To most people the Somme signifies one day - July 1st 1916, the day the British Army suffered its greatest ever losses in a single day with nearly 60,000 casualties. But the battle for the Somme raged until November of that year. What remains is truly awesome. The sites seen today will be etched into your consciousness forever.

Tour Inclusions

• Specialist Battlefield Guide/Driver
• All mini-coach transportation
• All entrance fees

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Itinerary:

Day 1  (Saturday) Somme, Ypres
Your tour commences in Lille, where you meet your specialist Battlefield guide at the tour departure point. We then tour the Somme battlefield covering major sites from the calamitous first day through the whole five months of the battle. You see Delville Wood, the Welsh memorial at Mametz Wood, the huge Lochnagar mine crater, the sunken road where the Lancashire Fusiliers suffered terribly, the Pozieres battlefield and Windmill Hill (both important site for Australians), Courcelette, site of the first major use of tanks supporting Canadian troops, and the nearby the tank memorial. We include the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. An undoubted highlight, however, will be the incredibly preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site. For those who are continuing to Ypres the next day, it is possible to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres this evening. Those who are departing the tour today will return to Lille before the Last Post ceremony.

Price

JOINING THE TOUR IN LILLE/PARIS
Already in France and no need for transfers from London? Join this tour in Lille. Make our own way to the pick-up point at 9:30 am at the 'Meeting Point' inside the Lille Europe station. If you are staying in Paris you may catch SNCF operated train service from Paris Nord to Lille Flanders (approx 1 hr 20 mins). From Lille Flanders make your way to Lille Europe for the 09.30am pick up at 'The Meeting Point' inside the rail terminal. Please note that transfers from Paris are not included in the price of your tour.

 
JOINING THE TOUR IN LONDON
We can pre-arrange your Eurostar ticket from London (St Pancras International Rail Station) to Lille where you may then meet your guide at 9:30 am at the 'Meeting Point' inside the Lille Europe station. If you nominate this option, Back-Roads will book your Eurostar on your behalf. You will be provided with a  reference number that you use to retrieve your ticket at St Pancras station. Please ensure you arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the train departure time. We advise all tour participants to call us a day or two prior to departure to ensure they have the correct ticket reference as we do not have a representative in London on the morning of departure.