The Maginot Line

5 days from £379pp.

Villy la Ferte 1940

Visit: Villy la Ferte 1940, Battlefields

Fermont

Visit: Fermont, Battlefields

Luttange Communal Cemetery

Visit: Luttange Communal Cemetery, Battlefields

Villy la Ferte

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
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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.

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Your Itinerary

    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.

    Fort d’Aubin-Neufchateau

    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
    Villy La Ferte

    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
    Luttange

    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

    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

    Certain excursions are included in the price of your holiday. If you choose not to go on an included excursion, for whatever reason, no refunds will be made.
    Yes, you will receive one with your Travel Documents, which are sent 7-10 days before departure.
    We believe that our holidays may not be suitable for children under 8 years old (except for Disneyland Paris bookings) however, we will consider individual requests on application. Customers aged 18 and under at the time of travel must be accompanied by an adult, parent or guardian aged over 18 years old.
    You can check weather averages at here.

    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.

    France

    ibis Thionville Porte du Luxembourg

    Ibis Thionville Porte De Luxembourg

    Find out more

    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.

    All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
    Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
    Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
    Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
    Your hotels will supply towels in your room.

    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.

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    Travel Information

    Frequently asked questions about travel options

    Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.

    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 feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. 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.

    We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
    Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.

    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.

    All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air or TGV holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
    All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
    We operate a passenger interchange at the Channel port. Transfer coaches, including taxis, minibuses, Megabus and National Express operate to and from the U.K. port. You will join your main tour coach at the port.
    One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
    It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.

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    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