Special Offer
Lille, Flanders & the Somme
5 Days from£575
per personTake advantage of our latest saving of up to £30 per person when booking on or before 31/10/2018.
The Award Winning Leader in Escorted Worldwide Rail Holidays
Take advantage of our latest saving of up to £30 per person when booking on or before 31/10/2018.
You are viewing the 2019 itinerary
Itineraries and pricing may vary by departure year
A short rail journey to Lille takes us close to the Battlefields of Ypres and the Somme, two of the most infamous and iconic sites of the First World War. We also explore the fascinating city of Lille on a guided tour which includes a traditional beer and waffle tasting.
Our tour begins at our dedicated Departure Office at St Pancras International, where we meet our Tour Manager, a specialist in battlefields history, and board the Eurostar to Lille. On arrival we transfer to the Novotel Lille Centre for a four-night stay.
Our excursion today takes us by coach to the Ypres area, the centre of intense fighting. During our time in the area we visit Poperinge - the most important town behind the lines. Here we visit Talbot House. Known as 'Toc H', Talbot House was somewhere for soldiers to use as a retreat - an 'everyman's club' - where rank had no relevance. We then visit Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery, and Langemark, the last resting place of 44,000 German soldiers.
We continue to Ypres, a city which was nearly destroyed by the four years of fighting but is now remarkably restored to its former glory. Here we visit the Cloth Hall to explore the insightful 'In Flanders Fields' Museum. After free time to explore Ypres, we meet up this evening to walk to the Menin Gate - the famous 'Memorial to the Missing' - and witness the moving Last Post ceremony.
This morning we are joined by a local guide for a walking tour of delightful Lille. During the tour we pass some of the city's main sights, including the 15th century Palais Rihour, the Grand Place and the Notre Dame Cathedral. We also enjoy a tasting of two of Lille's local specialities: beer and waffles. Your afternoon and evening are then at leisure to continue exploring.
We travel by coach to the immense Lochnagar Crater, formed by an exploding mine. We continue to Thiepval, a striking memorial dedicated to the missing of the Somme. Our next visit, on our return towards Lille, is to Vimy Ridge then we continue to the Australian cemetery and VC Corner in nearby Fromelles. Tonight we sit down to a farewell meal before making the journey back to England tomorrow.
After a morning at leisure, this afternoon we take the Eurostar back to London.
Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.
An escorted experience and all travel arrangements
Comfortable accommodation in your destination
Delicious meals included
Exciting excursions and free time to explore
Enhancing your tour
This tour may be suitable for reduced mobility passengers, please call for further information.
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 11 verified reviews
Well organised . Well look after
Brilliant guide well planned tour
Well organised from start to finish
An excellent itinerary coupled with an experienced and very knowledgeable Tour Manager.
Very well organised, very informative
Wonderfully organised Superb guide John Elder. Excellent hotel in Lille. The trip was well paced with 2 long days of tours with a walking tour of Lille and free time between the two. Excellent guide on the Lille walking tour. Cannot fault the experience.
Enjoyed it, usual high standard from GRJ.
All down to the Tour Guide/Tour Manager - John Hamill was first class throughout. The hotel was well located and of a good standard.
The holiday season was a true experience Everybody on the trip were social and the tour guide brought the scenery to life A trip that will remain with me for the rest of my life
The staff at St.Pancras were excellent. The Tour was planned with an excellent tour manager and coach driver who both went the extra mile to ensure that our visits were enjoyable. Piers, the guide, helped me to fulfill a promise made several years ago, and that was to lay a wreath on my uncles grave. Once again many thanks to the tour manager and driver.
An emotive trip across Europe's Battlefields
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