Visiting
the Somme
TOURIST OFFICES
The main tourist office is in Amiens
at:
Comité Départmental
du Tourisme de La Somme
21 rue Ernst Cauvin
80000 Amiens
France
Tel: 0033 22 71 22 71
Web: http://www.somme-battlefields.com/
The one in Albert often operates
bizarre opening times, and an English speaking member of
staff is sometimes not available:
Office du Tourisme
Albert
9 rue Gambetta
BP 82
80300 Albert
France
Tel: 0033 3 22 75 16 42
Fax: 0033 3 22 75 11 72
Email: office_tourisme_albert@altavista.fr
GETTING THERE
The best route from Calais or the
Channel Tunnel is to follow the A26 motorway to near
Arras, and then take the A1 direction PARIS, leaving the
motorway at Exit 14 BAPAUME. This brings you in to the
Somme from the east. If you want to start your tour at
the Historial de
la Grande Guerre, leave at Exit 13.1 and follow
the signs for PERONNE.
WHERE TO STAY
One of the most common questions
I get asked is about accommodation. I have listed many
of the hotels & B&Bs more commonly used by
British visitors to the Somme on the Somme
Information Page. If you require further
information about hotels and other accommodation visit
the Somme Tourist Office web site (above) which
has up to date information. Click on the link below:
SOMME
TOURIST BOARD WEB SITE
One point I will
make - book early!
The Somme can get busy at times!
HOUSES TO RENT
FLERS: Large detached British
owned house prominently located in the historic village
of Flers and overlooking the famous memorial to the 41st
Division. The house is currently being fitted out to an
extremely comfortable standard and offers excellent
accessibility to all major sites on the Somme
Battlefields. The towns of Bapaume, Albert, and the A26
motorway are all within a few minutes drive. The
property provides centrally heated and double glazed 2,
3, or 4 bedroom accommodation to suit your individual
requirements. For further details contact: Rory
Newsome, 31 Queens Grove Road, Chingford, London, E4
7BT, Tel: 0777-180-6664. Email:
Web: http://www.dinnakenhouse.com/
HAMEL:
Two new Gite de France gites in the middle of the
village, close to the Newfoundland Park and Thiepval, as
well as all the main locations. Fully equipped with
kitchen, TV and central heating, plus garden and BBQ
area. Both sleep 4-6 people. For further details contact
the owner: Mr Florent Vansuyt, 13 rue d'Hamel, 80300
Beaucourt sur l'Ancre, France. Tel: 0033 3 22 76 18 72.
Email: Fvansuyt@aol.com
Or book direct with Gites de France. Tel: 0033 3 22
71 22 70.
Web: http://www.gites-de-france.com/
LONGUEVAL: Full
equipped house that sleeps six in three rooms. Longueval
is only walking distance from Delville Wood and near all
the main sites. Discount for WFA members. For further
details contact: Mrs Jeannie Alexander, 27 Courtway
Avenue, Birmingham, B14 4PP. TEL: (0121) 430 5348.
Email: Battletour@aol.com
CAMPING
ALBERT: On the outskirts of the
town, this is a 2 star site and has 75 pitches. Contact:
Camping Le Velodrome, allée
charles queret, 80300 Albert, Somme. Tel: +33 3
22 75 22 53. The site has no web presence or
email. No English spoken.
AUTHUILLE: Close to Thiepval,
this site is very popular with English visitors. It has
toilet and shower facilities, and a restaurant on site
with a good reputation - The Cochon Salle - and
another down in the village of Authuille. Contact:
Camping Bellvue, 80300 Authuille, France. Tel: + 33 3 22
74 59 29. Fax: +33 3 22 74 05 14. The site has no web
presence or email. It has 96 pitches. No English spoken.
Open 1st March - 31st October.
MIRAUMONT: On the outskirts of
the village, which has a post office, shop and bar that
serves light food. The site has no web presence or
email. It has 65 pitches. Contact: Camping La Herelle,
Rue Poulain, 80360 Miraumont, France. Tel: +33 3 22 74
84 83. Fax: +33 3 22 74 84 83. No English spoken. Open
1st April - 15th October.
SOMEWHERE TO EAT
LONGUEVAL: Right
in the middle of Longueval Monsieur Blondell (the mayor
of the village) has two cafés. Snack lunches are
available from 12.00 - 2.00 pm, and cooked meals in the
evening. However, you MUST
book in advance. Some English spoken - but they are a
very friendly and accommodating family and welcome all
English visitors. Their Kronenborg Printemps beer
is excellent - make sure you ask for one! Contact:
Monsieur Jean BLONDELL, Café Calypso, Longueval,
France. Tel: 03.22.85.13.37./ 03.22.85.02.05.
