimy which was amazing. Hard to imagine what it would have been like to participate that conflict. The only thing i would like to to have had more of was a bit more time in Arras, where we had lunch. The restaurant service was a bit slow, so we did not have as much time as we would have liked to look around town. But from the yummy chocolate croissant and coffee at the service centre on the trip up, the detailed information about each site, to the relaxing trip home, we had a wonderful time and would highly recommend this tour to anybody interested in WWi history and in particular, Canada's contribution to the war effort. Thank you Nicola for your hospitality and leadership. Next time in Paris we'll be looking to book a tour for the WWII battle sites.

Nicola was a very knowledgeable and affable guide. She was able to bring home the horror and magnitude of loss of WW1. We were all Canadians on this trip so she tailored the information to our interests. Her historical knowledge is encyclopedic! We visited several national grave sites, the Vimy memorial, the Canadian centre where the trenches are, and then Arras. This trip is a must for any Canadian. It's a long day but well worth it.

We thoroughly enjoy our tour of Vimy Ridge. The guide was very knowledgeable and had excellent communications skills. We had a great day.

Although our guide had to be changed at the last minute to a chap whose specialty was The Somme, I was impressed with the depth and breadth of his knowledge about the Vimy battle as well. I was glad we started with the poignant pilgrimage to a number of Allied as well as German cemeteries. The loss of hundreds of thousands of young men in a war that resolved nothing was staggering. Of particular interest was the German cemetery with its stark rows of black crosses sprinkled with a few domed white ones with a Star of David. Even in death it seemed a point had been made: they were not true Germans. Had these young Jewish men survived these battles, I believe they would have been subjected to the death camps a few years later. When we finally arrived at Vimy, we went through the tunnels, a claustrophobic experience and one that would have been terrifying to the young men huddled in the dark for days, imagining the fate that faced them once they poured through the doors and into the trenches. Of course, the highlight was the stunning and stark white monument itself that towered over the ridge itself. More than one in the tour left with a bit of a tear in their eye.

Excellent trip with and excellent guide: Sylvain. Vimy is a pilgrimage for any Canadian. Very interesting visit. We were well looked after by Sylvain with lots of information. I recommend to anyone.

Nicola was fantastic, she is knowledgable, answered all of our questions and explained a number of things. Our children learned a lot about WW1 and how Canada was an important part of history. The lunch in Arras was terrific, a bit more time to shop there would have been good, but understandable.

Long day but lots of interesting things to see and ponder!