Anzacs in France (1916 – 1918)
Visiting the Western Front Battlefields
Transport
The easiest way to visit Australian battlefield sites is by car, though some of the longer distances could be covered by train.
Travelling to Northern France and Belgium:
By air and TGV
If you arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris you can catch a high speed train (TGV) from the airport itself and arrive at Haute Picardie TGV station (Péronne), where you can hire a car and visit the Australian sites. Alternatively, you can catch a TGV from Paris Gare du Nord to Arras or Lille.
If you travel by train from the UK you can catch the Eurostar from London St Pancras to either Lille or Paris Gare du Nord: www.eurostar.com
If you travel by train from Brussels you can catch the Thalys train to Lille or Paris Gare du Nord: www.thalys.com
If you travel from Paris you can catch the Corail train to Amiens
Please refer to the French rail service website for fares and timetable www.sncf.com
By car:
From Paris
Take the A86/A15/A16 to Amiens, Villers-Bretonneux, Corbie, Albert and Péronne
Take the A1 to Péronne,Arras or Lille
If you start your visit from Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium, you can reach France on the A17 or the N365.
Accommodation
There are many accommodation options in the main cities and town along the Western Front (i.e. Amiens, Ypres, Lille, Arras, Albert, Péronne and Corbie): there’s a wide range of accommodation (hotels of all categories,hostels and bed and breakfasts).
These websites may help you find the most suitable solution:
www.tourisme-nordpasdecalais.fr
www.picardietourisme.com
www.somme-tourisme.com
www.anzac-france.com
If you plan to visit the battlefields around Anzac Day, we strongly recommend to book your accommodation well in advance.
Tourism offices
Office du Tourisme Amiens
40 place Notre Dame, 80010 Amiens
www.amiens-tourisme.com
Office du Tourisme de Ypres
Grote Markt 34
B-8900 Ypres
http://www.toerisme-ieper.be/fr/home.html
Office du Tourisme de Lille
Place Rihour
BP 205
59002 LILLE Cedex
www.lilletourism.com
Office de Tourisme d’Arras
Rue Jacques Le Caron
62000 Arras
www.ot-arras.fr
Office du Tourisme du Pays du Coquelicot
9, rue Gambetta 80300 Albert
www.tourisme-albert.net
www.paysducoquelicot.com
Office du Tourisme de la Haute-Somme
16, place André Audinot 80200 Péronne cedex
www.hautesomme-tourisme.com
Office du Tourisme de Corbie Bocage 3 Vallées
30 Place République 80800 Corbie
officetourismecorbie.80@ wanadoo.fr
War Memorials and Museums
Historial de la Grande Guerre
Château de Péronne 80201 Péronne cedex
Tél. : +33 (0)3 22 83 14 18
[email protected]
www.historial.org
Musée Somme 1916
Rue Anicet Godin 80300 Albert
Tél. : +33 (0)03 22 75 16 17
[email protected]
www.musee-somme-1916.eu
Franco-Australian Museum
9, rue Victoria 80800 Villers-Bretonneux
www.museeaustralien.com
Musée Jean et Denise Letaille
1 rue d’Arras, Bullecourt
Visits on request: +33 3 21 48 92 46
Association pour le Souvenir de la Bataille de Fromelles
Open on the second Sunday of every month (April to December) 9 -12 and 2 – 7 pm.
Closed in August. Group visits on request.
www.asbf14-18.org
La Carrière Wellington
Rue Delétoille 62000 Arras
Tél: +33 (0)3 21 51 26 95
Fax : +33 (0)3 21 71 07 34
[email protected]
www.carriere-wellington.com
Guided tours in France
List of Tour Operators (.pdf)
List of English speaking guides
There is a long list of tour operators based in Australia, which can be found typing simple keywords in any search engine (i.e. anzac+france+tours)
Further information
www.anzac-france.com
www.somme-battlefields.com
www.somme14-18.com
www.awm.gov.au
www.cwgc.org
www.ww1westernfront.gov.au
www.museeaustralien.com
www.anzacsite.gov.au
www.awm.gov.au
www.australiansatwar.gov.au
www.australiansatwarfilmarchive.gov.au/aawfa