Visiting Vimy Ridge.

[burn_baby_burn]

I'm heading to Belgium on business next week. While I am there I am getting a guided tour of Flanders Fields. I have a few extra days and I was thinking of heading to Vimy Ridge and maybe even Normandy. Anyone here ever visited any of these places? Any tips or recommendations?

[bigtmac19]

Haven't been there myself to Vimy, but my sister went there with my Dad a couple of years ago, and from everything I hear, you shouldn't miss it.
The monument is stunning.

[Rathji]

Only reason I would ever want to go to France.

[redforever]

I'm heading to Belgium on business next week. While I am there I am getting a guided tour of Flanders Fields. I have a few extra days and I was thinking of heading to Vimy Ridge and maybe even Normandy. Anyone here ever visited any of these places? Any tips or recommendations?

My sister has been to Normandy and it was a very emotional experience for her. You can read her travel blurbs here and view her pictures.


http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-5360-bayeux-day-beaches-history-lesson-troops-landed-normandy-place

When I went through her pictures, I found it very interesting to see the differences in the 3 major cemeteries that she visited, Canadian, American and German.

I just get a feeling of peace looking at the Canadian one, so much softer and peaceful with all the flowers.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh30/flameforever/canadian.jpg

Canadian

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh30/flameforever/american.jpg

American

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh30/flameforever/germanuntitled1.jpg

German

[simmer2]

I'm heading to Belgium on business next week. While I am there I am getting a guided tour of Flanders Fields. I have a few extra days and I was thinking of heading to Vimy Ridge and maybe even Normandy. Anyone here ever visited any of these places? Any tips or recommendations?

A few friends of mine did a Northern France tour back in 2004 and saw some pretty cool sights. We visited the D-Day beaches, Dieppe, a German war memorial, and Vimy Ridge.

Vimy was pretty tough to get to actually, but it is amazing. You'll want to stay in a town called Arras which is about 15km from the Vimy Memorial. There is no public transportation so the easiest way to get to the Vimy Memorial is to hire a taxi cab out there, then catch a lift with a friendly Canadian back to Arras. There is no public transportation that takes you to Vimy, so this is the best way to do it.

Arras is a pretty cool town too; it was liberated by the Canadians and in a lot of shop windows there are Canadian flags and emblems everywhere in honour of the liberation.

If you have any other questions, go ahead and ask, I'd be more than happy to help.

[Phanuthier]

Vimy Ridge would be pretty sweet to see, the place where Canada arguably made its mark in this world. A few brave men who really made their mark and arguably changed the way the world looked at Canada.

[burn_baby_burn]

A few friends of mine did a Northern France tour back in 2004 and saw some pretty cool sights. We visited the D-Day beaches, Dieppe, a German war memorial, and Vimy Ridge.

Vimy was pretty tough to get to actually, but it is amazing. You'll want to stay in a town called Arras which is about 15km from the Vimy Memorial. There is no public transportation so the easiest way to get to the Vimy Memorial is to hire a taxi cab out there, then catch a lift with a friendly Canadian back to Arras. There is no public transportation that takes you to Vimy, so this is the best way to do it.

Arras is a pretty cool town too; it was liberated by the Canadians and in a lot of shop windows there are Canadian flags and emblems everywhere in honour of the liberation.

If you have any other questions, go ahead and ask, I'd be more than happy to help.

From what I understand Vimy Ridge is only about 1.5 to 2 hours from where I am staying in Belgium. So I'm not sure if I want to take a day trip or spend the night. I certainly don't want to be rushed. I could be going alone since the others in my group are more interested in drinking and strippers than seeing history. I will more than likely rent a car.

[burn_baby_burn]

Simmer2, how are the public transportation and hotels in that region? Having never been to Europe before I don't really know what to expect.

[troutman]

Only reason I would ever want to go to France.

A good reason, but the only reason? I love France.

