THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 110TH

The Somme: 110th Anniversary Remembrance Tour

A comprehensive journey through the history, tragedy, and landscapes of the 1916 offensive.

→ Departure: Amiens, Arras or Saint-Quentin and surrounding (Ideally located to access the full range of Somme sites).
→ Schedule: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm.
→ Group Size: Ideal for up to 3 people (please contact me for larger groups).

•

→ Morning: Into the Depths & The Opening Day

We begin by understanding the soldier’s experience before stepping onto the battlefield itself.

• Musée Somme 1916 (Albert): We descend into a 250-meter-long underground tunnel, originally an air-raid shelter. This immersive museum vividly recreates the daily life of soldiers in the trenches and dugouts, offering a poignant introduction to the conflict.

• Lochnagar Mine Crater (La Boisselle): Witness the scar of the war. This massive crater (100 meters wide, 30 meters deep) was created by a mine explosion on July 1st, 1916, signaling the start of the Battle of the Somme.

• Fricourt German Cemetery: A moving counterpoint to the Allied cemeteries. Here, 17,000 German soldiers rest under sombre black crosses and two mass graves, offering a necessary perspective on the shared tragedy of the war. (Note: The Red Baron was originally buried here).

  •

→ Mid-Day: The Eastern Sector & Lunch

We move towards Longueval before returning to the strategic heights of Pozières.

• Caterpillar Valley Cemetery (Longueval): Offensive against the Bazentin Ridge. A solemn visit to this resting place for over 5,500 soldiers, many of whom remain unidentified. It stands as a powerful testament to the scale of the losses in the High Wood and Delville Wood sectors.

• Lunch Break: We stop at the Le Tommy Café & Museum in Pozières. More than just a restaurant, this location is steeped in history and offers a unique atmosphere dedicated to the memory of the troops.

  •

→ Afternoon:

The High Ground & The Missing The tour concludes with the strategic ridges and the most iconic sites of the Western Front.

• The Windmill Memorial: Located at the highest point of the battlefield in Pozières, this site offers unparalleled panoramic views. It was a key German observation post and the scene of intense fighting.

• Thiepval Memorial to the Missing: The largest British war memorial in the world. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it bears the names of over 72,000 soldiers who died on the Somme and have no known grave.

• Beaumont-Hamel (Newfoundland Park): A « must-see » site. We will walk through the best-preserved trench system on the Western Front, walking the same ground where the Newfoundland Regiment was decimated on the first day of the battle.

Return: Drop-off at your hotel or railway station in Amiens, Arras, or Saint-Quentin.

This itinerary is subject to change depending on special requests (e.g., visiting a specific relative’s grave or nationality).