Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Tour from Arras with a Local Private Driver

• Canadian guides speak French and English on the Vimy Ridge site
• No age limit
• The trip is private. Only your groupe will participate
• Wheelchair accessible
• Don’t forget the country code (+…) before the telephone number when booking.
• Weather conditions have no impact on your visit. Dress accordingly
• The weather can change quickly on the ridge, so bring suitable clothing;
• The site is located in a rural area, so private transport is strongly recommended;
• Comfortable walking shoes are advised, as the terrain can be uneven;
• The memorial and surrounding grounds are best enjoyed with enough time to walk, observe and reflect;
• Some areas or guided visits may depend on seasonal opening times and availability.
• If you are travelling from Arras by train, RMB Transports can arrange a convenient pick-up and return transfer so that your visit remains simple and stress-free.

It is necessary to count :

• 45-60 minutes to get to Newfoundland Memorial
• On site, it takes approximately 2 hours for the visit.

100% free cancellation up to 2 days before departure. RMB charges a 5% cancellation fee if the reservation is cancelled 1 day or less before departure.

Beaumont-Hamel is one of the most important preserved battlefields of the First World War in France. 

Unlike many  sites, the trenches here remain largely intact, offering a realistic view of the conditions faced by soldiers during the Battle of the Somme.

This site is essential for visitors interested in:

* Preserved trenches and craters, authentic battlefield landscapes

* WW1 history in Northern France

* Newfounland Regiment history

This provides a tangible understanding of the combat conditions of 1914-1918.

The site attracts visitors each year from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, France, and other countries. It serves as a place of remembrance and reflection where the human cost of war is truly appreciated.

• From 1/4 to 30/09
  Monday from 12h à 18h, from Tuesday to Sunday 10h à 18h

  From 1/10 au 31/03
  Monday from 11h à 17h, from Tuesday to to Sunday 9h à 17h

• Closed from 15/12 to  03/02
• For all schedule confirmations, click here.

There is very limited public transport between Arras and Vimy Ridge, making a private transfer one the easiest ways to visit the memorial.

You leave with your driver for Vimy Ridge. Your driver, a native of the region, will show you the highlights of the Memorials. He takes a different route on the way back, stopping to show you the Targette British Cemetery, the French Military Cemetery and the Fraternization Memorial. A little further down the road you’ll see the largest German cemetery in Europe. RMB transports et Michel will take you (up to 4 passengers at a time) at no extra charge, every day of the week including Sundays.

You’ll walk in the footsteps of the Canadians who came to defend freedom.

With RMB Transports, you benefic from :

• A guided tour with historical commentary during the the journey.
• Direct transport to the memorial
• Flexible departure times
• Travel in a comfortable, hybrid private transport vehicle.
• Hotel pick-up in Arras or your place of residence.
• The possibility to include nearby cemeteries and memorials
• The opportunity to exchange ideas in French and English.

1. Choosing a local private driver gives you more than just transport. It gives you a personalised experience with someone who knows the region, the memorials and the historical context.
2. With RMB Transports, you can expect:

• punctual and reliable service;
• a private journey tailored to your schedule;
• local knowledge of the battlefields and memorials;
• a respectful approach to remembrance tourism;
• comfortable travel for individuals, couples, families and small groups.

Whether you are visiting Beaumont-Hamel for the first time or returning to honour a family connection, I will do my best to make your journey meaningful and comfortable.

The memorial honours the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which  suffered devastating losses on 1 July 1916.

The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial is a First World War commemorative site, erected on the site of the Battle of the Somme, which took place in July 1916. The memorial pays tribute to the Newfoundland soldiers who fought and died in the war, particularly those who have no known grave. It is part of Canada’s network of National Historic Sites, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

Today, the site includes:

• Original preserved trenches
• Caribou Monument
• Battlefield walking paths
• Visitor interpretation centre

It is one of the most moving WW1 memorials in France

The Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916)

The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest offensives of the First World War. Launched on 1 July 1916 by British and French forces, its objectives were to break through German lines, relieve pressure on the French at Verdun, and regain the initiative on the Western Front.

