# WW1 battlefields



## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

Hi all, Just got back from 5 nights away. We visited Eperleque/La Coupol near St Omer staying the night at Arques on the car park behind Camping Municipal Beauchance (?) cost 2 euros for the night. The first night we stayed for free at auchans at Dunkerke. We moved on to Albert via Vimy Ridge. The Memorial has just been reopened after a 4 year restoration. It looks magnificant. We stayed at the camping Municipal velodrome for one night cost 8.80 euros. clean but very basic. We then did the tour round Beaument Hamel, Thiepval to the Lochnagar crater before heading to Ypres in time for the Last Post at 8pm. We stayed at the stadium site for 10 euros for the night. After looking around the market on the saturday morning, we went up to the Tyne Cot cemetry, the larget allied and commonwealth cemetry with over 44 thousand graves. We then headed back to dunkerke sat eve. We looked for the Aire at Malo les Bain but could not find the way to it. Any good directions? So we spent the night back at Auchan for a 8am ferry the next morning. Brill trip recommend to anyone. got to be done. 

Oh and by the way diesel at Auchan Dunkerke is 1.02 euro a ltr!!


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi, glad you had a good holiday;

The aire at Malo Les Bains is a right pig to find, probably best if you don't try to cut through Dunkerque from the ferry or you will def get lost, imo Dunkerque is a horrible place to navigate through, we found its best to get on the A16 and leave at J33 then keep following the Malo signs, theres a map here if that helps...










or if you have a sat nav then get the coords from the entry in the database >here<

pete


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## putties (May 18, 2005)

We visited hammel last year and went round the canadian memorial trenches. It opens your eyes as to what went on. I am reading a book which is full of soldiers quotes as to the conditions and accounts on the battle of the somme.

Putties


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## chrisnkathie (Apr 18, 2006)

Been to the battlegrounds quite often (last Thursday and Friday) and always parked with the lorries at Dunkerque, never a problem and 2 minutes from the port. One of the less visited sites of the Great War is the field where fraternisation and probably the first England v Germany football match took place on Christsmas Day 1914 (I have a photograph as my screen saver) It is signed just at the rear of "Plugstreet" Wood, and, not just because I am a football fan, it means a great deal to me.....if only.
Our visit was on the way back from the Med. Some time ago I asked the question on the forum, is it possible to go to the Monaco Grand Prix. The answer is yes, but by train, camping at Municipal Site St. Michael at Menton. This is a 10 minute walk down a steep flight of steps to the Railway Station, you do of course have to walk back up them, or as we did on one occasion take a taxi. There are 2 sharp bends on the way up to the site, but there were several 30+foot RVs there. Not just the Grand Prix of course, the entire rail network Italy to Marsailles and beyond is open by rail. SNCF actually reduced the train fare to Monaco for the Grand Prix.....are you reading this Mr. Branson!!!!
Chris


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## Bernies (Mar 22, 2007)

Just thought I would add our experience to this thread...we visited Ypres last year on 10th and 11th November, it was an extremely interesting and moving experience. We visited the trenches, several war cemeteries, Passchendale and experienced the last post at the Menin Gate.

We stayed at a really nice farm just outside Ypres. It was a bit like a certified location (CL), all services and very friendly.

We would recommend it - but beware on the weekend nearest Armistice day the town is full of Brits!


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## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

peejay said:


> Hi, glad you had a good holiday;
> 
> The aire at Malo Les Bains is a right pig to find, probably best if you don't try to cut through Dunkerque from the ferry or you will def get lost, imo Dunkerque is a horrible place to navigate through, we found its best to get on the A16 and leave at J33 then keep following the Malo signs, theres a map here if that helps...
> 
> ...


Thanks, That's the route I took in but got too near the sea front and got blocked by the barriers. We got to walk along the front and on the beach, My partner's father was evacuated from same beach in '40 with the other 300k plus. May try again next time but Auchans is usually quiet and handy for shopping and fuel.

Chears, Pete.


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## 104543 (May 15, 2007)

Hi,
we'll stop by these places in summer, did the WW2 Normandy beaches last year.
We were in the Auchans Dunkerque store this last weekend, we saw lots of high barriers, and no overnight parking with towaway signs if you tried.
Is there a separate area for motorhome parking?

Cheers
Mike


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## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

mikey72 said:


> Hi,
> we'll stop by these places in summer, did the WW2 Normandy beaches last year.
> We were in the Auchans Dunkerque store this last weekend, we saw lots of high barriers, and no overnight parking with towaway signs if you tried.
> Is there a separate area for motorhome parking?
> ...


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Hi Thepoet said.

*We looked for the Aire at Malo les Bain but could not find the way to it. Any good directions? *

The co-ordinates for Malo les Bains are
51.04858 degrees
2.38258 degrees

As you are nearing the aire you are running along parallel with the prom, at the last road down to the prom tomtom asks you to turn right but there is a height barrier, carry on to the end of the road and turn right and the carpark is on your right.
Cheers Sid


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## Yorky (May 10, 2005)

Hello All
Anyone picking up on this thread who is interested in going to the Somme battle area who is a first time visitor may get some assistance from three guides in the download section.
Go to download click on articles and there is an introduction to the CWGC and two guides to the main areas of the 1916 Somme battle area.
Regards Eddie


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## 97291 (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi to the knowledgeable people,

Julie and I will be going over to Cambrai in November, the first stop will be a parade at the Menin Gate on the Friday and then down to Cambrai.

We will have to go via Dover - Calais due to Julie being in a wheelchair and needing hoisting, so what we are looking for are campsites near to Menen and Cambrai.

Thanks Vince


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## Yorky (May 10, 2005)

Hello Vince
Sites that are open in November in northern France and Belguim are few and far between , however the following may be of some use.
The Mennin Gate is in Ipres (Ypres) no where near Mennin, there is a site near the ramparts in Ipres that I think is open all year only 5 minutes walk from Mennin Gate.
Camping Ypres
VZW Jeugdstadion
Leopold 111 Laan 16
8900 Ipres
Phone number 0032 57 21 72 82

There is also a site at Kemmel about 9 Km from Ipres that is open all year
Camping Kemmel
Dingelaerestraat 2
emmel Heuvelland
Phone 0032 57 44 46 31
Fax 0032 57 44 48 81

I'v been told that you can overnight in the car park of the sports centre in Ipres but I 'v never tried it. When I'm that way in winter I overnight in the village square at Messine.

As for Cambrai the book only shows one site and it does not state if it is open all year, its a municipal "Le Trois Clochers" phone 03 27 70 91 64, it might be worth giving them a ring.
However there is another site just north of Cambrai at Aubigny Au Bac that is open to the end of November, 
La Roseraie
Phone 03 27 79 98 08
Fax 03 27 83 24 79
E Mail [email protected]
I have not stayed at any of these sites so I do not know what they are like.
When I'm near cambrai in winter I overnight at the canal basin in the centre of the town.
I hope this information will be of some assistance to you , if you need any additional info on the battlefields and cemeteries don't hesitate to get back to me.
Regards Eddie.


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## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

sharbul said:


> Hi to the knowledgeable people,
> 
> Julie and I will be going over to Cambrai in November, the first stop will be a parade at the Menin Gate on the Friday and then down to Cambrai.
> 
> ...


Hi Vince, Hope you have a great time. Having just come back from there, I can amend Yorkie's post about the Jeungdstadium site in Ypres. It would be advisable to book if going anytime around 11th of November (for obvious reasons) as it is quite a small site, 20 -30 pitches,and it is a good BRISK 10 minute flat walk to the Menin Gate. Access from the site is easy considering Julies restriction.

Hope that helps

Pete


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