Located just over 10km from Arras in France, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial (monument et parc commémoratifs du canada à vimy) is a MUST SEE for someone of any nationality to visit to get an insight on a significant part of Canadian history.
The 250 acres of land where the Canadian National Vimy Memorial resides constitutes as a memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers and other military forces killed during the First World War. The land was not only given to Canada by France, but it was earned after an excruciating and disadvantaged battle against the Germans. Thus, it is interesting to point out that once you enter the grounds of the Vimy Monument and Park in France, you are actually on Canadian soil. In my case, it was a[boot] time I set foot on Canadian grounds again. Even though I was still in beautiful France.
The Battlefields of Vimy Ridge are extremely well-perserved with modifications made for safety reasons, and unforgettably beautiful. Thousands and thousands of beautiful Canadian trees (all 11,285 of them) surround the area that was once blown out of proportion [one may say], with all the dugged up trenches and giant craters caused by explosives. Once an unbearable and toxic area, the battlefields are now filled with copious amounts of awe-inspiring trees, bright green grass, and well-preserved trenches. Not only does the area create a Canadian environment, but the staff who provide information, tours, and assistance are all Canadians as well. This is a special element to the trip, as it really makes you feel at home, or at least gives you a feel of Canada if you’ve never been.=====
From going on a historical and informative guided tour of the trenches and grounds, to visiting the extravagantVimy Memorial that stands erected at Hill 145 (the highest point of Vimy Ridge), this is one historical sight that can’t be missed when touring around France.
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is one of Canada’s most important overseas war memorials.
One can learn so much about Canadian history, and even Canadian identity, just from a visit to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial near Arras, France. Therefore, I encourage any traveller who is visiting France, who has a Canadian relative or who is a history fanatic, to visit the Canadian battlegrounds of Vimy Ridge.
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It’s worth the visit, especially since it’s extremely beautiful, informative, awe-inspiring, fun, free, and did I mention FREE? All paid by the Canadian government, the grounds and staff costs are all funded by the Canadian government and even provides free access to toilets (unlike anywhere else in France).
If you’ve never heard of the Battle of Vimy Ridge / need a refresher, here is a summary from an online:
“The First World War is known for its destruction, massive slaughters, and countless offensive failures. Few battles were clear successes; most became large scale chaos and butchery. The first real Allied success was the battle of Vimy Ridge, fought by Canadian troops with British support. Between the years of 1914 & 1915, the French lost 150,000 men trying to take the ridge. In 1916 the British took over the fight and continued the ineffective tactics of repeated shelling, mining, raiding, and skirmishing by night. In 1917, the Canadian Corp, under the First British Army, began to formulate plans for taking the ridge from Germany. The element of surprise was effectively used in conjunction with careful planning by the Canadians. Four divisions of the Canadian Corps began their assault on Vimy Ridge on April 9th, 1917. Usually artillery would pound enemy lines for days or even weeks before troops would be sent “over the top” or out of the trenches to attack the enemy soldiers. Canadian gunners used wind information, provided by weather planes and balloons, when targeting (a very rare practice at the time). They wanted to be sure not to accidentally drop shells on their own people so they carefully calibrated the guns to shoot just ahead of where the advancing troops were to be. This exceptional cover fire allowed the Canadian troops to reach the German trenches, though many casualties were sustained. By using innovative strategies, Canadians took the ridge on April 14. The 6 mile area, containing numerous trenches and tunnels, was very important for tactical reasons; one could see far into the German area from the top of the ridge. Of the 100,000 Canadians who took part in the battle, 3,598 were killed and 7,004 wounded. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a success while showing that careful and intelligent military planning could be used to win battles with minimum casualties.”
As the anniversary of this historical battle was in the month of April, I was extremely lucky to visit the battlefields of Vimy Ridge at this time with my family while visiting Paris.
HOW TO GET THERE?
We took the train (TGV) from Gare de Nord in Paris in the morning and arrived in Arras in less then an hour. The total cost roundtrip can cost less then 40 euros if booked ahead of time. Once we got to Arras, it is suggested that you take a taxi to the Vimy Memorial site as there are no bus services and walking there could take hours. The number I used to call a taxi was (06 69 34 74 75) and costed roughly 25 euros each way, but we split this cost 3 ways, since there was 3 of us. In some cases, it may just be easier to drive to the Arras from Paris and follow the road signs to the Vimy Memorial. If you haven’t seen a red Canadian maple leaf symbol, then you’ve gone to far. The area closes at 5pm, so make sure you give yourself a few hours to take a guided tour of the grounds and a visit to the beautifully designed Vimy Memorial that took 11 years to build.
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Again, the Vimy Ridge Memorial grounds and Monument in France is a must see historical war sight that can’t be missed when visiting and traveling around France! Have you visited Vimy or do you plan to visit?What did you think of the historical WWI sight?
Leave a comment down below!
Ryan Thomas Woods is the voice behind Out With Ryan. He’s an LGBTQ+ Activist & Travel writer for this website and many other publications. He was recently voted 2018’s Travel Influencer of Year in Canada and dedicated the award to all LGBTQ+ travelers making the world a better & safer space for our community, as he strives to do on his website & social platforms.
My friend and I plan to visit Paris in 2015 and would like to see Vimy Ridge. Are there certain days that it is not open? Are there tours every day and if so what time? I couldn’t find a contact for the museum. Also, the best way to get there from Paris. Thank you.