110th Anniversary Tour of the Battle of Vimy Ridge 2027

We begin our day with a visit to the Tyne Cot Commonwealth Cemetery – the largest Commonwealth Cemetery, of any conflict, in the world. We will also explore the Battle of Passchendaele, with visits to the Passchendaele Museum, in Zonnebeke, and the Crest Farm Memorial, in Passchendale. After lunch, we will explore the Hooge Crater, and Hill 62 – a small area of the original battlefield and part of the Canadian Front Line. In the late afternoon, enjoy the chance to explore the historically rich city of Ypres at your own pace. We come together again for an early group meal in the heart of the medieval Ypres’ Grote Markt. Tonight, at 8 PM, we will witness the iconic and historic Last Post Ceremony, at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, led by the Ieper Fire Department & the Last Post Association. In this last Centennial Year remembering the First World War, the Last Post Association promises their daily act of homage to be among the most memorable acts of remembrance that we will witness on tour. (B, D)

Accommodation: Ypres Hotel (TBA)

We say our farewells to Flanders, Belgium this morning and depart for the Northern battlefields of France – but first – we will make a significant stop at the St. Symphorien Cemetery near the city of Mons. This is where the first and last actions in the First World War took place. Consequently, this is also where the first and last Allied casualties of the Great War are laid to rest. We continue our story of the Last 100 Days with a visit to the city of Cambrai, where we will stop for lunch and orientation of the deeply rooted Canadian action, still visible in the scars of the city’s architecture. We continue further still, to Bourlon Wood, to see the memorial which commemorates the Canadian Corps’ crossing at the Canal du Nord on November 11th, 1918. The stairs leading up to the memorial are lined with ancient lime trees that were nursed back to health after having been devastated by shellfire during the battle for Bourlon Wood. We finish our day in the city of Arras, where we will enjoy a group dinner together before our overnight. (B, D)

Accommodation: Arras Hotel (TBA)

Today is dedicated to attending the 110th Anniversary of the Official Commemoration Ceremonies at the Vimy Memorial. Further information and attendance registration to follow. Our day concludes back in Arras, where you’ll have time to explore and enjoy dinner at a unique restaurant with a special surprise. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Arras Hotel (TBA)

We will depart from Arras this morning and our day will be spent exploring the Somme – making visits to the Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval, as well the preserved battlefield memorial park at Beaumont Hamel – dedicated to the Royal Newfoundland and Labrador Regiment who lost so many men on that first day of battle. We will then continue on to view the Lochnagar Crater, among one of the largest craters on the battlefields of the Western Front. We will also visit the city of Albert, where we will explore the Somme 1916 Museum, hidden deep underneath the city’s Romanesque Basilica. Then onto the coast for our dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Dieppe Hotel (TBA)

This morning, we will first explore the Blue Beach at Puys, where we can view the gun emplacements on the cliff tops, which, on Aug 19, 1942, were responsible for such terrible Canadian casualties. We will then visit the Dieppe Canadian Cemetery before travelling to Green Beach at Pourville. We will also view the main landing beaches of Red and White on the Dieppe seafront. Later, we will continue our journey to Normandy Landing Beaches for our hotel check-in, dinner, and overnight. (B, D)

Accommodation: Juno Beach Hotel (TBA)

Today we will focus on the D-Day Normandy invasion. We will begin our morning with a visit to Pointe du Hoc where the cratered landscape of the German battery, taken by the US Rangers in 1944, can be observed. We will continue to Omaha Beach and the American Military Cemetery to discover the appalling difficulties required for landing on Bloody Omaha. After leaving Omaha, we visit La Chaos, the German offshore battery, which today sits relatively intact, even after 70+ years. This afternoon, we visit the Mulberry Harbors in Arromanches before heading back to Courseulles for another evening meal together.  (B, D)

Accommodation: Juno Beach Hotel (TBA)

We will begin our day with a visit to the Battle of Normandy Museum in Bayeux, offering the visitor an illustrative understanding of the decisive actions that were taken in the liberation of Western Europe in 1944. With a refreshed perspective, we head to the Canadian battlefields & beaches of Normandy. Our first stop will be to Verrieres Ridge to view the area where the Black Watch suffered severe casualties in “Operation Spring”. We continue on to the Juno Beach Center, dedicated to the 3rd Division landings as well as Canada’s full involvement during World War II. Before heading back for dinner, we will visit the Queens’ Own Rifles House, the first house liberated by Canadian forces when they stormed the beaches at Juno on June 6th, 1944. Our day will end with a solemn visit to the Beny-sur-Mer, Canadian Military Cemetery. Dinner on your own this evening. (B)

Accommodation: Juno Beach Hotel (TBA)

After checking out of our hotel this morning, we will finish our tour of the Normandy region with visits to see the Canadian Memorial Garden in the Abbaye des Ardennes, as well as Pegasus Bridge – where the 6th British Airborne landed, captured and liberated the first house in Europe, the Café Gondree. We will then take the journey down to Paris. As we drive into the city, enjoy a coach orientation tour with our guide, before a river cruise of the Seine. Tonight, we will enjoy an early farewell dinner together at the Jardin du Notre Dame. From here we will say farewell to some of our fellow travellers who are staying in Paris before heading up to Paris’ Charles du Galle International Airport for out overnight. (B,D)

Accommodation: Paris Hotel (TBA)

This morning after breakfast you will take your independent travels onwards to your next journey. We are grateful to have you join us on this powerful journey to the battlefields. (B)

Safe travels!  Ask us about Paris Hotel Packages.