The Maginot Line
5 days from £379pp.
Visit: Villy la Ferte 1940, Battlefields
Visit: Fermont, Battlefields
Visit: Luttange Communal Cemetery, Battlefields
Visit: Villy la Ferte, Battlefields
About the Tour
With the exception of the Great Wall of China, the Maginot Line was the greatest system of permanent fortifications ever built. Constructed in the 1930s just before World War 2, it came under attack in 1940. We see heavily fought over bunker systems like Villy la Ferte and Hackenberg, as well as looking at the German glider attack on Fort Eben Emael. These sites combine bunkers and museums, and you get a chance to travel on an ammunition train at two locations. A fascinating insight into the early stages of the Second World War.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
- Travel by Silver Service coach
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 01709 787 463 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Your Itinerary
Day 1
We make our way to the port of departure and coach interchange where you will join your tour coach for the crossing to the Continent. Upon arrival in France we continue to Belgium and our hotel.
Day 2
Eben Emael & Fort d’Aubin-Neufchâteau
Fort d’Aubin-Neufchateau
We begin this fortifications tour in Belgium and see the 1930s Liege forts used to defend Belgium against the Blitzkrieg. We start at the famous Eben Emael, assaulted by German Airborne troops in gliders; we have a full tour of the site here. After lunch we see the heavily fought over Fort d’Aubin-Neufchâteau, completely surrounded in May 1940; here we take a guided tour of the fort, seeing the extensive damage caused in 1940. We then travel through the Belgian Ardennes, scene of the Blitzkrieg in May 1940, and into France to our Mainstay hotel were we stay for the next three nights.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Ouvrage Fermont & Villy la Ferté
Villy La Ferte
Today we start our look at the Maginot Line at Ouvrage Fermont. This massive system of bunkers and tunnels came under attack in May 1940 and proved how strong the Maginot Line could be. We descend in the original lifts, travel on an old ammunition train and see the fighting bunkers during our morning’s guided tour of the site. Lunch nearby. In the afternoon we see Villy la Ferte, a smaller Maginot Line complex that saw heavy fighting in May 1940. The site has been left as it was, with anti-tank rails, barbed wire and bunkers showing wartime damage. We have a fully guided tour around one of the few Maginot sites that saw heavy fighting.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Ouvrage Immerhof & Ouvrage Hackenberg
Luttange
We continue with our look at the classic Maginot Line locations with a visit to Ouvrage Immerhof. Sited in the Thionville sector, it was built in the early 1930s with an extensive system of infantry and combat bunkers. In an excellent state of preservation we spend the morning visiting the whole site, with 90 minute guided tour and also seeing the museum. Lunch nearby. In the afternoon we travel to Ouvrage Hackenberg. Set on high ground, this is the largest fortification on the whole Maginot Line and was one part of the line actually held by British troops in 1939/40. We spend two hours underground here seeing what a remarkable state of preservation the site is in, and seeing the many objects connected with the defence of this area. We continue our look at British troops in this area with a visit to the cemetery at Luttange, where the first British soldier killed in WW2 was buried.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 5
We leave the hotel after breakfast and travel to the Channel port. You will leave your tour coach behind as you join your transfer vehicle for your return journey to your original departure point.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Your Excursions
Included Excursions & Visits
- Battlefield visits as described
Optional Excursions & Visits
- Entrance fees to museums & places of interest (extra cost)
Notes
Please Note: The Maginot forts we visit on this tour are deep
underground, can be cold and there are numerous steps, therefore this tour does
involve some walking. Due to the large size of these forts visits typically take
90-120 minutes and are fully guided.
Please Note: that a packed lunch will NOT be provided within the museum package.
Please note: The Ouvrage Hackenberg will be closed during the 28th August 2017 tour and in its place we will now visit the impressive Ouvrage Michelsberg located on the Maginot Line.
Please note: entrance fees to museums and places of interest are at extra cost. Museum package available whilst on tour approx. cost €45 (packed lunch will NOT be provided within the museum package).
Single Room Supplement from £119.00 (5 days).
Frequently asked questions about our tours
Accommodation
You will stay for three-nights at the 3-star Ibis Thionville Porte de Luxembourg in Yuts, near Thionville. The hotel has a restaurant and bar.
Your overnight stay in Liège will be in a city-style hotel.
Ibis Liege Seraing
The Ibis Liege Seraing hotel is located 10-15 minutes drive away from the Liege city centre and the TGV trains station, the hotel also has good links to the highway network. The hotel facilities include air conditioning, bar and Wi-Fi/Internet access. All bedrooms feature a modern décor, desk, Wi-Fi/Internet access, T.V with international channels and en-suite bathroom.
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Ibis Thionville Porte De Luxembourg
The 3 star Ibis Thionville Porte De Luxembourg hotel is located approx. 1mile away from the train station and it is also close to the Walygator theme park, Amneville zoo and the Luxembourg and Metz city centres. The hotels facilities include lounge, a bar, a restaurant and Wi-Fi/Internet access. All bedrooms feature a desk, Wi-Fi/Internet access, T.V with all the main channels and en-suite bathroom.
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Frequently asked questions about accommodation
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Travel Information
- Travel Options
- Extra Services
Silver Service coach
Find out moreSilver Service
On most of our holidays you can upgrade to Silver Service, luxury coach travel, for comfort and style across Europe.
Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
Stay overnight near Dover
Find out moreWhy not go the night before your holiday for a relaxing start? You can park for FREE for up to nine days at the Holiday Inn Ashford North and enjoy an overnight stay with English breakfast from just £38 per person. This offer is subject to availability and based on two sharing a twin/double room on a B&B basis. We’ll then collect you from the hotel on the day of departure and return you there at the end of your holiday.
To book this package, please call the hotel on 01233 713333, quoting ‘Leger Holidays’ and your booking reference. If your holiday is longer than nine days you can pay for additional days’ parking. Ask one of our friendly reservations team for more details when you book your holiday.
Single supplements and terms and conditions apply.
Join coach at Interchange
Find out moreOn most holidays if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes holidays to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
Looking for your local joining point? Enter your post code below
*Please note pickups are subject to availability.
Frequently asked questions about travel options
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on transfer journeys to/from the U.K. interchange. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
Transfer coaches are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
OR
Call our reservations team on:
01709 787 463
To book this tour, just give our friendly team a call on 01709 787 463 or book online at www.leger.co.uk