Vimy and Flanders Fields Canadian Battlefield Tour from Lille

Julina_E, Dec 2024

Claude was the best guide, he was very knowledgeable about all of the sites he took us to. This tour was absolutely amazing. We learned so much about Canada's WWI history. Highly recommended!

Donald_D, Dec 2024

Great tour and our guide Claude was very knowledgeable, he provided us with plenty of information and facts about the Canadians troops during WW1.

Caroline_L, Dec 2024

Claude was excellent as a guide and the experience was extremely moving and memorable. we highly recommend this tour.

Janice_T, Dec 2024

Vimy and Flanders Canadian battlefields tour.

On August 11,2022 Lloyd and I went on a “full” day tour of Vimy and Flanders battlefields tour with our own guide, Claude Verhaeghe.

Lloyd spent 8 years in the army; first with the First Battalion Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada and with the Third Battalion PPCLI in Victoria,BC. then finishing his career in Winnipeg,Mb. with the Second Battalion PPCLI.

I am a retired Registered Nurse with 40 years of experience.

On November 11th we make it a must to watch the Remembrance Day Service on television. We are reminded of how grateful we are for our lives lived in freedom but more importantly our gratitude to the men and women who sacrificed so much that we rare free to live the life we have.

This tour as well as the tour from Bayeux have been on our “bucket list” so we are grateful to have gone on both exceptional tours.

Our visit into the trenches at Vimy Ridge and Passendale although informative left me feeling..sad for those who served, yet so grateful for their sacrifice.

The Vimy Canadian Memorial on Vimy Ridge is something to behold.

Although it’s reason for existing is tragic, we left with a feeling of humble pride.

Our lunch stop was a well timed break in the day with yet much more to see and learn about.

I was very glad to have visited the Essex Farm where Canadian Army Doctor Major John McRae cared for the wounded and composed his famous poem “In Flanders Fields”. I will now have a vision whenever I hear his poem.

Our day finished with taking part/observing the “Last Post” in Ypres. A very moving experience that will not be forgotten.

Claude, it was a “full” day and we couldn’t have had a more pleasant, knowledgable person to chauffeur us about and answer our many questions from the time you picked us up at our hotel in Lille at 0900 till you brought us back about 9pm. You have a wealth of knowledge and we are so grateful to have had you share it with us. You made our day very memorable.

From two grateful Canadians; Thank you again for a “day to remember” and the keepsake to help us do so. Thank you, Janice & Lloyd

Anthony S, Dec 2024

Where do I start?!

As my husband and I were starting to plan our vacation to Europe one of my must do's was to go and see the Canadian monument, Vimy Ridge. Although I have no present knowledge of relatives who were a part of WW1, as a Canadian, as a child of a serviceman from WW2, a brother, a nephew and my husband have or still do serve, my interest in of taking up the torch to remember and honour those who gave so much.

I searched online for tours, months before we left Canada, and came across this tour company "Battlefield Tours". I am unable to say enough wonderful things about this tour company, Claude and his knowledge, kindness, and patience with me as I was becoming more and more interested with each gravesite and monument. I started to look for my family name on graves and found many. Claude obviously had a schedule and I am sure I tested his time but he understood how this was becoming more and more important than even I had imagined.

We opted for the private tour and found that it was worth every nickel. Claude has amazing knowledge, passion and obvious great interest in these sites and the history of the European "War To End All Wars".

You will NOT be disappointed in this tour company, Battlefield Tours, and I HIGHLY recommend it!