[simmer2]

Simmer2, how are the public transportation and hotels in that region? Having never been to Europe before I don't really know what to expect.

Renting a car and driving there is a perfectly good option from Belgium, but if you choose to stay in Arras they have a train station that is pretty well travelled. I'm not sure if there's a direct train from where you are staying in Belgium or not.

As for places to stay, I stayed in a hostel there and it was pretty nice, I'm sure there are some smaller B&B's or hotels you could stay at that are likely reasonably priced.

[flip]

A good reason, but the only reason? I love France.


Pfft, there's nothing good in France but cheese eating surrender monkeys.

[4X4]

Pfft, there's nothing good in France but cheese eating surrender monkeys.
What about that hot news chick? And wine? France makes good wine.

[Rathji]

A good reason, but the only reason? I love France.

Ok, thats not entirely true... I did hear the cheese eatting surrender monkey exhibit is great this time of year.

Seriously though, if it wasn't for an industry confrence or to visit a WWI /WWII monument I can't ever imagine myself going to France. I am sure there are some nice museums and other cultural type there, although I wouldn't be able to tell you the name of any without Google to verify my guesses. I have about as much culture as that bottle of chocolate milk I left under the seat of my van last summer, and it is all of the bacterial kind.

[FurnaceFace]

I've been to Normandy before, but was there this spring with friends of ours and also went to Dieppe and Vimy. Apologies if this post is long, but this is a favourite topic of mine and I thought I'd toss in a few pics for good measure.

We started in the parking lot about a km away from the monument which is the home of a Parks Canada office (the area is a gift to Canada from The French so you are in theory on Canadian Soil). From there you can sign up for a tour of the bunker tunnels and go through the exhibit on the monument. The video on the restoration of the monument shouldn't be missed. Right nearby is a mockup of the trenches with the odd piece of actual trench and old bombs or military parts. Everywhere in the fields you see remains of bomb craters, which are now home to the Vimy Ridge sheep which keep the grass down. Think about how big these craters would have been as they've had 90 years to fill in.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy007.jpg

Depending on what time the next tour is you can walk from the Parks office to the monument. I'd highly recommend this as you get to the monument slowly and can see if from many angles. As you get closer and closer the enormity of the monument becomes clear.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy026.jpg

Part way to the monument is a Canadian cemetery which is also a must. Pay attention to the number of "Known Unto God" epitaphs which are bodies they couldn't recognize.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy057.jpg

Vimy could be done in a day trip from where you are unless you want to stay and see it at night when it's lit up. The whole thing is very thought provoking.

Dieppe was also good even though it what whizzing rain on us. Standing out on the crappy shale beach makes you shake your head at the whole plan and how anyone would have gotten off that beach alive. The monument right near the beach is great to see and going to the Canadian cemetary is very moving. The relatives were given the opportunity to write an epitaph and the ones who did were moving. Make sure you sign the guest book in the nitch at both cemeteries.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_dieppe/lg/dieppe035.jpghttp://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_dieppe/lg/dieppe010.jpg

The Normandy beaches are also good. The new Juno Beach Centre is good, and the tour is worth taking. The museum exhibits focus a lot on Canadian life during the war and not the actual landing. Omaha is the big one of course thanks to Pt. Ryan and The Longest Day. It's a must see though as you stand out on this beach and look back up the hill and wonder how anyone would survive.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_omaha/lg/omaha034.jpg

The US Cemetary at Coleville is gigantic. It's the cemetary in the opening scene of Pt. Ryan. I didn't see it the first time I was there but glad I did this visit. While it's huge, it's very tastefully done.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_omaha/lg/omaha016.jpg


For the heck of it I'll add the Germany gun battery at Longues was really cool to see and my friend and I both channeled our inner 6 year old by climbing in and around the gun placements.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_battery/lg/battery005.jpg

All of my pics from the spring are in the link below, go to the second page for Vimy and the beaches.

http://www.stadevene.com/normandy.html

I'd say visiting the majority of the above is a must for anyone who is interested in war history and some of it is interesting on it's own as the wives can attest to. I'm missing all the stuff you'll see in Belgium so I'm anxious for your account and pics of that area.

