Somme WWI Battlefield Small Group Day Trip from Lille

Lille, 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.

You will 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, the Poziere battlefield and Windmill Hill (both important site for Australians), Courcelette, site of the first major use of tanks supporting Canadian troops, and the nearby the tank memorial.

An undoubted highlight, however, will be a guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site. Other sites will be added according to the interest of the tour participants.

USD $181.70

Review by: KEVIN M	September 2010
Had a remarkable day, a fantastic guide who was very passionate about his tour. Anyone interested in the Great War this tour is a must. Thanks to all.

Review by: Sylvie B, Netherlands	March 2010
It was a wonderfully detailed trip with a devoted guide who had some excellent knowledge on the subject matter. The beauty lies in the details the little stops on deserted roads accompanied by a historical tale were very nice. The tour left me in awe of the events of the past. One thing to note we only had 30 minutes at the Thiepval Memorial, which is really too little to see the monument, graveyard and centre itself.

Review by: Craig G, Australia	July 2009
Excellent tour, very knowledgeable guide. He was very accommodating with specific site visits depending on what participants wanted to see, especially with regard to relative's battle experiences. The time flies on this tour.

Review by: James S, United Kingdom	April 2009
The sites visited were well chosen and the transport was good and safely driven. For this one, take your own lunch as it's a fairly full day. Verify departure time and meeting place by phone as there can be ambiguity.

Review by: Caitlin W, United Kingdom	October 2008
It started off badly with the tour waiting an hour and 15 minutes for people from the Eurostar. This meant a late arrival back at Lille - a problem if on trains - but also we lost a significant amount of time that we could have been on the battlefields and wandering about. This aspect was most disappointing, and not many options for food for lunch - a few hastily thrown together sandwiches without much topping - so bring your own. But a good experience to see the battle sites.