Australian Battlefields Tour from Arras: Flanders & Fromelles

Stand where Australian soldiers fought across the Ypres Salient, from Fromelles to Passchendaele

This nine-hour guided tour from Arras traces Australian World War I history across Flanders and Fromelles, visiting five cemeteries and memorials including Tyne Cot (the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's largest cemetery), VC Corner (France's only exclusively Australian WWI cemetery), and the Menin Gate in Ypres. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Arras, lunch, and an air-conditioned minivan are included. The tour ends at the Menin Gate for the daily Last Post ceremony.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery30m
2. Hill 6045m
3. Memorial Museum Passchendaele 19171h · entry included
4. Tyne Cot Cemetery30m
5. Menin Gate Memorial1h

Explore WWI Australian battlefields

• Visit Fromelles museum
• Stand at Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery
• Visit exclusive Australian cemetery in France
• See another cemetery with Australian burials
• Pass through Armentières pub site
• Visit major Ypres Salient memorial
• Stand at Australian attack ridge site
• See Hill 60 crater and tunneling memorial
• Stand on German front line
• Visit Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917
• See Tyne Cot Cemetery and memorial
• Explore Ypres main square and free time
• Attend Last Post at Menin Gate
• See 5th Australian Division and NZ Memorial

The experience

You start from your Arras hotel and spend the day moving through the sites where Australian battalions fought and fell. The route takes you to Fromelles first, where you visit the museum dedicated to the battle of July 1916, then stand in Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery where 250 Australian soldiers are buried. From there the tour moves through the Ypres Salient (the ridge of high ground that shaped the entire campaign) stopping at VC Corner Cemetery, Hill 60 (where you see the Caterpillar Mine Crater and the memorial to the 1st Australian Tunneling Company), and the positions where Australians attacked in June 1917.

The Passchendaele Memorial Museum sits at the heart of the day, offering context for the landscape you've been moving through. Tyne Cot Cemetery comes next: the CWGC's largest burial ground, with over 11,900 graves visible from the memorial platform. You then have free time in Ypres town itself (the Cloth Hall, the Cathedral, and the main square) before the tour ends under the Menin Gate for the Last Post ceremony, a daily tribute to the fallen that happens at dusk. Your guide drives you back to Arras afterward.

The minivan holds a small group, and the guide speaks English, French or Dutch depending on the booking. Lunch and bottled water are provided during the day. A minimum of two people per booking applies. Families with infants can arrange specialized seats in advance.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Arras.
• transport in an air-conditioned minivan.
• a guide speaking English, French or Dutch.
• lunch and bottled water throughout the day.
• entry to the Fromelles museum and the Passchendaele Memorial Museum.
• and attendance at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 6 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ploegsteert Sector Battlefield Experience

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, French or Dutch. Book the language that matches your group so the commentary on each site reaches everyone clearly. Small groups stay under the minivan's capacity, making this suited to families, pairs and groups of friends traveling together from Arras.

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French and Dutch.

What is Tyne Cot Cemetery and why is it on this tour?

Tyne Cot Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's largest cemetery, holding over 11,900 graves, and sits on the ridge where Australian forces fought during the Passchendaele campaign. The tour visits the cemetery and its memorial platform, which overlooks the ground where the battles took place.

Does the tour include the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony?

Yes. The tour ends at the Menin Gate in Ypres, timed for the daily Last Post ceremony: a tribute played every evening at dusk. After the service, your guide drives you back to Arras.

What happened at Fromelles and why does the tour start there?

Fromelles was the site of a major Australian battle on 19–20 July 1916. The tour begins with a visit to the Fromelles museum to learn the battle's history, then moves to Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery, where 250 Australian soldiers from that engagement are buried.

How long is the tour and what does it include?

The tour runs nine hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Arras, transport in an air-conditioned minivan, lunch, bottled water, and a guide who speaks English, French or Dutch. The route covers five cemeteries and memorials, the Passchendaele museum, and free time in Ypres town.

Is there time to explore Ypres during the tour?

Yes. Before the Menin Gate ceremony, you have free time in Ypres to walk the main square, see the Cloth Hall and Cathedral, and explore the town at your own pace.

What is VC Corner Cemetery and why is it significant?

VC Corner Cemetery is France's only exclusively Australian World War I cemetery. The tour visits this site as part of the route through the Ypres Salient, where Australian forces sustained heavy casualties across multiple campaigns.