Combine several days of our Western Front one day tours to make memorable a weekend of it. Each day focuses on a special sector of the Western Front. British, Anzac, Canadian, South African and Indian Army sites are all highlighted. We can often include visits to requested battlefield locations, memorials and cemeteries. These tours can be taken from London (on Eurostar), or from Paris (by local train) to Lille, where you're met by our mini-coach. Overnight accommodation is in the Ypres area.

Tour Inclusions
• 2 nights in unique & traditional accommodation
• Specialist Battlefield Guide/Driver
• All mini-coach transportation
• Full European Breakfast x 2
• All entrance fees

DEPARTS: Every Sat (20 Mar - 13 Nov 2010)--------------------------------Sat 20-Mar 2010 - Mon 22-Mar 2010 (2 nights)Sat 27-Mar 2010 - Mon 29-Mar 2010 (2 nights)Sat 3-Apr2 010 - Mon 5-Apr 2010 (2 nights)Sat 10-Apr 2010 - Mon 12-Apr (2 nights)Sat 17-Apr 2010 - Mon 19-Apr 2010 (2 nights)Sat 24-Apr 2010 - Mon 26-Apr 2010 (2 nights)Sat 1-May 2010 - Mon 3-May 2010 (2 nights)Sat 8-May 2010 - Mon 10-May 2010 (2 nights)Sat 15-May 2010 - Mon 17-May 2010 (2 nights)Sat 22-May 2010 - Mon 24-May 2010 (2 nights)Sat 29-May 2010 - Mon 31-May (2 nights)Sat 5-Jun 2010 - Mon 7-Jun (2 nights)Sat 12-Jun 2010 - Mon 14-Jun (2 nights)Sat 19-Jun 2010 - Mon 21-Jun (2 nights)Sat 26-Jun 2010 - Mon 28-Jun (2 nights)Sat 3-Jul 2010 - Mon 5-Jul (2 nights)Sat 10-Jul 2010 - Mon 12-Jul (2 nights)Sat 17-Jul 2010 - Mon 19-Jul (2 nights)Sat 24-Jul 2010 - Mon 26-Jul (2 nights)Sat 31-Jul 2010 - Mon 2-Aug (2 nights)Sat 7-Aug 2010 - Mon 9-Aug (2 nights)Sat 14-Aug 2010 - Mon 16-Aug (2 nights)Sat 21-Aug 2010 - Mon 23-Aug (2 nights)Sat 28-Aug 2010 - Mon 30-Aug (2 nights)Sat 4-Sep 2010 - Mon 6-Sep (2 nights)Sat 11-Sep 2010 - Mon 13-Sep (2 nights)Sat 18-Sep 2010 - Mon 20-Sep (2 nights)Sat 25-Sep 2010 - Mon 27-Sep (2 nights)Sat 2-Oct 2010 - Mon 4-Oct (2 nights)Sat 9- Oct 2010 - Mon 11-Oct (2 nights)Sat 16-Oct 2010 - Mon 18-Oct (2 nights)Sat 23-Oct 2010 - Mon 25-Oct (2 nights)Sat 30-Oct 2010 - Mon 1-Nov (2 nights)Sat 6-Nov 2010 - Mon 8-Nov (2 nights)Sat 13-Nov 2010 - Mon 15-Nov (2 nights)

Itinerary:

Day 1 (Saturday) The Somme

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.
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), Courcellette, 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. Tonight, it is possible to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres.  

 

Day 2  (Sunday) Ypres Salient
'The Salient' struck fear into the Great War Tommy for being the hottest spot on the 80 mile front held by British and Empire troops. Over a quarter of a million men gave their lives to hold this last bit of Belgium from the Germans. Although history records four great battles fought at Ypres, it was in fact a constant battle against shells, bullets, bombs, gas, mud and rats.

This morning offers the opportunity to spend time in Ypres itself with the opportunity to visit St George's Chapel, the Menin Gate Memorial, and the 'In Flanders Field' Museum (optional).

On our day touring the Salient we see, in the company of a first class guide, some of the most important sites that remain: the area of the first gas attack, John McCrae's Essex Farm, the Messines Ridge, Hooge crater where the flame thrower was introduced into modern warfare, and the sites that played a pivotal role in the Battle of Passchendaele; Polygon Wood and Tyne Cot. Walk the moonscape of the Hill 60 battlefield and see literally dozens of memorials to British, Australian and Canadian regiments and units. Tonight, we spend an evening in our regional accommodation.
(B)

 

Day 3  (Monday)  Fromelles & Vimy Ridge
The final day in our series of one-day Western Front battlefield visits takes us to the line between Armentieres and Arras, dubbed the nursery trenches. On this day we visit sites connected with the 1915 battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert, and Neuve Chapelle, where the Indian Army gave a magnificent account of itself. We see where Adolf Hitler served and the bunker he is reputed to have used as a billet. Australians will be touched at seeing the 'Cobbers' Memorial in Fromelles. An archaeological investigation during 2009 exhumed many soldiers remains from mass graves, and these bodies will be re-interred during 2010 in the new cemetery that is being constructed opposite the exhumation site by Pheasant Wood . We cross the Loos battlefield, site of the disastrous battle of 1915. For Canadians, Vimy Ridge is undoubtedly the highlight, where we take a trench tour and spend time at the massive and imposing Vimy Monument and Memorial Park, before returning to our Lille departure point.
(B)

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 the 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.