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The Somme Offensive
This fascinating tour based in the heart of the Somme battlefields, staying at Albert, takes an in-depth look at both familiar and lesser-known battlefield locations, covering aspects of 'the forgotten Somme'. We also get special access to the trenches in Thiepval Wood and have an included evening meal at Le Tommy in Pozières.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- 1 lunch at Ulster Tower
- 1 dinner at Le Tommy
- 2 evening meals (5-day tour only)
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
5 days from £749pp
Travel Options
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Inbound Travel
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On-Tour
Experiences
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Itinerary
Please choose your preferred 5 day itinerary
Local departure by coach, then to our hotel at Albert in northern France for a four-night stay.
We begin on the southern edge of the Somme battlefields looking at the role of the ‘Poilus’ – the French Army on the Somme. We see where the British and French units met up and look at the memorial which commemorates this.
Next, we cover the Pals battalions from Liverpool and Manchester who captured the village of Montauban, seeing their memorial.
We then learn about the ‘Horseshoe of Woods’ on the Somme, looking at the fighting for Bernafay and Trônes Wood, and the battle for the ground around Guillemont, seeing the memorial to the Irish troops who fought here.
Next, we travel to a unique part of the Somme battlefields at Rancourt where a British, a French and German cemetery from 1916 are all found in the same area – evidence of the losses of all these nations on the Somme.
Lunchtime is spent in Peronne, and in the afternoon we look at the role of South African troops at Delville Wood, visit the New Zealand Memorial near Flers, and travel via Bazentin to Mametz Wood, to learn more about the role of Welsh troops there in the battle of July 1916, seeing their Red Dragon memorial.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Key Visits
We go behind the lines on the Somme this morning to Louvencourt, to look at one of the classic stories of the First World War – the love story between Vera Brittain and Roland Leighton, immortalised in her book ‘Testament of Youth’, and ending with his tragic death.
We visit his grave at Louvencourt Cemetery, and then travel back to the front-line area, spending the rest of the morning exploring the battlefield around the famous Sunken Lane and Hawthorn Mine Crater at Beaumont-Hamel. Here, we see the battlefield, walk up to the crater, and visit the battlefield cemeteries.
We include lunch at the Ulster Tower and look at the Ulstermen’s attack here on 1st July 1916, before our included special guided visit into Thiepval Wood to see the preserved trenches and positions, as well as the battlefield cemeteries. We end at the Thiepval Memorial to look at the story of the Missing of the Somme.
This evening, we have an included evening meal at Le Tommy Bar at Pozières, where we also have time to examine the unique collection of military artefacts here as well as a recreated WW1 Trench System.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Key Visits
We cross the River Somme this morning and travel to some of the 1918 battlefields to visit the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery and Australian Memorial. Here we see the burial grounds from some of the final battles on the Somme, and on the walls of the memorial, Australia’s missing from the 1916 battles. We also have an included visit to the Sir John Monash Centre which examines Australia’s role on the Western Front, before having our lunch period at Corbie.
In the afternoon, we return to the main 1916 battlefield and follow the story of the Australians at Pozières and Canadians at Courcelette, including a visit to Regina Trench Cemetery.
We end at the Butte de Warlencourt, now a memorial site, where the Battle of the Somme came to a conclusion in a snowstorm in November 1916.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Key Visits
Return home.
Includes Breakfast
Got a question about
this holiday?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – our friendly team are ready and waiting to help with any further information you need!
Accommodation
Ibis Albert
The Ibis Albert hotel in France offers a relaxed stay, conveniently located just 2km from both the Albert train station and the Le Musée des Abris-Somme 1916. Guests can enjoy their comfortable rooms, featuring free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and en-suite bathrooms.
Hotel Facilities
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General
- 3 Star
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Restaurant
- Lift
Room
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Extra Pillows and Blankets
- Air Conditioning
- Non-Smoking Rooms Available
- Shower
- Free Wifi
Service
- Safe Box in Reception
- 24 Hour Front Desk
- Iron at Reception
- Dogs Allowed on Request
Accessibility
- Fridge Available for Medical Requirements
- Disabled Rooms Available
- Wheelchair Access
- Ground Floor Rooms on Request
Food & Drink
- Gluten Free Meals on Request
Hotel
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
Silver Service Coach
More than simply your method of transport, Silver Service offers a coach with added comfort and facilities, such as deluxe reclining seats with leather headrests, an onboard entertainment system, and a spacious rear lounge so you can socialise with your fellow passengers.
Silver Service Features
- Specially designed reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and extra legroom.
- A spacious rear lounge where you can relax, socialise and get to know your fellow passengers.
- Our onboard entertainment and satellite navigation system makes your journey fly by.
- Free personal headphones mean you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs being played by your crew.
- Personal tables so you can enjoy your refreshments in comfort as you take in the passing scenery.
Reviews
4.6 Out of 5 ( 21 Reviews )
Reviews
Quality
4.7 / 5
Value for Money
4.9 / 5
Antony Barr, 1 year ago
Excellent battlefield tour , mark Allen our guide was informative, passionate and a great people person . The 2 drivers were friendly, helpful. It was good that there was an evening meal and lunch included in our price . Hotel was clean , staff friendly, food excellent! The only thing that let me down was the feeder journey coming back once back in UK (coach 197). Every drop off where people needed a taxi to get home (or their actual drop off) was not there and so delayed the coach leaving , which made us late . We needed a change of driver from Beaconsfield and he in terms and where people get dropped off didn’t know what he was doing ..
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Christine Hey, 1 year ago
We had an excellent tour guide who was friendly and very knowledgeable. Our two coach drivers were very competent, helpful and willing. The hotel was comfortable and well situated for the tour. The tour content surpassed our expectations. The return journey in the UK was very long but that was out of the drivers hands really. The only request we would make is to flag up free ferry meal tickets BEFORE we bought food at Stop 25.
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Carl, 1 year ago
It was a really good trip. Very informative, the guide knew his material and drivers where professional.
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Wendy ogden, 1 year ago
Very good, value for money.
Verified, collected via Trustpilot
Joanne Lockwood, 2 years ago
The guide and coach drivers made this holiday... they were brilliant! They went over and beyond what I would expect of them and were so kind and helpful to those of us who were looking for loved ones from WW1. Andrew Thornton, our guide, gave us so much information that was 'just enough' but also interesting, even though it was a sombre subject. John and Anne-Marie our coach drivers, were fantastic... so much fun that we laughed all week.
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Departure Dates
Got a question about
this holiday?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – our friendly team are ready and waiting to help with any further information you need!
