Back-Roads Touring Co

3-Day Battlefield Tour: The Somme, France + Ypres Salient, Belgium + Triumph & Disaster 
Combine several days of our Western Front one day tours to make 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 occasionally by mini-coach), or from Paris (by local train) to Lille, where you're met by our mini-coach. Overnight accommodation is in the Ypres area and/or Lille.

INCLUDES: 

• Eurostar London – Lille return
• Mini coach tour
• All entrance fees
• 2 nights accommodation with breakfast

DEPARTS: Weekly - Sat from London or Lille (21 Mar - 16 Nov 2009) -------------------------------- Sat 21 Mar, 2009 - Mon 23 Mar, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 28 Mar, 2009 - Mon 30 Mar, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 4 Apr, 2009 - Mon 6 Apr, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 11 Apr, 2009 - Mon 13 Apr, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 18 Apr, 2009 - Mon 20 Apr, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 25 Apr, 2009 - Mon 27 Apr, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 2 May, 2009 - Mon 4 May, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 9 May, 2009 - Mon 11 May, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 16 May, 2009 - Mon 18 May, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 23 May, 2009 - Mon 25 May, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 30 May, 2009 - Mon 1 Jun, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 6 Jun, 2009 - Mon 8 Jun, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 13 Jun, 2009 - Mon 15 Jun, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 20 Jun, 2009 - Mon 22 Jun, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 27 Jun, 2009 - Mon 29 Jun, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 4 Jul, 2009 - Mon 6 Jul, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 11 Jul, 2009 - Mon 13 Jul, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 18 Jul, 2009 - Mon 20 Jul, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 25 Jul, 2009 - Mon 27 Jul, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 1 Aug, 2009 - Mon 3 Aug, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 8 Aug, 2009 - Mon 10 Aug, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 15 Aug, 2009 - Mon 17 Aug, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 22 Aug, 2009 - Mon 24 Aug, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 29 Aug, 2009 - Mon 31 Aug, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 5 Sep, 2009 - Mon 7 Sep, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 12 Sep, 2009 - Mon 14 Sep, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 19 Sep, 2009 - Mon 21 Sep, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 26 Sep, 2009 - Mon 28 Sep, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 3 Oct, 2009 - Mon 5 Oct, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 10 Oct, 2009 - Mon 12 Oct, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 17 Oct, 2009 - Mon 19 Oct, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 24 Oct, 2009 - Mon 26 Oct, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 31 Oct, 2009 - Mon 2 Nov, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 7 Nov, 2009 - Mon 9 Nov, 2009 (2 nights) Sat 14 Nov, 2009 - Mon 16 Nov, 2009 (2 nights)

Itinerary:

Day 1 (Saturday) The Somme, France 
To most people the Somme signifies one day - July 1st 1916. It was the day that the British Army suffered its greatest ever losses in a single day with nearly 60,000 casualties. But the actual battle for the Somme raged until November of that year, and saw massive fighting again in 1918.

What remains is truly awesome. There are sites seen today that will be etched into your consciousness forever. We tour the Somme battlefield covering major sites from the calamitous  first day  through the whole five months of the battle, and then look at some of the the events of 1918. 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,  Sausage Valley, 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 Albert, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. An undoubted highlight, however, will be our guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site. Other sites will be subsituted according to the interest of the tour participants, especially Villers-Bretonneux if we have Australians aboard (please note; the school museum is not always open).

In the evening, you have the opportunity to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menen Gate in Ypres.

Day 2 (Sunday) Ypres Salient, Belgium
'The Salient' struck fear into the Great War Tommy for being the hottest spot on the 70 mile front held by Imperial 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 three great battles fought at Ypres, it was in fact a constant battle against shell, bullet, bomb, gas, water and rats.

On our day touring the Salient you'll see, in the company of a first class guide, some of the most important sites that remain; 'Shot at Dawn' execution sites, sites of the first gas attack and where flame thrower were introduced into modern warfare, John McRae's Essex Farm site, the grave of double VC winner, Noel Chavasse, Hooghe crater and museum, the Passendaele dug-out 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. We'll also spend time in Ypres itself with the opportunity to visit St George's Chapel, the Menen Gate Memorial, and the 'In Flanders Field' Museum (optional).

Day 3 (Monday) Triumph and Disaster: Loos, Arras and Vimy Ridge
This, the final day in our series of one-day Western Front battlefield visits, takes us to the line between Armentieres and Arras. It's a much neglected region but with a huge amount to see. On this day we'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, and the 1917 Battle of Arras. You'll see where Adolf Hitler served and the bunker he is reputed to have used as a billet. Australian's will be touched at seeing the Fromelles 'Digger' memorial, where a current archaeological investigation is uncovering the mass grave of over 400 Diggers killed at this first Australian battle on the Western Front. We'll tour the Loos battlefield, site of the disastrous battle of 1915. For Canadians Vimy Ridge is the undoubted highlight, where we take a trench tour and spend time at the massive and imposing Vimy memorial. We'll also see sites in and around the pretty city of Arras connected with the huge battle of 1917. If time, we'll see the recently discovered underground tunnels and the French National memorial at Lorrette de Notre Dame. 

Tentative Itineraries:
Please note that Back-Roads itineraries are designed to be flexible. Because our groups tend to be smaller, we are able to adapt our day-to-day route and visits according to the interests of the group, weather conditions, and local events.

Price departing from London:

Twin Share	£309
Single	£339

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JOIN THE TOUR FROM LONDON 
When using Eurostar, you are given a self-ticketing reference number that you use to get your ticket at the station of departure. 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 at the station on the morning of departure. Please note: on occasion, when there is no availability on Eurostar, we transfer to Calais using mini-coach. Tour participants are collected at 06:00 am from central London locations.

JOIN THE TOUR FROM LILLE
Already in France and no need for transfers from London? Join the tour in Lille.

INCLUDES: 

• Mini coach tour
• All entrance fees
• 1 night accommodation with breakfast

Price:

Twin Share from Lille	£269
Single from Lille	£299

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3 days a little too long?  Check out our 2-day Battlefield tour options:

2-Day Battlefield Tours: The Somme, France + Ypres Salient, Belgium or Ypres Salient + Triumph & Disaster
Choose Saturday/Sunday (join from London or Lille) or Sunday/Monday (Lille departure only). 
Includes: 1 night accommodation (bed and breakfast) 

Only have time for one day? Check out our 1-day Battlefield tours: 

The Somme, France tour, Ypres Salient, Belgium tour or the Triumph & Disaster - Loos, Arras & Vimy Ridge tour.

3-Day Battlefield Tour: The Somme, France + Ypres Salient, Belgium + Triumph & Disaster 
Combine several days of our Western Front one day tours to make 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 occasionally by mini-coach), or from Paris (by local train) to Lille, where you're met by our mini-coach. Overnight accommodation is in the Ypres area and/or Lille.