Vimy Ridge Tour

To all Canadians, it is the battle that forged the identity of their young nation. To the British, it was their first major success of WW1.

For the men of all four Canadian Divisions waiting to go into battle together for first time, and for thousands of their British comrades, it was painfully apparent that the eyes of the world were upon them.

Then suddenly, as sleet and snow swept the ground on Easter Monday 1917, a finely-tuned artillery and infantry attack caught the German defenders of Vimy almost completely off-guard. By the end of the day, the massively fortified ridge was almost entirely in Canadian and British hands for the first time in over two years. Only Hill 145, where the magnificent Vimy monument now stands, and a small feature known as The Pimple held out.

Three days of ferocious fighting later and the entire escarpment was finally won. For the first time since 1914 the victors stood poised on the summit and looked down on the Douai plain and the strategic industrial heartland of Northern France. To the bedraggled and retreating German Army, it was the beginning of the end.

Today, proud and dominant and sitting high on the ridge, the beautiful Vimy Memorial is recognised by Canadians everywhere as their National War Memorial. The thousands of acres surrounding it, now dense woodland, is still scarred with trenches and tens of thousands of shell and mine craters. The whole site is now owned and maintained by the Canadian Government who treat the area as a sacred place. Within the grounds there are cemeteries that remind us all of those other men, from Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand and other countries who also made the ultimate sacrifice to give us the peace that now reigns over Vimy Ridge. Our tour is there to honour them all.

"Superb! Thank you" Duncan Mclean, Brisbane, Australia

We know from experience that most people visiting Vimy Ridge stay in the nearby city of Arras. To make your experience as enjoyable as possible, our luxury new air-conditioned Mercedes minibus can pick you up, where possible, from your hotel or from our Ypres departure point. To ensure that we know which hotel to collect you from, and to ensure your seat, it is essential that you book your tour beforehand. If you find you cannot book for any reason, it is possible to just wait at the train station and hope we have space, but obviously there is a chance that we won't, especially as our minibus is an a eight seater and tour spaces are very sought after, especially in the summer. Please be waiting either outside your hotel, or the train station when we arrive. Our minibuses are clearly signwritten with 'Salient Tours'.

If you are staying further south, on the Somme, we can also pick you up from your hotel in the town of Albert or at the towns train station. Again, booking is essential.

"Proud to be Canadian!" Steve Hartwell, Ottawa, Canada

Once at Vimy Ridge you will see the famous monument, the trenches and beautiful Canadian and British cemeteries; you will walk around massive mine craters and across the shell scarred battlefield. Additionally, the world famous tunnel system (free entry), cut deep into the chalk by Canadian and British troops and used in the battle, is almost always open too. At about 5pm, after a fascinating tour with an expert guide, you will return to Arras carrying the memories of a lifetime.

"fantastic tour, very moving" Mr & Mrs Barnes, Montreal

We know the battlefields like no one else and our guides not only live there and have English as a first language, but they are chosen from hundreds of applicants. Dealing with a subject as important as the Great War demands great sensitivity and our reputation has been built on the respect and dedication shown by these guides . We have been featured on TV and radio, the Wall St Journal, the Sunday Telegraph and the New York Times, but it is the comments in our visitors' books of which we are most proud.

We are fully registered, licensed and insured in France and Belgium for transporting the paying public.