POZIÈRES: The
Tommy Café is run and owned by Dominique Zanardi and is
located on the main Albert-Bapaume road in the middle of
the village. It operates as a bar, lunches and evening
meals are available, and there is a great deal of First
World War material on display, including a life-size
trench system! Groups are welcome, but must book in
advance. For all enquiries contact: TEL/FAX: 0033 3
22 74 82 84.
Email: cafe@letommy.com
MUSEUM - MUSEE DES ABRIS, ALBERT
Situated in the heart of the Somme
Battlefields, in the town of Albert, the Musee des Abris
is a good starting place for any visit to this area.
Located in a series of tunnels below the Basillica
square (used as air-raid shelters in WW2), there are
reconstructions of trench scenes, dugouts, trench mortar
positions and tunneling. Thousands of items are on
display, along with a good film and many photographs and
maps. The shops sells some books, and numerous
battlefield relics (safe ones!). Opening hours are from
1st March to 15th December, 9.30 - 12.00 and 14.00 -
18.00. In July and August the museum is open all day.
Entry costs 4€ per adult and 2.5€ for children, with
under 6 year olds going free. Group rate is 3€ per
person Adults and Children aged 6-18 2€ per student.
For details contact:
TEL:
0033 (0)3 22 75 16 17
FAX: 0033 (0)3 22 75 56 33
EMAIL:
musee@somme-1916.org
Web: http://www.somme-1916.org/sitetrench/musee/index.htm
MUSEUM - HISTORIAL DE LA GRANDE
GUERRE, PERONNE
A very modern museum of the First
World War, it is located in some of the old ramparts and
chateau at Peronne. An interesting contrast to the Musee
des Abris, there is an excellent film and a good
bookshop, which takes credit cards. It is open from
10.00-18.00 between 1st April and 30th September,
including Sundays and Bank Holidays. Between 1st October
and 30th March it is open 10.00-18.00, except Mondays
and is closed from mid-December to mid-January. Entrance
is 7€ for Adults and 3.5€ for Children, although in
many sites on the Somme you can pick up a postcard which
will let you in for the special price of 5.2€.
For further details see the Museums
website:
http://www.historial.org/
DELVILLE WOOD VISITORS CENTRE,
LONGUEVAL
This site has undergone a number of
changes in recent years; it is now directly run by the South African
Government. There is a limited shop selling books,
postcards and snacks/drinks and there are also toillets
and picnic benches. The Museum remains free, is open every day except
MONDAY, 10.00 until 17.45 in the main season, and 10.00
to 15.45 otherwise. Closed late November to early
February.
ULSTER TOWER, THIEPVAL
The Ulster Tower commemorates the men
of the 36th (Ulster) Division who fell on the Somme in
1916. It has a memorial room and visitors centre with
displays and a film about the attack on Thiepval.
Drinks, snacks and books are also on sale, and there are
clean and modern toilet facilities. Teddy and Phoebe
will ensure you have a warm Northern Ireland welcome!
The site is owned by the Somme
Association, and the Ulster Tower is open every day
except Monday. Opening hours are: 10.30 - 17.30 (April
to September) and 10.30 - 16.30 (October - November
& February-March). It is closed in December and
January. Entrance is free.
Tel: 0033 3 22 74 81 11.
Fax: 0033 3 22 74 80 68.
See also this page on my Old Front
Line site: Ulster
Tower.
THIEPVAL VISITORS CENTRE
This newly opened centre is located
close to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and tells
the story of the Somme battle in 1916. It also has a
database of men who are commemorated on the memorial,
and a small shop. There are toilets and parking for cars
and coaches. Open every day from 10.00 to 17.00.
See also this page on the main site: Thiepval
Centre.
USEFUL BOOKS
Some useful books about the Somme
include:
Walking The Somme
- Paul Reed (Pen & Sword 1997)
Somme Battlefields - Les Coates (Tressel
Publications)
Before Endeavours Fade - Rose Coombes (After The
Battle)The Somme Then & Now - John Giles
(After The Battle)
Somme - Lyn MacDonald (Various editions)
The Somme Battlefields - Martin Middlebrook
(Penguin)
First Day on the Somme - Martin Middlebrook
(various editions)
The Somme Day by Day - Chris McCarthy (various
editions)
See also the Somme
Books page.
SOMME MAPS
The IGN Green Series
1/100,000 map No 4 'Arras-Laon' covers this area if you
are only going to drive the Somme. More detailed maps
can be found in the IGN Blue Series: four sheets
cover the main 1916 Battlefield. They can be ordered
from the IGN web site,
or can be purchased in the MAISON DE LA PRESSE
near the Musee des Abris in Albert and also at the
Historial in Peronne and Thiepval Visitors Centre - all
mentioned above.
Also worth looking into
is the Linesman system of using GPS with WW1
trench maps. See Great
War Digital for further information.
Email: info@somme-1916.com
