WW1 France Quick Trip - Recs for places and food

[anonymous-user]

Hello esteemed Aston owners.

I am making a quick solo trip over to Northern France next week to pay my respects. I am aiming for Thiepval and then to spend 24 hours in the area. I have booked 2 nights accommodation but would appreciate any tips / advice / recommendations on where I might get some nice french grub locally for both lunch and supper (say within 20 miles or so of Thiepval)? Also any memorials/sites you would recommend I visit in addtion to Thiepval, there are so many it is hard to decide on how best spend my limited time.

...oh and if there are any decent roads recommended en route that would be a bonus.

If anyone else is going or thinking of going then I'd be happy to meet up. I will in France Tuesday pm and Wednesday, returning Thursday pm.

Many thanks in advance.

[RL17]

Saw the end of BBC 4 programme on the Somme Tunnel wars last week and caught up on i-player. So you are really close to La Boiselle and the Lochnagar crater.

And presumbly you'll go to Vimy and Memorial Park and preserved trenches as you are really close to that on way down on A26 near Arras.

[anonymous-user]

RL17 said:

Saw the end of BBC 4 programme on the Somme Tunnel wars last week and caught up on i-player. So you are really close to La Boiselle and the Lochnagar crater.

And presumbly you'll go to Vimy and Memorial Park and preserved trenches as you are really close to that on way down on A26 near Arras.

Thanks. I will look it up on iplayer this evening, and thanks for the heads up on the other sites.

[OLDBENZ]

The Somme 1916 Museum in Albert is worth a visit.

[JohnG1]

Menin Gate in Ypres. Last post ceremony at 8pm.

Well worth the drive from Thiepval.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will follow them up.

[ClaphamGT3]

JohnG1 said:

Menin Gate in Ypres. Last post ceremony at 8pm.

Well worth the drive from Thiepval.

I would agree with this. There is a very good bistro in the main square (Bakkerstraat) in Ypres that does traditional French/southern Belgian food very well. Can't remember the name but it has a red painted frontage

[anonymous-user]

Well chaps, I’m currently in northern france following up on your suggestions. I might not make it to the menin gate but maybe on Thursday morning....

The first words to me by a frenchman were this afternoon when I was filling up at a services off the A26 near Arras. ‘Its beautiful’ he remarked in pigeon english. As it was only me and the car I guess he was commenting on the latter.

[55palfers]

ClaphamGT3 said:

JohnG1 said:

Menin Gate in Ypres. Last post ceremony at 8pm.

Well worth the drive from Thiepval.

I would agree with this. There is a very good bistro in the main square (Bakkerstraat) in Ypres that does traditional French/southern Belgian food very well. Can't remember the name but it has a red painted frontage

Be there for 7pm though to get a good place.

I stayed here. 10/10 nothing was too much trouble

https://www.bb-ieper.be/en

[JohnG1]

soofsayer said:

Well chaps, I’m currently in northern france following up on your suggestions. I might not make it to the menin gate but maybe on Thursday morning....

The first words to me by a frenchman were this afternoon when I was filling up at a services off the A26 near Arras. ‘Its beautiful’ he remarked in pigeon english. As it was only me and the car I guess he was commenting on the latter.

I would really strongly recommend to attend the last post at the Menin Gate. Really powerful, very emotional. Ceremony is at 8pm. Someone else on this thread suggests 7pm to arrive.

[David W.]

Menin Gate service essential, Lochnagar Crater, Thepvale and anything you happen to drive by as this pic. Worth looking up your family history a finding if there are any family graves to visit too. The war graves commission web site is very useful.

DW