BATTLEFIELD TOURS OF THE WESTERN FRONT
One, Two and Three-Day Tours
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These single day tours, starting from London, can be combined to make a two or three-day weekend visit, with overnight accommodation in Lille
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Until the launch of this special joint Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd and Eurostar package, it has been very difficult to organise single-day, short visits to the incredibly poignant Great War Battlefields of the Somme, Ypres Salient and Cambrai sectors of the Western Front. This unique programme, combining rail with local mini-bus, now allows you to choose between a one, two or three-day tour at a reasonable price. We can also design a day for groups who might wish to have a special focus on family connections, a particular regiment, or particular battles. These tours are run in small groups, maximum 12 persons, and are accompanied by either ex-army personnel or Battlefield Guides with postgraduate qualifications. We will always try to include specially requested sites.
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PRICE PER PERSON IN POUNDS STERLING GBP
Full Day Tours £125 per person from London / £70 from Lille
The Somme- Departs Saturdays
Ypres Salient Departs Sundays from Lille ONLY. There is no early Eurostar service from London on Sundays. Travel to Lille on Saturday and overnight before tour at additional cost.
Fromelles, Loos, Arras, Vimy Ridge (Departs Monday)
2 Days / 1 Night Somme & Ypres Salient (Departs Saturday / Returns Sunday)
2 Days / 1 Night Ypres Salient & Fromelles, Loos, Arras, Vimy (Departs Sunday ex Lille ONLY / Returns Monday)
£239 per person Twin Share / £255 Single Room from London
£184 per person Twin Share / £200 Single Room from Lille
3 Days / 2 Nights Somme, Ypres Salient, Triumph & Disaster
(Departs Saturday / Returns Monday)
£309 per person Twin Share / £339 Single from London
£254 per person Twin Share / £284 Single from Lille
ALL TOURS DEPART FROM LONDON OR JOIN FROM LILLE
Lille is located just 1hour north of Paris by TGV train. There are 2 stations in Lille - Europe and Flanders.Tours start from Lille Europe Station.
Pre / post tour accommodation & services available in Lille, Paris and London.
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DAY TOUR - SATURDAY - THE SOMME
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PRICE PER PERSON IN POUNDS STERLING GBP
Full Day Tour £125 per person from London / £70 from Lille
Tour Departs Every Saturday: 21 March to 14 November 2009
Meet London St Pancras International 05.45 for departure at 06.26
Return London St Pancras International 22.00
You board tour Eurostar's service at London's new St Pancras International Station. You have to be at the meeting point at 05.45. On arrival at Lille you're met by your specialist battlefields guide.
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. 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 Poziere 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 added according to the interest of the tour participants.
The return to London is on the 21.06 train from Lille, arriving at St Pancras at 21.56 from where you make your way independently.
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DAY TOUR - SUNDAY - YPRES SALIENT, Belgium
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PRICE PER PERSON IN POUNDS STERLING GBP
Full Day Tour £70 from Lille
Tour Departs Every Sunday: 22 March to 15 November 2009
Meet Lille Europe station at 0915 Sunday.
'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; the German trenches at Kemmel, '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, Hoogt 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 (Menin) Gate Memorial, and for those who want to take an optional tour of the 'In Flanders Field' Museum to do so.
Those staying on for the weekend have the option of remaining in Ypres to attend the moving Menen Gate ceremony while those on the one-day tour are returned to the Lille rail station by around 6pm.
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DAY TOUR - MONDAY - FROMELLES, LOORS, ARRAS, VIMY RIDGE
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PRICE PER PERSON IN POUNDS STERLING GBP
Full Day Tour £125 per person from London / £70 from Lille
Tour Departs Every Monday: 23 March to 16 November 2009
Meet London St Pancras International station 05.45 for departure at 06.26
Return London St Pancras International approximatley 22.00
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. You can either join for just this one day or make it part of a longer tour. If you're taking this as a one-day tour, you'll catch the 06.26 Eurostar from London's St Pancras International station, and be met on arrival in Lille by your Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd guide.
If you've been with us for the two prior days, touring the Ypres Salient and The Somme, you'll be collected from our Lille tour base hotel.
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. 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. We'll 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. We'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.
We return to Lille in time for the late evening Eurostar return at 21.06, arriving in London St Pancras at approximately 22.00.
>> Go to other Battlefields Tours
>> Go to other tours departing from London
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