WW1 Somme Battlefields - Private tour from Paris aboard a Van (2 pax)

Overview

Visit to the WW1 Somme Battefields main sites from Paris (Including Lochnagar crater, Thiepval, the Newfoundland Memorial Park, Delville Wood and the South African National Memorial). Travel with your own group of passengers (2 travellers) aboard a Private Air- conditioning Minivan. See the huge landmine « Lochnagar Crater » in La Boisselle. Walk along the last preserved WW1 original trenches at Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park. Discover inside the Thiepval museum the gallery devoted to the "Battle of the Somme" opens onto a panoramic mural by illustrator Joe Sacco. it depicts the harrowing day of 1 July 1916, hour after hour. Reproduced onto 60 metres of back-lit glass, it provides a panoramic view of the battlefield, a graphic narrative of military operations. Pay your respect to the fallen soldiers at the South African National Memorial located in the heart of "Delville Wood". Browse thousands of war-objects collected and displayed at the Historial of Peronne.

What's included

• ✓Private transportation
• ✓Air-conditioned vehicle
• ✓Driver Guide
• ✓Admission to the Historial of the Great War Museum in Péronne
• ✓Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off in the following listed Paris districts only: 75008, 75007 and 75016

• ✕Lunch
• ✕Gratuities (optional)

What you'll do

1. 1

   Impressives sites such as the huge mine crater in « La Boisselle » detonated by the british tunneling companies in July 01th 1916. The Lochnagar Crater was created by a large mine placed beneath the German front lines on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, it was one of 19 mines that were placed beneath the German lines from the British section of the Somme front, to assist the infantry advance at the start of the battle. The British named the mine after ‘Lochnagar Street’, a British trench where the Tunnelling Companies of the Royal Engineers dug a shaft down about 90 feet deep into the chalk; then excavated some 300 yards towards the German lines to place 60,000 lbs (27 tons) of ammonal explosive in two large adjacent underground chambers 60 feet apart. Its aim was to destroy a formidable strongpoint called « Schwaben Höhe » in the German front line, south of the village of La Boisselle in the Somme département.

   ⏱ 10 min
2. 2

   The Ulster Memorial Tower stands on what was the German front line during the Battle of the Somme, July to November 1916. It was erected on the site of the Schwaben Redoubt, a strongly fortified position, which the Ulster Division eventually captured from the enemy. It is opposite Thiepval Wood from where the 36th (Ulster) Division made its historic charge on the 1st July 1916, and is in close proximity to the village of Thiepval.

   ⏱ 30 min
3. 3

   At the entrance a large animated map, enriched with period photographs and film, shows the impact that the battles of the First World War had on the Somme. The gallery devoted to the Battle of the Somme opens onto a panoramic mural by illustrator Joe Sacco; it depicts the harrowing day of 1 July 1916, hour after hour. Reproduced onto 60 metres of back-lit glass, it provides a panoramic view of the battlefield, a graphic narrative of military operations. In the centre of the hall, a vast display pit covered by glass presents collection pieces and archaeological remains of the war. Short videos provide complementary information about the mural: commentary on the scenes presented, historical information, archive footage, and educational animations. At the end of the hall, a Maxim machine gun captured by a British regiment at Thiepval reminds visitors of how heavily the Germans defended this location: Thiepval ridge was an Allied objective of the 1 July 1916; it was not taken until the end of September. Opposing the multitude of Missing, the exhibition examines the creation of great heroic figures. This large hall presents a life-size replica of the aeroplane belonging to Georges Guynemer and portraits of First World War aviators. From 1916, the role of aviation in war had affirmed itself, encouraging the advent of great heroic figures. Individual heroes, like the “Knights of the Sky”, emerged in the face of the continuing death of the masses.

Availability & pricing

Pick your exact date & check live availability on the booking page.

Good to know

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.