After seven days of artillery bombardment, the Allies believed that German defences had been destroyed. In reality, deep dugouts, barbed wire systems, and machine-gun positions remained largely intact. When British soldiers went “over the top” at 7:30 a.m. on 1 July, they were met with devastating machine-gun fire.

Beaumont-Hamel: the tragedy of 1 July 1916

The sector around the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial was one of the most tragic of that first day.

Units of the British 29th Division failed to break through strongly defended German positions on the ridges. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment, brought in as reinforcements later in the morning, had to advance over open ground, as communication trenches were already filled with casualties.

They were immediately exposed to intense machine-gun fire.

Out of approximately 800 men who took part in the assault:

• 684 were killed, wounded, or missing

• Only 68 men were able to answer roll call the next morning without injury

For Newfoundland, then a self-governing British dominion separate from Canada, this day remains the greatest military loss in its history.

The toll of 1 July 1916

The first day of the Somme remains the deadliest day in the history of the British Army.

British losses on 1 July 1916 are estimated at:

• 57,470 casualties (killed, wounded, or missing)

• including 19,240 killed

Total losses of the Battle of the Somme

The battle continued until 18 November 1916, without any decisive breakthrough.

Commonly accepted estimates are:

In total, the battle caused over one million casualties, including around 320,000 deaths according to most estimates.

Why Beaumont-Hamel is such an important site

Beaumont-Hamel symbolises both courage and the enormous human cost of industrial warfare. The trenches, shell craters, the famous Danger Tree, and the Newfoundland Caribou Memorial all recall the sacrifice of thousands of young soldiers.

For Canadian and Newfoundland visitors, the site is often considered one of the most moving places of remembrance on the Western Front.

1)How far is Beaumont-Hamel from Arras?

• It is approximately 45-60 minutes by car depending on traffic)tours available at Beaumont-Hamel?
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2)Is Beaumont-Hamel worth visiting

Yes, it is one of the most preserved W1 battlefield sites in France

3)Can I combine Beaumont-Hamel with other sites?

Yes, all tours are fully private.With Vimy Ridge Tour or Thipval Memorial

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment in 1916

1. Status and origin

• Regiment created in 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War
• Raised in the Dominion of Newfoundland, which was not yet part of Canada
• Volunteer infantry unit serving the British Empire
• Integrated into the British Army, not part of the Canadian military structure

2. Organisation in 1916

• Theoretical strength: around 1,000 men per battalion
• At Beaumont-Hamel: approximately 800–801 men engaged
• Structured as a light infantry battalion
• Attached to the 29th British Division

3. Human composition

• Mainly Newfoundland volunteers
• Diverse backgrounds: fishermen, labourers, foresters, rural young men
• Strong local identity and very high unit cohesion
• Senior command mostly British officers

4. Training and experience in 1916

• Initial training in Newfoundland and later in the United Kingdom
• Already combat-experienced:
  • Gallipoli (1915), where the regiment had already suffered heavy losses
• By 1916, considered a seasoned but depleted unit

5. Equipment and weapons

• Standard rifle: Lee-Enfield SMLE
• Limited automatic support: Lewis light machine guns
• Standard British infantry equipment of the First World War
• Very limited battlefield communications and support

6. Uniform and identity

• Standard British khaki uniform
• Historical nickname: “The Blue Puttees” (from their early blue puttees worn in 1914–1915)
• Strong regimental identity linked to Newfoundland

7. Role at Beaumont-Hamel (1 July 1916)

• Deployed as a reinforcement unit of the 29th Division
• Mission: exploit an expected breakthrough that had not occurred
• Advanced over open ground into unsecured terrain
• Result: near-total destruction under German machine-gun fire
• Extremely heavy losses:
  • about 684 casualties out of ~800 men engaged

🔎 Summary

In 1916, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was:

• a highly disciplined and experienced volunteer unit,
• but weakened by Gallipoli,
• integrated into a rigid British command structure,
• and committed to an offensive where tactical assumptions proved fatally wrong.

Caribou Memorial

Preserved trenches

Y Ravine 

Danger Tree

Hunter’s Cemetery

Visitor Centre