53308NOR
Paris, Ardennies
- US Aisne-Marne WW1 Cemetery (with guide)
- Belleau Wood and Marines Memorial
- Chateau-Thierry WW1 memorial
- Reims visit Cathedral and, if time, Tau Palace.
- The morning will be spent visiting 3 specific WW1 sites. Ensure you give the majority of your commentary before your arrive at the Aisne-Marne cemetery as the group will be outside at the memorials. This is particularly important if the weather is inclement.
- Check with the Paris Office what time your guide is booked at the Aisne-Marne cemetery. Reconfirm with Cemetery.
- Lunch is best taken in Reims if you wish to visit this attractive city, which is easy to navigate. It was twice occupied by German troops during WW1 and its cathedral was set on fire. It is therefore relevant to the tour and worth a visit. Often there is an exhibition inside the cathedral. If time the fabulous TAU palace next to the Cathedral – need 45 mins to visit. If not visiting Reims, use the motorway services near Reims as a lunch stop.
- The afternoon will be spent driving on to the Ardennes area. You will likely to be staying in Bastogne in Belgium, or in Luxembourg City.
0800 Take the A4 out of Paris. Leave at the Chateau-Thierry exit and follow signs left for the US Aisne-Marne cemetery (also signed “Direction Troyes”). Be careful not to go to the other US cemetery in the area, which is right upon leaving the A4.
You will see the huge WW1 memorial on the hill above the town of Chateau-Thierry. Point it out to the group and mention you will be visiting it later. In Chateau-Thierry continue to follow the signs, which take you onto the D9, direction Meaux.
At the crossroads where the American Memorial is signposted on the left, be careful to take the D1003 right, signposted to Belleau. The cemetery is clearly on your left as you approach Belleau village.
0930 Arrive at US Aisne-Marne Cemetery. Drive straight through the stone pillars and up to the actual cemetery: you will see a car park on your right. Tell the group the bus will be leaving after one hour. Go into the visitor centre, which is the closest of the small houses. Your guide will greet you (don’t forget to confirm) and provide a historical overview of the 2nd Battle of the Marne (if you have a small group this will be inside). Give a small amount of time for people to visit the cemetery and use the facilities in the visitor centre.
10.30 Depart for Belleau Wood. Upon leaving the cemetery, turn right, right again, and then right again. It is a 3 minute drive to the woods themselves, which are directly behind the cemetery. This is an absolute must-visit. You will approach a bronze memorial (from the rear) in the centre of the road. It is sometimes referred to as Iron Mike. Park the bus just before it and lead the group to it. You will see WW1 guns around the memorial. Lead the group to the right (as you face the back of the memorial) and you will see plaques in the ground. If you walk 5 minutes or so, you will come to actual WW1 shallow trenches used during the battle, as well as craters from artillery that are still clearly visible. Allow 30 mins.
Follow the road straight on and you will come back past the US Cemetery if you keep turning right. Head back the 8km or so the way you came to the crossroads where the D1003 meets the D9. Drive straight across to the large Chateau-Thierry Memorial (signposted “Memorial”).
11.15 Arrive at the Memorial. The imposing structure gives excellent views over Chateau-Thierry and the valley of the Marne. It is the main memorial that commemorates the role of the US Infantry 2nd and 3rd Divisions in halting the German offensive. 20 minutes for the group to take pictures.
Follow the D9 back towards the A4 and head towards Reims. It is a 45- minute drive.
12.30 Arrive at the centre of Reims. You can either drop off at the end of the pedestrian shopping street, or go to the bus park at the Cathedral. The pedestrian street drops them right at the centre, where there are plentiful restaurants, shops and ATMS. If you wish to do this, follow the signs for Parking “Erlon”. The bus cannot park here and they will have to be quite fast getting off the bus. Give them a good amount of time for lunch (if you have not done so en route and exploring (2 hr) and tell them to be prompt. Cathedral and Tau Palace beside it to the right as you are looking at it.
Alternatively park at the Cathedral and lead the group the 10 minutes to the centre of town. This is trickier if you do not know Reims, but has the advantage that they will see the magnificent Gothic structure.
1430 Depart Reims and drive to your hotel. It is 180km (a good 2 hours) to Bastogne via the A34; or 230 km (2.hrs 45 mins) to Luxembourg via the A4.