A couple of us from work are thinking of doing some European battlefield tours next year on the bikes. Has anybody done this? Experiences? Things to look out for or keep away from? Places to stay?
You all know the score - any advice gratefully received.
Cheers
Advice On Battle Field Tours
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Advice On Battle Field Tours
No longer a motorcycle owner.
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winger
Do you mean the commercial tours or doing your own thing,if it's on your own,it's how longs a piece of string,we've seen alot of the D-Day sites as far inland as Falaise,if it's first world war then you really can't avoid it in northern france, theTiepval memorial is a must,and Verdun is an absolute must,the ground is,as is, just grassed over the shell holes and whats unusual in the fact it was a French/German thing,with no Brits involved.
Further afield go to Arnhem in Holland,or to Oradour-sur-Glane in France the village was left as it was after the SS had been there.
There is a small museum in Falaise,get there early in the morning and they will open up just for a couple of people,not very big,but they show some great B/W footage,remember sitting there for hours watching,only to remember we'd promised to meet people in S/W France that afternoon gulp!!!
Further afield go to Arnhem in Holland,or to Oradour-sur-Glane in France the village was left as it was after the SS had been there.
There is a small museum in Falaise,get there early in the morning and they will open up just for a couple of people,not very big,but they show some great B/W footage,remember sitting there for hours watching,only to remember we'd promised to meet people in S/W France that afternoon gulp!!!
Looking at doing the tour myself. Not sure if we want WW1 or WW2 at this stage. Think maybe WW1 before any of the remains deteriorate further.
Winger ... Info you have given me so far I will look into.
Had a look at the UKGSer forum and there is info on there that I will look into.
Actually went to Arnham about 5 years back but was not sight seeing. I did the International Four Days Marches (www.4daagse.nl) with my Air Training Corps Wing-Kent. Hard work doing 25 miles a day with a group of about 12 young Cadets but the march through the towns on the last day was amazing - bit like the Allies going through the towns with flags waving, people cheering, parties etc.
Winger ... Info you have given me so far I will look into.
Had a look at the UKGSer forum and there is info on there that I will look into.
Actually went to Arnham about 5 years back but was not sight seeing. I did the International Four Days Marches (www.4daagse.nl) with my Air Training Corps Wing-Kent. Hard work doing 25 miles a day with a group of about 12 young Cadets but the march through the towns on the last day was amazing - bit like the Allies going through the towns with flags waving, people cheering, parties etc.
No longer a motorcycle owner.
Joe,,
If your doing the WW1 thing I would head for the Somme and be prepared for some tears!! War Graves and monuments all along the roadsides. As winger has already said the monument at Theipval is well worth the effort of visiting (and do some research first) as is Verdun. If you get that far down Oradour Sur Glane(WW2) is a must but an upsetting exsperience. Never had a problem finding anywhere to stay in France even at the last miniute.
Peter.
If your doing the WW1 thing I would head for the Somme and be prepared for some tears!! War Graves and monuments all along the roadsides. As winger has already said the monument at Theipval is well worth the effort of visiting (and do some research first) as is Verdun. If you get that far down Oradour Sur Glane(WW2) is a must but an upsetting exsperience. Never had a problem finding anywhere to stay in France even at the last miniute.
Peter.
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winger
Another, worth a visit is Bastogne,there's a shop turned museum just down a side street full of m/c guns,there's a Sherman parked in the town square with an interesting hole in it.
Bit of an oddity Mimoutiers is a little town just south of Lisieux,i guess for 30 years it was our route from Le-Havre and south,there's Tiger tank parked in a layby,one of only half a dozen surviving examples,i have pictures stood next to with everything from my brand new 1974 CB750 to the 1100s.
If you ever go between Middleburg and Goes in southern Holloand there's cemetery were Guy Gibson is buried,were he was shot down flying a mosquito later on in the war after the Dambusters raid.
Bit of an oddity Mimoutiers is a little town just south of Lisieux,i guess for 30 years it was our route from Le-Havre and south,there's Tiger tank parked in a layby,one of only half a dozen surviving examples,i have pictures stood next to with everything from my brand new 1974 CB750 to the 1100s.
If you ever go between Middleburg and Goes in southern Holloand there's cemetery were Guy Gibson is buried,were he was shot down flying a mosquito later on in the war after the Dambusters raid.
Travel section in the UKGS website has a thread specifically related to battlefield & military sites of interest. Plenty of info there to infrom atour plan.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=263
I have visited Bastogne in Belgium and there is plenty of reminders of the WW11 Battle of Bulge including marked routes where you find various Allied & german tanks etc dotted around the countryside and small museums in most towns. Ardennes is good area for riding or you can pop over to the Mosel area.
