Arras to Vimy Ridge Tour with a local guide

Practical information for your Vimy Ridge Visit

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

It is necessary to count :

20-25 minutes to get to Vimy Ridge
35-40 minutes for the return after 3 stops at memorial sites including the Fraternizations Monument.
On site, it takes approximately 3 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.

Why Visit Vimy Ridge?

Visiting the Canadian National Vimy Memorial is of major historical interest, both for Canadians and for anyone interested in the First World War.

1. An Iconic First World War Site

Vimy Ridge overlooks the Artois plain. Between 1914 and 1917, this strategic position was the scene of extremely deadly fighting. The French and British armies repeatedly attempted to recapture it without success, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives.

2. The Canadian Victory of April 1917

From April 9 to 12, 1917, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together for the first time and succeeded in capturing the ridge. This victory is often considered a defining moment in Canadian national identity.

3. A Memorial impressive

The monument, designed by Walter Seymour Allward, pays tribute to the 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and have no known grave. Its two white stone pylons dominate the landscape and symbolize Canada and France united in remembrance.

4. A Preserved Battlefield

Unlike many historical sites, much of the terrain remains intact:

* Restored trenches.

* Shell craters still visible.

* Network of underground tunnels.

* Remnants of no man’s land.

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

5. An International Memorial

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.

6. An excellent starting point for exploring the battlefields of the Somme and Artois

A visit to Vimy can be complemented by:

* Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial
* Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial
* Thiepval Memorial
* The numerous Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in the region.

In summary

Visiting Vimy Ridge allows you to discover a remarkably well-preserved battlefield, understand the strategic importance of the ridge, honour the memory of the soldiers who fell during the First World War, and better understand why the Battle of Vimy Ridge holds such a special place in Canadian history.

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial

The Canadian Vimy Memorial is a First World War memorial erected on the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place from April 9 to 12, 1917. The Battle of Vimy was a major victory for Canadian forces, who succeeded in taking control of Vimy Ridge, a strategic point defended by the Germans. The Memorial pays tribute to the Canadian soldiers who fought and died during the war, particularly those who have no known grave. Designed by Canadian architect Allward, the Memorial was inaugurated on July 26, 1936 by King Edward VIII. The Memorial is regarded as a symbol of Canada’s sacrifice and courage, and of its national identity. It is part of Canada’s network of national historic sites, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

Visit Vimy Ridge with a local Private Driver

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.

The History and Symbolism of the Vimy Memorial

Construction of the Vimy Memorial: It took 11 years to erect this majestic monument, the work of architect Alward. The monument stands on a base of 11,000 tonnes of concrete reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel. The 2 quadrangular towers and statues are made of 6,000 tonnes of sandstone from an abandoned Roman quarry near the Adriatic Sea, now in Croatia. The statues were carved where they stand today. A statue with a cloak was carved from a 30-ton block of stone and stands in front of the monument overlooking the Lens-Liévin plain. This sad statue of a woman represents Canada, a young country mourning its dead. Further down is a grave draped in laurel branches, featuring a helmet and sword. On either side of the front walls, at the base of the steps, stand the Defenders, 2 groups of statues called the Breaking of the Sword and the Compassion of Canadians for the Weak. Above each group is a cannon draped in laurel and olive branches. Engraved on the walls of the monument are the names of more than 11,000 Canadian soldiers who perished in France and whose names and burial places were unknown at the time. Canadians fought and died during the war. More than 7,000 of them are buried in 36 military cemeteries located within a 20 km radius of the Canadian National Memorial. More than 66,000 Canadians lost their lives in the First World War. The 2 white quadrangular towers, one featuring maple leaves from Canada and the other the fleur-de-lys from France, symbolize the sacrifices of both countries. Statues represent peace and justice. Below, on the backs of the towers, are statues representing truth and knowledge. Surrounding these statues are the coats of arms of Canada, Great Britain and France. At the base of the towers we see a young soldier dying, the spirit of sacrifice and the torchbearer.

The Trenches and Tunnels of Vimy Ridge

The trenches and tunnels of Vimy Ridge are one of the most fascinating aspects of the battle of April 9, 1917. Even today, they allow visitors to gain a concrete understanding of what Canadian soldiers experienced before the assault. ([Veterans Affairs Canada][1])

1 The Trenches of Vimy

The trenches visible today represent only a small part of the vast network that once covered the entire ridge. They were reconstructed after the war in their original locations to preserve the battlefield. In some places, the Canadian and German lines were separated by only about 25 meters. ([Veterans Affairs Canada][1])

Walking through these trenches, one can still distinguish:

* firing positions;

* observation posts;

* machine gun emplacements;

* mine craters created by underground explosions;

* the rugged terrain of the battlefield. ([Wikipedia][2])

2 The Tunnels (Subways)

Before During the attack, the Canadians used a vast underground network dug into the chalk of the ridge. Five British tunnelling companies constructed fourteen “subways” in the Canadian sector. The longest was over 1.7 km. ([Veterans Affairs Canada][1])

These tunnels served several purposes:

* to move troops away from German artillery;

* to store ammunition and equipment;

* to establish command posts;

* to set up medical posts;

* to maintain communications to the front lines. ([Wikipedia][2])

The most famous tunnel is the **Grange Subway**, approximately 1.4 km long. On the morning of April 9, 1917, nearly 950 Canadian soldiers were waiting there for the order to attack. Some of the soldiers’ inscriptions are still visible today. (Vimy Foundation][3])

3 A powerful experience for visitors

When you descend into the Grange Subway, you realize the conditions in which the soldiers lived during the final hours before the assault. The tunnel is narrow, dark, and damp. Canadian guides explain how the men waited in silence before emerging from the trenches at 5:30 a.m. on Easter morning, 1917. (Vimy Foundation][3])

4 An often overlooked detail

The land around the memorial is still crisscrossed by underground tunnels, mine craters, and unexploded ordnance. A large part of the park is therefore closed to the public for safety reasons.

For your memorial tours, the tunnels and trenches are often the most impressive part of the visit, as they allow visitors to