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Itinerary
Day 1 Ypres Fromelles VC Corner Messines Passchendaele Ypres
Pick up in Ypres at 8.30am and travel towards Fromelles where Australian troops saw their first action in Europe. You will see the Museum of the Battle of Fromelles explaining how the remains of 250 British and Australian soldiers were found, exhumed and buried.
Visit the only exclusively Australian Cemetery in France, VC Corner Cemetery, and the Australian Memorial Park. Stop at Rue Pétillon Cemetery where many Australians killed in July 1916 were laid to rest. Driving through Armentières and Ploegsteert towards Messines, see the Christmas Truce Memorial, the New Zealand Memorial, the Irish Tower, the 11th century crypt and the local visitor Centre.
After lunch, drive to Langemark to see the German Cemetery containing more than 45,000 burials and stand at Essex Farm where John McRae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields”.
In Zonnebeke visit what is known as the best WW1 museum in Belgium, Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917. Stand in Tyne Cot, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in the world with 12,000 burials, and its Memorial to the Missing bearing the names of over 25,000 soldiers. See the village of Passchendaele.
Final stops for the day before returning to Ypres is the Polygon Wood and the 5th Australian Division’s Memorial where the dawn service happens on ANZAC Day. You will also have the opportunity to visit the nearby "Brothers in Arms" Memorial.
On return to Ypres, you are on your own to walk around the town, see the main square, the Cloth Hall, the cathedral and enjoy some free time before attending the Last Post at the Menin Gate.
Overnight stay at the Ariane Hotel in a Prestige Double Room.
Note: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has started a 2 year restoration project of the Menin Gate. The Menin Gate Memorial will not be fully accessible to visitors during renovations. Scaffolding will cover the Memorial and the name panels entirely. The scaffold covering features one of the original pencil sketches of the Menin Gate by Sir Reginald Blomfield. The drawing is believed to date to 1921.
The daily Last Post service at 8pm will still take place but its location will be moved to an alternative location near the Menin Gate, usually on the bridge in front of the Menin Gate.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Information Centre is in the centre of town, just a stone’s throw from the iconic Menin Gate. You can drop in and visit the friendly team who can help you find out more about CWGC’s local sites, undertake research on the CWGC database or answer questions you may have about their work. It is open until 9pm. It is here that you can also take advantage of a digital search application if you are looking for a particular section of the name panels on the Menin Gate.
Day 2 Ypres Bayernwald Kemmel Poperinge Lijssenthoek Ypres
Departing after breakfast at 9.00am, visit Hill 60, the Caterpillar Crater, the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company Memorial and some destroyed bunkers. Then on to Bayernwald, a set of German second line trenches in the sector of Wijschate. The site consists of two mine galleries, a mine shaft, a trench system and five bunkers. It is accessed via a footpath which passes through the restored network of trenches.
Next, move on to Kemmel and stand at the Spanbroekmolen Crater, also known as the "Lone Tree Crater" and the "Pool of Peace", one of the remains of the Battle of Messines. Stop at the American Memorial of Kemmel and visit the Lettenberg Bunkers. Stand at the French Ossuary and the Angel on Kemmel Ridge.
After lunch, visit Talbot House in Poperinge, “The Every Man’s Club”,a quiet place where soldiers could go to have a cup of tea or relax in the garden. Then, see the old Death Cells in the Town Hall. A sobering reminder of fate faced by many so-called ‘deserters’ during the Great War.
Stop at Lijssenthoek, the location of a field hospital from 1915 until 1920, See the visitor centre and the cemetery containing 10,000 burials. See the grave of Nelly Spindler, a staff nurse buried with full military honours, and the only woman buried in this cemetery.
On the road back to Ypres, where your tour ends, we'll visit the Chinese Memorial.
Accommodation
Ariane Hotel
Upgrade availableYpres
So quietly located and yet so close to the town centre. Nestled between the historic streets of Ypres, this family run 4-star hotel with 62 rooms, boasts every comfort to make you feel at home. The hotel rises modestly above the spacious gardens, creating a feeling of tranquillity and comfort.
The Menin Gate and the Cloth Hall are just a 5-10 mins walk away. Ariane’s excellent restaurant serves mostly Belgian delicacies using daily fresh seasonal products is popular with locals and guests alike.
Room Upgrades
Superior Double (Twin excluded)
Do you prefer a bit more space in your room? The Superior Rooms rooms are larger , have a sitting area and more cupboard space. Room facilities include: Air Conditioning, ensuite bathroom with walk in shower and bath, flatscreen tv, tea-and coffee facilities,free wifi, safe, sitting area and ironing facilities.
Prices are dynamic based on travel dates. Please proceed to Book Now or Contact Us for details.