Vimy Ridge & Arras Battlefields: Private WW1 Tour from Arras

Vimy Ridge holds a major Canadian Memorial on the Western Front, built over preserved trenches and tunnels from the battle.

A private, eight-hour tour of the Vimy Ridge and Arras battlefields in northern France, departing from Arras with a certified WW1 guide. You visit the Canadian Memorial at Vimy, walk the preserved trenches and tunnels, see the German war cemetery at Neuville Saint Vaast holding 44,000 soldiers, tour the CWGC Experience visitor center, and end at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, France's largest national necropolis with 20,000 graves. The guide customizes the itinerary to follow specific family connections or sites of personal interest.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Vimy2h
2. Notre Dame de Lorette30m · entry included

Visit Vimy Ridge and WW1 Battlefields

• Visit Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial
• Explore preserved trenches and tunnels
• Visit Neuville Saint Vaast German war cemetery
• Free time for lunch
• Visit CWGC Experience visitor attraction
• Pass Mont Saint-Eloi abbey observation post
• Visit The Ring of Remembrance memorial
• Visit Notre-Dame-de-Lorette national necropolis

The experience

Eight hours gives you time to move through the major sites without rushing. You start at Vimy Ridge, where the Canadian Corps captured the position in 1917: a turning point that left nearly 11,000 Canadian soldiers with no known grave, now commemorated by the memorial that stands there. The ridge itself is one of the best-preserved World War One battlefields in France, with original trenches, shell holes, mine craters and tunnels still visible. The visitor center and tunnel access (open seasonally) let you see how soldiers moved through the underground network.

From Vimy you move to Neuville Saint Vaast, where 44,000 German soldiers rest in the largest war cemetery in France. After free time for lunch, the tour includes the CWGC Experience, a newer museum that won the Best Tourism Project in Europe award in 2019 for its work on war remembrance. You pass the Abbey of Mont Saint-Eloi, which served as an observation post during the Artois battles, and stop at the Ring of Remembrance: a memorial to the 600,000 soldiers from all nations who died in the region during the First World War.

The day ends at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, where the French government consolidated remains from over 150 cemeteries after the war. The site now holds 20,000 identified graves and the remains of 22,000 unknown soldiers. A certified guide who specializes in WW1 history leads the entire tour and can adjust stops or focus to follow a family member's unit, regiment or a particular battle you want to understand in depth. Private transportation is included, and the tour works for all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Private transportation and a certified WW1 guide fluent in English or French.
• access to all sites including Vimy Ridge trenches and tunnels (seasonal), the visitor center, Neuville Saint Vaast cemetery, the CWGC Experience museum, and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (8 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Terres de Mémoire

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a guide who knows the battlefields in depth and can personalize the route around a family member's unit or a specific battle. The private format means the itinerary adjusts to what matters to you, rather than following a fixed schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 17 years); Child (4 to 7 years); Infant (under 4).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is at Vimy Ridge that makes it worth a full stop on the tour?

Vimy Ridge holds the Canadian Memorial, which commemorates nearly 11,000 Canadian soldiers who died in France with no known grave. The ridge itself is one of the best-preserved World War One battlefields, with original trenches, shell holes, mine craters and tunnels still open to visitors during the season, plus a visitor center.

Can the tour be customized if I'm looking for a specific relative's regiment or battle?

Yes. The operator builds personalized itineraries around family connections or specific sites of interest. Tell them which unit or battle matters to you when you book, and the guide will adjust the route and stops accordingly.

What is the CWGC Experience, and why is it on the tour?

The CWGC Experience is a visitor attraction dedicated to the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in remembering the war dead. It won the Best Tourism Project in Europe award in 2019 and offers insight into how the organization maintains the cemeteries and memorials across the region.

Is Notre-Dame-de-Lorette a single cemetery or a larger site?

Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is France's largest national necropolis. After World War One, the French government chose the hill to receive remains from over 150 cemeteries across the fronts of Artois, Flanders, Yser and the Belgian coast. The site now contains 20,000 graves and the remains of 22,000 unknown soldiers.