Once the site of some of the bloodiest and deadliest battles of World War Two, the now quiet northern beaches and hills of France sit under peaceful blue skies.
For history-buffs, a battlefield tour is the ultimate experience, and Europe of course has much to offer, with memorials, museums and cemeteries providing an emotional testament to the Allied Soldiers of WWII who selflessly sacrificed their lives.
The Western Front battlefield tours are a moving journey of recognition, remembrance and respect as you visit sites of global significance.
For over twenty years, Back-Roads Touring has provided fascinating and illuminating tours of the both WW1 and WW2, where you can pay your respect and give thanks to all those who have fallen in the name of peace.
Back-Roads tour guides are experts in history with unparalleled knowledge in both wars as well as the lands they visit. Their passion for keeping history alive is delivered in a respectful and informative way, going above and beyond to deliver a personalised and memorable experience.
Tours are most rewarding when you’re able to make a deep and personal connection with soldiers who fought and fell at the very place you stand.
If you are planning your visit to commemorate a fallen family member, if indicated at the time of booking, the Back-Roads tour leaders will make every effort to locate their grave, search the battalion records and piece together their last movements on the battlefield at no extra cost. If your family member’s cemetery is not included on the tour, Back-Roads, where able to, will happily include on the tour.
Tracing the footsteps of ANZACs through now infamous locations of both First and Second World Wars is a centre piece of any battlefield tour.
The D-Day Battles of France tell the enthralling story of Normandy Beaches. History books come alive as you tour from Merville Battery to Pegasus Bridge, and Mulberry Harbour to the church steeple of Sainte-Mère- Église.
Experience firsthand how the soldiers lived and survived along the Vimy Ridge trenches tour and listen to the moving Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate in Ypres. The tribute to the fallen has been played over 30,000 times since it began fin 1928, providing a memorable act of remembrance.
Time is spent visiting cemeteries’, memorials and monuments dedicated to the fallen soldiers. Pheasant Wood Cemetery is where 250 British and Australian troops, whom died during the Battle of Fromelles, have been laid to rest.
Visits include stops at the large ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission Military Cemetery’ at Tyne Cot, as well as the ‘Australian Corps Memorial Park’. American war graves can be visited at the American Normandy Cemetery.
Take part in the annual ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux, where Australians, New Zealanders and locals alike gather to commemorate the liberation of the village in 1918, by Australian and Commonwealth soldiers on the anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings.
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What to expect on a Back-Roads battlefield tour
With no more than 18 people on any one tour, the itinerary can be tailored to suit everyone’s personal journey of discovery. The mini-coach is able to explore the smaller, narrow streets that are inaccessible to the larger tourist coaches, taking you off-the-beaten-path.
Focussing on an immersed experience, filled with local and authentic experiences, the leisure paced itineraries will appeal to the traveller wanting to truly experience a destination.
Two battlefield tours we recommend
*For the most up-to-date pricing, inclusions and itinerary, visit Back-Roads here.
WW1 Battlefields
This introductory tour allows visitors to see the major areas of British and Commonwealth involvement across the Western Front. Most importantly, the tour offers flexibility to ensure that visitors from all countries will see the memorials to their country’s fallen, as well as gaining a greater understanding of the overall conduct and strategy of the war.
Tour Inclusions:
- 5 nights in boutique accommodation
- Experienced Back-Roads Tour Leader/Driver
- Premium mini-coach transportation
- Daily European-style breakfasts (B), 2 evening meals (D)
- Entrance included to: Ulster Tower Memorial & Visitor Centre, Canadian Memorial Park, Newfoundland Park, Memorial to the Missing, Victoria School & Adelaide Cemetery, John McCrae’s Dressing Station at Essex Farm, German Cemetery at Langemarck, Vancouver Corner, Commonwealth Cemetery, Last Post Ceremony, Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial
ANZAC on the Western Front with Dawn Ceremony
The Australian War Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux commemorates the battle on the 24th and 25th April 1918, when Australian and Commonwealth Soldiers liberated the town. In front lies the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other Commonwealth soldiers, and since 2008 it has been the site of the special ANZAC Day dawn service.
Experience this unique event on a seven-day ANZAC tour and join fellow countrymen and local townspeople to remember those who fought during the Great War at one its most poignant sites.
Tour inclusions:
- 6 nights’ accommodation in boutique hotels
- Specialist battlefield driver/tour leader
- Luxury mini-coach transportation
- European breakfast daily (B)
- Two evening meals (D)
- Entrance fee included to: Hooge Crater Trenches, Hooge Museum Ypres, Wellington Tunnels, the Franco-Australian Museum and Fromelles Visitor Centre.