Enjoy your trip.

[jar_e]

^^
Thanks for sharing...great pics and a nice post. Thanks.

[bigtmac19]

Great pictures, I have seen a lot of pictures very similar from my sister's trip. She went there with my Dad for the dedication of the Essex & Kent Scottish monument at Dieppe. That monument was built in Windsor and shipped over there and the few remaining E&K veterans that could make the trip did. The ceremony on the beach was very moving, and I'm so glad my Dad was able to go. There is a hole cut in the monument in the shape of the maple leaf and every year on the date of the battle, the sun shines through the hole and highlights the maple leaf on the base of the monument below. It is just beautiful.

There is a picture of my Dad in the Juno Beach Centre, in the display of the Dieppe battle. It is the article from the Windsor Star in August 1942, that has all the names and pictures of the men from Windsor that were missing in action from Dieppe.

[FurnaceFace]

That ceremony would have been amazing to be it. Please thank your father for his service.

[burn_baby_burn]

FurnaceFace, how far from Vimy to Normandy?

[Traditional_Ale]

Only reason I would ever want to go to France.

No wonder Albertans are considered rednecks...:bag:

The Louvre alone makes France cool, and its only one museum.

[chid]

^ The Louvre is the only reason I went to Paris....

[Traditional_Ale]

^ The Louvre is the only reason I went to Paris....

:bag:

[FurnaceFace]

FurnaceFace, how far from Vimy to Normandy?

http://www24.mappy.com is a fantastic mapping site for Europe. The great thing about the site is it tells you what the toll charges are or you can set it up for non toll roads. Also gives you an estimate on how much gas you use.

From Arras to Coleville-sur-mer (Omaha) Mappy tells me it's 400kms.
Courseulles-sur-Mer (Juno) is 350kms. Other than the toll roads the highways are not exactly like ours. Many have speed limits under 100 and the bulk of the roads near the landing sites in Normandy are much slower so it's not just 4 hrs.

I'd recommend overnighting in Normandy for a couple of days if your schedule allows as you'll be able to see all the main sites:

Day 1 drive from Belgium to say Bayeaux and on the way stop in Dieppe if you want to go there or Honfleur (not war related, but the location de Champlain left from to explore the Americas and a pretty town)
Depending on when you arrive you could visit one of the museums in Bayeaux. I'd have to check to see which one we went to the first time we were there. It was excellent.

Day 2 hit the beaches!
Go see Arromanches the location of the Mulberry Harbour the Allies floated across the channel.
Go to Omaha and wander through the US cemetary
Take a tour at Juno
Do the Bayeaux museum if you didn't the first day
Go look at the German guns if you're interested
You could spend this night somewhere around Caen or Rouen if you want to be closer to Vimy.

Day 3 head out early to get to Vimy before noon so you've got the afternoon to take the trench tunnel tour, see the cemetary and wander around the momument.

It'd be three full days but worth it. The one Caveat to all this is I'm not sure what any of it would be like in winter and if some of the tours run.

Hope that helps, feel free to ask if you have other questions.

France is a fantastic country, every region is different. France is more than just Paris but as cities go Paris is pretty great. I am of course somewhat bias because Mrs. Furnace was born there.

I think collectively I've spent at least a couple of months in Paris and been able to explore more than just the basic tourist destinations. It has a reputation as unfriendly however I think this reputation is unfounded and no different than any large city. With even an attempt at Sesame St. French you'll at least be tolerated. I've had more attitude in Calgary than I have in Paris. Places outside of Paris are very welcoming to tourists - especially in the Normandy and Pas-de-Calais areas where our efforts during the wars are appreciated.

