WW2 Battlefields of the Ardennes

Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in Belgium for a four-night stay.

Today we look at the German advance through the Ardennes in May 1940, starting with the Battle of the Gembloux Gap, the largest tank battle of that period of the war. We see where the fighting took place and visit the superb Souvenir Museum at Perwez, with its incredible private collection of WW2 material.

After lunch in Dinant, we continue to follow the route of the German Panzers, looking at the battle around Haut le Wastia and seeing the excellent 1940 Museum here.

Key Visits

Dinant Gembloux Gap Musée Souvenir Musée Remembrance 1940, Haut le Wastia

We start around Bastogne today, looking at the defence of these positions in December 1944 by the American Airborne. We see the areas they defended and attacked from around Foy and Recogne, and one of the tank turret memorials and the memorial to General Patton in the town.

After lunchtime in central Bastogne, we travel into Luxembourg, the southern sector of the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, and visit the incredible Military Museum at Diekirch covering the fighting in 1944/45. We then see the Memorials to General George S. Patton at Ettelbruck, finishing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery, with more than 5,000 burials of men who died in the Ardennes battles and also the grave of Patton himself.

Key Visits

Recogne German War Cemetery Sherman Tank at Bastogne Foy National Museum Diekirch Luxembourg American Cemetery

Today we examine Operation Wacht am Rhein, the final German Offensive in the west in 1944. We visit the Ardennes American Cemetery with more than 5,300 burials, and then look at the fighting around Manhay, seeing the Manhay 44 Museum, a Panther tank at Grandmenil and a Sherman at Beffe.

After lunch, we look at the British involvement in the Battle of the Bulge, seeing Hotton War Cemetery, the moving chapel at the site of the Bande Massacre, discovered by British Airborne soldiers, and the ground near Bure where 6th Airborne Division and British armour fought in early 1945.

Key Visits

Hotton War Cemetery Panther Tank at Grandmenil Beffe Sherman Tank Ardennes American Cemetery Manhay 44 Museum Bande Massacre Memorial Bure Battlefield

Return home.