Private Full Day Tour of the Somme Battlefields
Description
Starting in the beautiful towns of Arras or Albert we head to the notorious battlefield of the 1916 Somme offensive. From trenches to memorials we will guide you through the planning and execution of this infamous campaign. We only operate private tours, this will be your tour and adapted as necessary to meet your needs during the time. If you have any special sites, such as areas that involved your relatives, please ask as we are keen to adapt the tour specifically for you. With our years of living and working on these iconic sites we aim to ensure you leave with memories of the sacrifice of a generation. Given suitable notice time we are able to research and prepare a bespoke tour to cover an individual soldier or unit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the preserved trenches and the ground across which the Newfoundland Regiment bravely fought on the 1st July 1916.
Your tour takes in the largest memorial in the world to the missing of the British Army, followed by time in the visitor centre.
Unlock more of the story of the Battle of the Somme as you walk around this scarred landscape.
Stand on the ground where Geoffrey Malins filmed the iconic image of the blowing of Hawthorn Ridge mine.
Visit one of the more out of the way cemeteries on the Somme and learn about lots of aspects of the war through the stories of the men here.
Visit one of the German cemeteries on the Somme and learn about of those from the other side of the wire.
At this site discover the story of the South African Brigade and their actions here in July 1916.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Unless at a pre arranged location the pick up point is outside Arras or Albert train stations which are easily accessible from Paris/Lille/Amiens
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Travel time and Lunch stop are included in the tour duration.
Reviews(31)
Very knowledgeable and well thought out tour. Made sure we got to see all the sites we wanted to see
Thank you for taking the time to give feedback, much appreciated
Fantastic day. Saw so much. Would not have been able to get to see as many places on our own. Very well organised.
Thank you so much for the kind feeback
Jon is a wealth of knowledge & bonus he is a history major! He made the Somme come alive with an overview of the allied & German lines with sites we visited- a fantastic map. The sites really told the story of the July 1, 1916 battle. We could imagine & visualize movement & the massive losses. Standing near trenches, craters, fields where the battle was fought & cemeteries was profoundly moving! Do yourself a huge favor & book the personal tour it is worth every moment! Thank you Jon
Thank you so much for the comments, we really do appreciate it
Our experience with Jon and Alison began weeks before the date itself. They were incredibly attentive to catering the itinerary to our wishes and delivered a perfect tour. On the day from collection to drop off Jon’s knowledge was nothing short of encyclopaedic. Every question, site, monument, and even several graves were covered in immense detail. The tour itself had a well balanced itinerary of battlefields, cemeteries, monuments, and other sites and that kept the tour exciting. We never once felt rushed and had ample time to explore and ask questions. We came to the region specifically to see these battlefields and Jon truly brought them to life. Thank you and best of luck with your book!
Thank you so much for writing a fantastic review. So glad you enjoyed your Jon
Alison was so knowledgable she really made our day with her an experience to remember. Having booked the tour, Alison contacted us beforehand to arrange the pick up point and also asking us if we had any particular sites that we wished to see or soldier(s) that we wanted to find/know more about. She brought the first day of the Somme battle to life (pun not intended!). There is no way we would have learned as much if we had self conducted our tour - she basically joined up the dots for us. Thank you Alison - we hope we can have another day with you sometime.
Thank you and I hope to see you again for a future tour. It is nice to receive such kind reviews but I also know how lucky I am because I get spend my time with so many lovely people All the best Alison
An intimate and in-depth experience of the Somme Battlefield, we about about the main actions of the battle from 1st July through to November 1916. The familiar and the more obscure aspects of the battle were explained in an accessible way with all sides represented. Particular highlights were Y Ravine and the Windmill, and gettingto grips with a genuine Lee Enfield rifle at the Ulster Tower during our lunch stop. We also had a lively discussion about many aspects of the battle and the war in general, including opinions on Haig, Rollinson, Falkenhayn and the other commanders and the critical role the battle played in terms of tactical learning later in the war. Alison was a patient, knowledgeable and flexible guide. She tailored our tour to our specific requests and was willing to make on the spot changes to the schedule (Visiting Y Ravine because I had just read about it for example). Absolutely fantastic experience and well worth the price. I am even recommending Alison to my son's school for possible future trips. Thank you so much for our day. I'm glad we found you as our guide.
It was lovely to meet you all and so glad the tour worked out the way you wanted. Thanks for these very kind words All the best Alison
Allison was extremely warm and welcoming. Her knowledge and passion was evident throughout the entire tour. It was an amazing experience, one I highly recommend.
Thank you so much for this kind review and recommendation All the best Alison
The main purpose of this trip was to visit my great grandfathers grave in Vaulx Hill. Alison and Jon offered a personalised and well researched tour, focusing first on my great grandfather, then describing the battles from that point on. We visited many significant sites between Bapaume and Amiens. Jon’s knowledge and passion exceeded our expectations. The visit to the John Monash Centre complimented everything Jon had shared with us. Our train was delayed, and Alison and Jon were totally flexible and accommodating. We highly recommend this tour.
Thank you for this fabulous review both Jon and I really appreciate it. We are always grateful to be receive feedback to know that we are giving the tour we aim to achieve All the best Alison
Alison was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable, passionate about the subject and a mine of useful tidbits. We really enjoyed the day, thoroughly worthwhile.
Thank you for this kind review, always much appreciated All the best Alison
The guide was excellent. He took us to places where we would never be able find on our own. It is a must see tour.
A big thank you from us both for this lovely review Alison