[Hack&Lube]

Pfft, there's nothing good in France but cheese eating surrender frogs.

fixed

[Hack&Lube]

The monument is an amazing;y beautiful and powerful design. This is going to sound out of place but even Hitler admired it.

[burn_baby_burn]

Sounds like I won't have time to take in Normandy. I figured driving in Europe would be a lot differant and slower than driving in Western Canada. 400km is nothing here, sounds like in Europe it could be a full day. Oh well, taking in Flanders and Vimy will be a great experience this trip.

[FurnaceFace]

You could probably fit in Dieppe, that's not that far from Flanders/Vimy but you might as well make this a WWI trip and see as much of Flanders, Vimy and The Somme as you can.

[burn_baby_burn]

Thought I would share some of the photos I took.

Menin Gate in Ypres.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03097.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03096.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03080.jpg

St. Julien, Ypres Salient.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03143.jpg

Tyne Cot Cemetary near Passchendaele.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03157.jpg

La Chaudiere Cemetary at Vimy.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03201.jpg


Vimy Ridge.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03207.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03210.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03240.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03247.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03256.jpg

Notice the ground still untouched since the shelling from WWI.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03288.jpg

Canadian Trench at Vimy Ridge.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/mightychief/DSC03299.jpg

[Ruttiger]

Thanks for sharing those pics. I'm reading Vimy by Pierre Berton right now - I'll have to make that trek one day myself.

[Traditional_Ale]

I remember being at Vimy (on vacation) like it was yesterday.

Thanks a million for those pics.

[T@T]

My sister has been to Normandy and it was a very emotional experience for her. You can read her travel blurbs here and view her pictures.


http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-5360-bayeux-day-beaches-history-lesson-troops-landed-normandy-place

When I went through her pictures, I found it very interesting to see the differences in the 3 major cemeteries that she visited, Canadian, American and German.


Is your sister a professional writer? good read.

And thanks to everyone for the pics..I need stop going to the warm beaches on vacations and re-visit history, I have a great uncle buried at Normandy..maybe i should say hi one day.

[redforever]

Quote:
Originally Posted by redforever http://cpucktheme2-e7.simplecdn.net/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?p=1510714#post1510714)
My sister has been to Normandy and it was a very emotional experience for her. You can read her travel blurbs here and view her pictures.


http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-...normandy-place (http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-5360-bayeux-day-beaches-history-lesson-troops-landed-normandy-place)

When I went through her pictures, I found it very interesting to see the differences in the 3 major cemeteries that she visited, Canadian, American and German.



Is your sister a professional writer? good read.

And thanks to everyone for the pics..I need stop going to the warm beaches on vacations and re-visit history, I have a great uncle buried at Normandy..maybe i should say hi one day.

No she is not, but I too think she writes very well. From her postings on mytripjournal.com, someone asked her to write a book on her travels and volunteer work while she travelled. She has almost finished it, I believe it will only be available on line, wont be a printed version.

[killer_carlson]

If you get to Vimy see if you can get a tour of the actual trenches. One of my favourite travelling moments was going through the tunnels that our Canadians dug and seeing what they lived in. Awesome experience, especially the one bunk carved into the chalk stoned walls. Whichever soldier was sleeping there was homesick so he carved into the wall something that reminded him of home - a maple leaf.

What makes it even more special is that the Maple Leaf wasn't on our flag for another 50 or so years.

[Kipper is King]

No wonder Albertans are considered rednecks...:bag:

The Louvre alone makes France cool, and its only one museum.

No kidding. Don't forget the food!:w00t:

[T@T]

If you get to Vimy see if you can get a tour of the actual trenches. One of my favourite travelling moments was going through the tunnels that our Canadians dug and seeing what they lived in. Awesome experience, especially the one bunk carved into the chalk stoned walls. Whichever soldier was sleeping there was homesick so he carved into the wall something that reminded him of home - a maple leaf.

