ANZACS on the Western Front
4 Days / 3 Nights ex Lille*
Join tour from London, Paris CDG, Paris & Brussels - supplement applies
Australian and New Zealand ANZACs in the Great War were undoubtedly the bravest of all. This special heart-rending tour pays tribute to their extraordinary valour, reviving their experience from the bunker to the battlefield with the help of a specialist battlefields guide. It is a poignant, utterly unrivalled journey that will grip you from the first moment and forever change your perspective on life, loyalty and national spirit.
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from $A1430
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DAY 1 Ypres Salient
We travel from “Plug Street” up the line along the Messines Ridge, where the New Zealand and Australian troops played a crucial role in capturing the ridge. Our ANZAC experience continues with a walk up Hill 60’s moonscape. We visit Polygon Wood where the monument to the 5th Division towers over the fallen and Tyne Cot, where the ANZACS played such an important role in the Battle of Passendale. Our first day finishes with the Last Post Ceremony at the Menen Gate. (D)
Day 2 Artois
Our first stop of the day is Fromelles. Currently, mass graves containing unidentified Imperial and ANZAC soldiers are being excavated. A huge effort is underway to identify the remains. Here we find one of the most inspiring of the Australian memorials – the Digger carrying his mate to safety after his cry, “Don’t forget me, Cobber!” We continue our day exploring the Wellington Tunnels in Arras, a city beneath the city and vastly expanded by the New Zealand Tunneling Company. Experiencing victory and defeat, we follow the push east with the capture of Bapaume and the battle at Bullecourt. We visit many sites around here, including the evocative Digger-memorial. (B)
Day 3 The Somme
Today, we tour the front line on the battlefields of the Somme. Known as the First Day of the Somme, nearly 60,000 Imperial forces were killed on the July 1, 1916. You'll visit the battlefields of Pozieres, the famous Wind Mill site, Mouquet Farm and the monument at Longueval, honouring the New Zealand efforts in capturing Delville Wood. The sheer size of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing will leave an indelible impression. (B, D)
Day 4 Villers-Bretonneux
We visit Villers-Bretonneux, where the great German push during the Spring Offensive was countered and broken by the Australian and other Commonwealth troops. You’ll see the inspiring Australian National Memorial, honouring all those who died during the war. The Franco-Australian Museum at the Victoria school with the words Never Forget Australia still proudly displayed will not leave you untouched. We continue in the footsteps of the ANZACS via the Memorial Park at Le Hamel. You'll return to Lille early evening around 6pm for your onward journey. (B)
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| Tour departs from Lille Europe Station in northern France.
- Take Eurostar directly from London, Paris or Brussels to Lille Europe station
- Take TGV service directly from Paris CDG, Paris and other regions to Lille
- IMPORTANT! - Lille has 2 stations: Lille Europe & Lille Flanders - 10 minutes' walk apart
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