The Ypres Salient was a bulge in the front line that curved around Ypres for most of the war. More than a million men were killed or wounded trying to gain control of this small patch of ground. On our two day Ypres Salient Private Tour you will explore the major Australian battle sites in the Ypres Salient where the Anzacs made history in 1917, including visits to Polygon Wood, Tyne Cot Cemetery, the Memorial Museum Passchendaele, In Flanders Fields Museum, Langemark German Cemetery, Talbot House and Menin Gate. Your expert Historian will bring the stories of courage and sacrifice to life.
FROM:
Lille to Ypres/Lille
DURATION:
2 Days
DATES:
Flexible dates
PRICE:
From $1284*pp, twin share
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Pick-up from Lille hotel or train station – Explore the Australian battlefields in the Salient and visit the graves of the two Australian soldiers who featured in Mat McLachlan’s documentary ‘Lost in Flanders’ – Visit Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 – Participation in the Last Post service at the Menin Gate
Day 2: Walking tour around the town of Ypres visiting key sites including Cloth Hall, St George’s Chapel, St Martin’s Cathedral, the Menin Gate and Ramparts Cemetery – Visit the In Flanders Fields Museum – Travel to Poperinge and visit Talbot House, the most well-known soldier’s club of the Great War
Full Itinerary (Click here)
Your Tour Includes (Click here)
Full Itinerary (Click here)
Ypres Salient Private Tour
Day 1, The Ypres Salient
Welcome to your battlefield tour. Your guide will meet you at your Lille hotel OR Lille Train Station at 9.30am to begin your Western Front tour. Today you will visit various destinations on the Ypres Salient, places where the Anzacs made history in 1917. The Ypres Salient was a bulge in the front line that curved around Ypres for most of the war. More than a million men were killed or wounded trying to gain control of this small patch of ground. You will visit the 5th Australian Division Memorial at Polygon Wood and see the graves of Private Hunter and Sergeant Calder, the two Australian soldiers who featured in Mat McLachlan’s documentary Lost in Flanders. Afterwards you will get a taste of the devastation caused by four years of continuous artillery fire at the cratered landscape of Hill 60, before visiting Tyne Cot, the world’s largest Commonwealth war cemetery. Tyne Cot sits in the heart of one of the most horrific battlefields of the war — Passchendaele. You will then visit the very interesting Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917. This museum combines the interactive design of a modern museum with the exceptional aspect of experiencing the Dugouts & Trenches. The museum section provides an overview of the five battles of Ypres, including the Battle of Passchendaele. Your final stop today before heading to your accommodation is at the German Cemetery at Langemarck, where you will learn about the men on the other side of the line. Between 1914 and 1918 the town of Ypres was the centre of four great battles, and was completely destroyed by shellfire. Today the rebuilt town is one of the iconic places on the Western Front. After checking into your hotel there will be time to relax before walking to the Menin Gate, where the names of 54,000 missing British and Commonwealth soldiers are recorded, for the moving Last Post ceremony. The Ypres fire brigade has performed this bugle ceremony every day and in all-weather since the memorial opened in 1927. The only interruption was during the four years of German occupation during the Second World War — the ceremony recommenced on the day the town was liberated.
STAR INCLUSIONS: Pick-up from Lille hotel or train station – Full day touring the Australian battlefields of the Salient – Visit the graves of Private Hunter and Sergeant Calder who featured in Mat McLachlan’s documentary ‘Lost in Flanders’ – Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 – Last Post service at the Menin Gate
Day 2, Ypres town
This morning after breakfast your historian will take you on a walking tour around the town, visiting key sights from the war such as the magnificent Cloth Hall, St George’s Chapel, St Martin’s Cathedral, the Menin Gate and Ramparts Cemetery. Next we will visit the outstanding In Flanders Fields Museum, a provocative collection of relics and displays that chronicles the fighting in Flanders and the personal stories of the people involved. Leaving Ypres we then travel to the town of Poperinge. During WWI the town was situated directly behind the front lines. It was a place where soldiers came to rest or to be medically taken care of. Whilst here we will visit Talbot House, the most well-known soldier’s club of the Great War. Besides a museum, visitors can enjoy a cup of tea in the canteen. The tour will then either return to Ypres where you may extend your tour or drop you to the town of Lille where you may catch a train or the Eurostar for your onward journey.
STAR INCLUSIONS: Morning walking tour of Ypres – In Flanders Fields Museum – Talbot House
Your Tour Includes (Click here)
Ypres Salient Private Tour
- Services of our expert WW1 Historian
- Two days fully escorted touring of the Australian battlefields
- 1 night’s accommodation in a central battlefield hotel with breakfast included
- All excursions, scenic drives and sightseeing as described in the itinerary
- All entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Visits to specific cemeteries and graves (if within tour area)
- Reference to period photos and maps carried by our Historians
- Travel by deluxe air-conditioned vehicle
- All tips to your Historian and Driver
- Copy of Mat McLachlan’s definitive guide to the Western Front, Walking with the Anzacs
- Souvenir cap and document wallet
How To Book
Ypres Salient Private Tour
Contact our reservations team on 1300 880 340 or click on the enquiry button below and leave your details.
Ask about our airfare, hotel and car hire deals, which offer great discounts when booked in conjunction with our tours.
Total Cost: $1284 per person, twin share, land only
Deposit: 30%
Single supplement: Please enquire for single passenger prices.
Full terms and conditions click here
Please note: Itineraries are subject to change due to operational reasons. In addition, your Historian may alter the sites visited on each day to suit local conditions. Any changes will be advised closer to the time of departure.
