The Battlefields of the Somme

By Car
If you have your own car, and a reasonable map, it is easy to drive around the roads – the D roads (Département) are similar to UK B-roads only much less crowded and it is easy to explore and stop at the many cemeteries or sites as you come across them.
French C roads (Commune) are equivalent to UK C-roads and are mostly narrow country tracks where you are likely to meet a tractor or two.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to drive on the right!

Average price:
Price for one day: 100 km ˜ €70 including VAT ˜ €0.5 / per additional kilometre.
Price for two days: 500 km ˜ €140 including VAT ˜ €0.5 / per additional kilometre.
Deposit ˜ €600.

A few distances:
Amiens to Albert : 19 miles (34 mins)
Amiens to Péronne : 36 miles (40 mins)
Albert to Péronne : 14 miles (29 mins)

By Train
From Amiens, you can easily return to Villers-Bretonneux and Albert.
Amiens/Villers-Bretonneux, approximately 7 trains a day, €6.40 return, journey time 12 minutes.
Amiens/Albert, approximately 20 trains a day, €11.80 return, journey time 25 minutes.

By Coach
Coach connections are difficult and there are not many of them; information on prices and timetables is available from the Courriers Automobiles Picards and local tourist offices.
Courriers Automobiles Picards
ZAC de la Haute-Borne - BP 59
80136 RIVERY
Tel.: +33(0)3 22 70 70 70
Fax: +33(0)3 22 70 70 71
contact@courriersautomobilespicards.com
www.courriersautomobilespicards.com

By Taxi

By Bicycle
Bicycles are allowed on certain trains. For more information contact the SNCF on 36 35.
Bicycle Hire:
Buscyclette - Amiens
3, rue des Corps Nuds sans Testes (Tel: +33(0)3 22 72 55 13)
velo.service@wanadoo.fr
http://amiensveloservice.fubicy.org
From Monday to Sunday from 9am to 12.30 and from 1.30 to 7pm.
Bicycle hire: 1 hour = €1, half-day = €3.50, 1 day = €5.50, from Monday to Friday = €8, 1 week-end = €8, 1 week = €12, 1 month = €18.
Deposit: €100.
Security required: photocopy of ID.
Office de Tourisme du Pays du Coquelicot
9, rue Gambetta
80300 Albert
Tel: +33(0)3 22 75 16 42
Fax: +33(0)3 22 75 11 72
Bicycle hire: half-day = €8. 1 day = €12.
Security required:
French nationals: €153 deposit.
People from abroad: ID/passport.
From 3 May to 30 September, you could hire bicycles too at Bray-sur-Somme
Place de la Liberté - 80340 Bray-sur-Somme - Tel.: +33(0)3 22 76 11 38

Guided Tours

Even if you have come under your own steam and have your own transport, you can hire English-speaking guides for the day or half-day once you get there. Some may be British ex-pats who have chosen to live in the Somme, whilst others will have excellent English and a comprehensive knowledge of the events of 1914-1918 and can tailor your tour to suit your requirements.
A number of guides are available to be booked either through the various Tourist Offices or direct.
These include:

Helico-Somme

This is a unique experience!
See the Somme Battlefields by helicopter: steep yourself in the history of the First World War from the skies, and observe the scars of war left behind in the Somme landscape: trenches, craters, and countless cemeteries.
Leave from Beaumont-Hamel
Rates between 40 and 199 Euros per person
For information and reservations:

Philippe FERET
Poppy Valley Station
Route d'Albert
Gare de Beaumont-Hamel
80300 BEAUMONT-HAMEL
Tel. : +33 (0)3 22 76 14 18
06 16 28 60 59
beaucourt-station@wanadoo.fr
www.helicosomme.net

Discover the Circuit of Remebrance by plane

Albert Méaulte's Aerodrome proposes you 3 itineraries to discover the Circuit of Remembrance :

North circuit : Newfoundland memorial - Thiepval

East circuit : Longueval Memorial, Belvédère de Vaux

South circuit : Somme Valley, Villers-Bretonneux memorial, Ancre Valley

For information and reservations :

Aéroclub d'Albert Méaulte

route de Bray 80300 ALBERT

Tel :+33 (0)3 22 91 07 11

eric@choquet.org - htt://www.avion80.net

A special visit of the Australian sites of Le Hamel

Bernard Defrain can offered you a special visit of the Battlefields by cart (5 persons), pulled by Pensée, draught-horse.
Only on mornings: 8.00am - 12.00am
€40 by hour
penseedelehamel@voila.fr
http://hamelbattlefieldtour.site.voila.fr

Walking

Many of the guidebooks contain some interesting walks around the battlefields. A long (10 mile) but practical and interesting route from Albert takes in several of the area's most important sites, following quiet roads and tracks along the Ancre valley and includes the Thiepval memorial. All along the route, battle sites, memorials and cemeteries illustrate and recall the terrible fighting of the summer and autumn of 1916.

Military Walking Trails on the Battlefields of the Somme
These are particulary enjoyable as they allow visitors to really get a feel for the atmosphere of the battlefields.
On foot; 3-6 hours long.
Paula Kesteloot - +33(0)3 22 75 64 17 - www.pfk-languages.com - paulaboom66@hotmail.com
29th April : Battlefield Walking Trail
Theme: The British Royal Naval Division in WW1
Meet up at 10am at Ancre CWGC cemetery near Beaucourt.
No fee - Bring picnic + drink + money for refreshments at the Tea Room in Beaucourt Station.
13th May : Battlefield Walking Trail
Theme: Shot at Dawn pour encourager les autres
Meet up at 10.30am at the British CWGC cemetery extension in Albert.
No fee - Bring picnic + drink + money for refreshments at the Old Blighty Tea Room in La Boisselle.
30th June : Battlefield Cycling Circuit
Theme: Shot at Dawn pour encourager les autres
Meet up at 10am at the British CWGC cemetery extension in the village of Bouzincourt.
No fee - Bring picnic + drink in a rucksack and money for refreshments.

Tours by Taxi

Taxi Groupement Amiénois has 5 different taxi itineraries that leave from Amiens, and take you to the main sites of the battles of the Somme each taking a maximum of 7 people. Please note that for these, the driver does not provide any commentary.
Reservations : Taxis Groupement Amiénois - 2, passage Alphonse Fiquet – 80000 Amiens
Tél. : +33(0)3 22 91 30 03 - Fax : +33(0)3 22 80 88 07
grta@club-internet.fr - www.taxi-amiénois.com

Prices 2007 (per taxi)

	Itinerary n° 1 Amiens - Villers-Bretonneux - Amiens allows for a one and a half hour visit to the site a) Weekdays : 58 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 69 €
	Itinerary n° 2 Amiens- Albert - La Boisselle - Amiens allows for a one and a half hour visit to the site a) Weekdays : 75 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 92 €
	Itinerary n° 3 Amiens - Péronne - Amiens allows for a one and a half hour visit to the site a) Weekdays : 98 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 127 €
	Itinerary n° 4 Amiens - Villers-Bretonneux - Albert - La Boisselle - Pozières - Thiepval - Beaumont-Hamel - Longueval - Amiens A 3 hour trip : a) Weekdays : 133 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 161 € A 4 hour trip : a) Weekdays : 144 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 173 €
	Itinerary n° 5 Amiens - Villers-Bretonneux - Péronne - Rancourt - Longueval - Pozières - Thiepval - Beaumont-Hamel - La Boisselle - Albert - Amiens A 4 hour trip : a) Weekdays : 167 € b) Sundays and public holidays : 207 €

NB :
Each additional half hour : 10 €
Each additional hour : 18 €

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