What makes it even more special is that the Maple Leaf wasn't on our flag for another 50 or so years.
A highschool teacher of mine said that the defining reason for Canada to adopt the Maple Leaf on our flag was that very carving, I've talked about this before and other people say it's because Canadian indians discovered maple syrup and it brought trading's in the 1700's. not sure what is the proper story...maybe both!

[Russic]

I'd love to go to france and just eat myself stupid ... and visit vimy of course.

[FurnaceFace]

The carving in question

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy075.jpg

It's pretty dark down there so tough to get a good shot.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

The carving in question

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy075.jpg

It's pretty dark down there so tough to get a good shot.

what is that?

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

what is that?

I believe that is the Maple Leaf in question carved into the wall of that god awful trench in which so many Canadians died.

I know seeing the green fields of France is going to be one of the things that I see before I die. I can't even imagine what those boys went through over there.

Great pictures by the way.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

it looks to be an aerail shot

[FurnaceFace]

it looks to be an aerail shot

MMM is right.

The pic is of the tunnel wall. The carving of the crude maple leaf is...I dunno 3-4 inches high maybe. They have put a piece of plexiglass in front of it so people wouldn't touch it.

This help? It's of another room in the tunnel.

http://www.stadevene.com/ssp_director/albums/2008_vimy/lg/vimy069.jpg

[WesternCanadaKing]

I believe that is the Maple Leaf in question carved into the wall of that god awful trench in which so many Canadians died.

I know seeing the green fields of France is going to be one of the things that I see before I die. I can't even imagine what those boys went through over there.

Great pictures by the way.

Its actually in the tunnels that the Canadians built before launching the assault. Theres tonnes of graffiti on the walls, but thats the only one that they're sure is originally from the battle.

Vimy is amazing. I was there a couple summers ago and it was a very humbling experience. The monument is really stunning, plus you get a free tour of the tunnels from a Canadian university student.

As another poster mentioned, its a bit difficult to get there. I was lucky in that I was staying with a friend who lived in Arras and she was able to drive me out there. I'd recommend staying in a hotel there; its a great town and you'll see tonnes of Canadian flags everywhere. I remember when I first got there off the train, the first thing I saw was a war memorial and large Canadian flag hanging outside a hotel behind it. http://photos-g.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v107/222/65/759595600/n759595600_910646_4740.jpg
The German trenches are the ones close to you in this pic, and the Canadian ones are the ones further away. Only a couple metres between them. Its really cool how all the ground is still full of craters, some of them are very deep.

http://photos-b.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v107/222/65/759595600/n759595600_910649_5469.jpg

http://photos-d.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v107/222/65/759595600/n759595600_910651_5953.jpg

http://photos-a.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v107/222/65/759595600/n759595600_910648_5237.jpg

Also, Arras is a really beautiful town, its been around since the time period when the Romans controlled France, so its really cool to see.

Edit: Also, Brussels (I'm not sure if thats where you'll be in Belgium, but I'm assuming) is an amazing city, I liked it just as much as I did Paris. The Grand Place and the Atomium were really cool sites to see

http://photos-e.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v107/222/65/759595600/n759595600_910628_346.jpg

[burn_baby_burn]

Just a comment on the maple leaf carved in the tunnels at Vimy Ridge. According to my tour guide, I'm sure there is a slightly different interpretation with every guide, they are not 100% sure that the maple leaf was carved by a Canadian soldier during the war. The assumption is that it was. I think they said that the caverns were closed off to the public and access was only permitted by guided tour in the 1960's. Before that anybody could have gone below and walked through the caverns at their leisure. That is why there is so much other graffiti down there.

Also there are caverns that are closed to the public that have a lot more carvings from Canadian Soldiers during the war. I saw a program on CBC years ago, possibly the 80th anniversary of the battle, that showed numerous carvings. The one that struck me was a solider from Manyberries (its near where I grew up), who carved his name with the date on the eve of the assault.