Arras tours

One day tour

• The National Necropolis of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is the biggest French military cemetery and the final resting place of 42,000 French soldiers who died during the First World War on the battlefields of Artois and Flanders.  Only a 25 minute drive from Arras, the high point of the hump-backed ridge stands 165 metres high and – with Vimy Ridge – utterly dominates the otherwise flat Douai plain and the town of Arras. Spend at least an hour.
• The Canadian National Vimy Memorial & Visitor Education Centre is 15 minutes away. This memorial commemorates 205 Highlanders who have no known grave. Plan on spending at least 4 hours if you take the recommended tour of the tunnels. The Vimy Foundation has created mobile apps that contain extensive information about the battle of Vimy Ridge and the Memorial itself. A web based version of the app contains links to download the app and is a must see before you visit. The app will let you scan the individual names on the Memorial and see photos and other information about each soldier.
• La Targette British Cemetery is only a 10 minute drive away from Vimy Ridge. It is the resting place of two Highlanders and the cemetery from which the “unknown soldier” was taken to rest in  Ottawa.
• Visit the ruins of the Abbe Mont St Eloi – a 10 minute drive away. When WW1 began, the towers were used by French troops to observe German positions on Lorette Spur and Vimy Ridge.
• Maison Blanche German Military Cemetery is a 10 minute drive from Mont St Eloi. It is the largest German Military Cemetery in France with 44,533 burials. Another UNESCO World Heritage site. Spend at least 45 minutes here.
• Nine Elms Military Cemetery, where 75 Highlanders rest, is only 10 minutes away. This was the second location of the Vimy Cross in our museum.
• A 5 minute drive from Nine Elms Cemetery will take you to the town of Écurie where you find the 15^th Battalion Vimy Ridge Memorial in the shape of the original cross. Spend 15 minutes.
• Drive 20 minutes to see the 15^th Battalion Hill 70 Memorial.
• A five minute drive will take you to the famous Canadian Corps Hill 70 Memorial and the nearby Loos British Cemetery in which a single Highlander rests.

2 day tour

• 30 minutes South East of Arras is the 15^th Battalion Crow’s Nest Memorial. The best location from which to view the Crow’s Nest and to appreciate its strategic position is at Upton Wood Cemetery looking towards our memorial. Pte Hellinger is the only15th Battalion man buried in Upton Wood cemetery.
• In the Dominion Cemetery lie 47 Highlanders. It’s only a 5 minute drive from the Crow’s Nest.
• A 15 minute drive will take you to the 15^th Battalion Canal du Nord Memorial in Marquion
• The Quarry Cemetery is the resting place of 10 Highlanders. This must see beautiful cemetery is only 2 minutes drive from the Memorial.
• Vis-en-Artois Cemetery is 15 minutes from Marquion. Three Highlanders rest here.
• The Wellington Tunnels are in Arras. Allow 1 ½ hours.

3 day tour

The features listed below are in the Somme battlefield area close to the A1 Route that starts in Paris and runs close to Arras. For this reason you may wish to visit these locations on your way to or from Paris.

• Courcelette Canadian Memorial, 15th Battalion Thiepval Ridge Memorial , Courcelette British Cemetery in which 24 Highlanders lie, and Regina Trench Cemetery (three Highlanders)
• Beaumont Hamel, Newfoundland memorial. Stay at least 1½ hours.)
• Ulster Tower. Map reference is HERE.
• The Thiepval Memorial commemorates “the Missing of the Somme”: more than 72,000 British and South African soldiers who were killed in the region between 1915 and 1918 but have no known grave. It also serves as a monument to the alliance of France and the British Empire.
• Mouquet farm.  Battle of Pozières Ridge (now referred to as “Fighting for Mouquet Farm”) is one of the battle honours awarded to the 15th Battalion. There is not much to see at Mouquet Farm other than the Australian Imperial Force Mouquet Farm Memorial.
• Two kilometers down the road and just outside of the village of Pozières is the 1st Australian Division Memorial. Across the road is the Panorama Bataille de la Somme.
• Pozières British Cemetery (2 Highlanders) is less than a kilometre down the road.
• A four minute drive will take you to La Boisselle Locknagar crater Map location is HERE.