" A wonderful way to experience the battlefields..."
" A wonderful way to experience the battlefields..."

May 2024: the underground experience

 

Touring the WW1 battlefields with a group from the University of Pennsylvania we have been exploring several tunnels along the Western Front from Vimy, Arras and the Wellington Quarry to the lesser known tunnels of Vauquois and in the Chemin des Dames. it was truly a stunning experience to access those undergrounds so well preserved and to see so many inscriptions, drawings and carvings made by the soldiers more than 100 yeras ago.

 

April 2024: ANZAC DAY on the Somme

 

 ANZAC Day tour 2024, in the words of our customers Jenny and Ron:

"Dear Sylvestre
Ron and l would like to thank you for the amazing experiences we have had on your tour over the past three days. You have taken us to many areas with much WW1 history, frontlines, cemeteries, trenches, monuments, bomb crater sites, picnics ?? all leaving an unforgettable impression of what was experienced and faced by the allies and enemies throughout WW1 battles. This made today’s special ANZAC service a day we will never forget. We are so lucky to have been born not only where we live but also during a time of relative peace. We are so thankful to those who went before us who had experienced, and lived and died in unimaginable conditions, we have been saved from because of the sacrifices made by them. The knowledge you have imparted upon us during your tours have given us a remarkable insight into the past and left us with the feelings. Gratitude, blessed, thankfulness, sadness and emotions beyond words. Please continue to share your extensive knowledge. Many thanks to you and if ever down under don't hesitate to contact us. You would be very welcome anytime. Love Jenny and Ron"

 

March 2024: Bovington tank museum

 

What a collection of tanks ! From the only WW1 MkI tank existing in the world, the early years of the tanks, to the famous Tiger 131 still running and a tremendous number of vehicles from many nations. A stunning experience.

www.tankmuseum.org

 

 

November 2023: "All Quiet on the Western Front"

 

What a privilege to take Edward Berger, the film director of "All Quiet on the Western Front" and the producer Malte Grunert on  a tour to the Somme battlefields for three days. A moving experience on Remembrance Day going to the service at the Thiepval memorial to the missing and at Fricourt German cemetery where French students have read extracts of the book and a poem in French and German. Our tour ended at the railway coach in Compiègne where the armisitice was signed, as shown in  the film...

 

March 2023: Ardennes / Battle of the Bulge

 

Glad to be back in the beautiful region of the Ardennes where the German forces launched their last major offensive in WW2. Following the advance of the Kampfgruppe Peiper to the heroes of Bastogne, numerous allied and german tanks can be seen today. The most know is probably the KingTiger tank at La Gleize, the "beast", but many others are still visible...

Sept. 2022: into original WW1 tunnels

 

Thanks to the Association of "Les Amis de la Butte de Vauquois" for opening these tunnels to the public on certain days. A fascinating place to explore on the surface and also undergound with one of their guides. We have been to many, many WW1 battlefields and I have to say this one is a fantastic place to explore: a must see site for all the WW1 buffs...

March 2022: visiting the forts of Lille

 

After the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian war forts were built along the French border to prevent any invasion. Designed by Séré de Rivière, a belt of six forts defend Lille: Bondues, Mons-en-Baroeul, Seclin, Englos, Vert-Galant and Sainghin. Other smaller fortifications were built in between the forts. At he eve of the Great War they are considered as useless, Lille being away from any direct threat... until October 1914 and the fall of Lille in German hands. All the forts are then occupied by the Germans for the whole duration of the war.

 

See the photos of our vist on our Facebook page here:

July 2021: Western Front Tour

We have just completed a fantastic tour covering the entire WW1 Western Front, starting near the Swiss border, exploring the Vosges and Alsace battlefields,  the Lorraine and Saint-Mihiel salient, Verdun, the Meuse-Argonne, the Marne, the Somme, Arras and Vimy ridge, the Flanders battlefields up to Dixmuide and the other end of the Western Front ! Really an unforgettable experience...

 

"Sylvestre, we would like to thank you for the WW I and WW II Normandy beaches trip for which you were our guide. We were very impressed with your choice of locations, your deep knowledge of the areas, and your willingness to answer all of our questions.  Your Mercedes van was very comfortable for the four of us, and you safely delivered us to the various sites we visited along the 3,000 km. that we traveled.  Your friendliness and good humor were on display every day. We would strongly recommend you for anyone interested in a similar trip.  

Thanks again for a wonderful historical experience."

Bill Dawson, Larry Berger,Marshall Jarvis 

 

All the photos of this 12 day trip on our Facebook page here:

Apr. 2021: Napoleon soldier's grave restoration project

2021 is the "Napoleon year"in France,  it is the bicentanary of the Emperor's death. We are leading a project to restore the grave of a forgotten hero: Louis Roch Plomion who voluntered in the army in 1782 at the age of 18. He served for 32 years in the Great Napoleon Army and fought in 23 different campaigns: Spain, Italy, America, Belgium, Austria, Prussia, France, Russia...

Help us to restore his grave !

Feb. 2021, Walking the Landing Beaches

On 24 February we have achieved a 39 km walk starting from Pegasus Bridge at Benouville to Sword Beach, Juno and Gold Beach up to Arromanches. A long walk for a fantastic day under the Normandy sunshine !

All the photos on our Facebook page here: 

2021: Lille in the 1914-18 War

Working on a new guide book about Lille in the Great War: a less known area with a lot of history: the 1914 siege, the occupation and the WW1 resistance, the fortifications and the many sites around... To be published in 2021 !

2020 - Virtual Australian Tours 

For all our Australian friends who can't come to the battlefields we offer the possibility to create your own virtual tour - we go and film the sites for you - 

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