It is also only a few hours ride from Bastogne to Verdun. Again, plenty of museums & forts to visit, plus what is the largest military cemetary I have ever seen. 90 years after the battle and the ground is still marked with shell holes.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=263
I have visited Bastogne in Belgium and there is plenty of reminders of the WW11 Battle of Bulge including marked routes where you find various Allied & german tanks etc dotted around the countryside and small museums in most towns. Ardennes is good area for riding or you can pop over to the Mosel area.
It is also only a few hours ride from Bastogne to Verdun. Again, plenty of museums & forts to visit, plus what is the largest military cemetary I have ever seen. 90 years after the battle and the ground is still marked with shell holes.
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skiddy boxers
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I'm no expert but these are from my own experiences.
For WWI - Vimy Ridge just north of Arras is definately worth a visit Huge canadian monument, preserved trenches and acres of shell holes, free guided tour of the underground tunnel system used to move men and munitions unseen.
Also Compeigne where the armistace was signed. Not too much there apart from a small but interesting museum.
For WWII Loads around Normandy as you'd expect but a little further are the U Boat pens at St Nazaire and nearby there is an intact coastal bunker at Le Croisic near La Baule.
In the Ardenne Bastogne has already been mentioned but La Roche en Ardenne suffered a lot of fighting and is also worth a visit with a very interesting museum.
A little reseach on the web will find lots of interesting places to base your own tour around.
Good luck
For WWI - Vimy Ridge just north of Arras is definately worth a visit Huge canadian monument, preserved trenches and acres of shell holes, free guided tour of the underground tunnel system used to move men and munitions unseen.
Also Compeigne where the armistace was signed. Not too much there apart from a small but interesting museum.
For WWII Loads around Normandy as you'd expect but a little further are the U Boat pens at St Nazaire and nearby there is an intact coastal bunker at Le Croisic near La Baule.
In the Ardenne Bastogne has already been mentioned but La Roche en Ardenne suffered a lot of fighting and is also worth a visit with a very interesting museum.
A little reseach on the web will find lots of interesting places to base your own tour around.
Good luck
Nick
When life gives you melons, you may be dyslexic.
When life gives you melons, you may be dyslexic.
Re: Advice On Battle Field Tours
JoeC wrote:A couple of us from work are thinking of doing some European battlefield tours next year on the bikes. any advice gratefully received.
Good post Joe, and big thanks to everyone for their top advice. I'm doing the same thing next year, en route to Chateau Flash in mid June. When are you going Joe?
Penf
"Crumbs Chief! What do we do now?"
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winger
Another to pencil in is Colditz,sometimes you see things on the box and when you see e'm in real life so to speak, just not what you expected but Colditz is and more i think PB has been there as well,,certainley over the years have been to hundreds of battlefield sites and cemetries,but on a trip to the Lauszitesring in 2001 came across a Russian cemetery between Berlin and Cottbus with two T34's parked outside and everything in German thanking the Russians!!! most of the visiters book was filled in by people from Moscow.
The only thing i'll say,not sure if i could do a whole holiday visiting, way to upsetting,normally done on the way to a race meeting,just so i can remind myself of how lucky i am never haveing to do such things.
The only thing i'll say,not sure if i could do a whole holiday visiting, way to upsetting,normally done on the way to a race meeting,just so i can remind myself of how lucky i am never haveing to do such things.
Theipval is definitely worth a visit as others have said. We went a few years ago and found my Great Grandfather's name there carved in the monument. He was one of the 60,000 killed on the first day of the Somme. One of the most mobving things round there is that there are cemeteries all over the place. All for a few yards gained avery time.
Went to a museum near Verdun once also, which was incredible.
As Winger mentioned, Ive been to Colditz a few times also, albeit from 1990 to 1992 so Im not sure what it's like now. When we went it was still partially a mental home and very raw, but awesome at the same time.I was in Berlin with the Forces from 89 to 92 and Berlin also still holds some interest for war history. The Russian and British Burial grounds there are quite special.
Saxenhousen near Berlin is a place to haunt you also. We took various people and never one saw or heard birds there despite many trees. That place is imprinted on my memory.
Went to a museum near Verdun once also, which was incredible.
As Winger mentioned, Ive been to Colditz a few times also, albeit from 1990 to 1992 so Im not sure what it's like now. When we went it was still partially a mental home and very raw, but awesome at the same time.I was in Berlin with the Forces from 89 to 92 and Berlin also still holds some interest for war history. The Russian and British Burial grounds there are quite special.
Saxenhousen near Berlin is a place to haunt you also. We took various people and never one saw or heard birds there despite many trees. That place is imprinted on my memory.
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1999 CBR1100XX
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2006 R1200s
2013 R1200RT anniversary
As we have all said Theipval is a must, If you have any family that where lost in WW1 contact the war graves commision with only basic details and they can tell you which cemetery/monument to visit. As winger says not sure if I'd want to spend to long doing this, It can be very upsetting---Row upon row of graves of boys who gave their lives for this country. Maximum respect to all servicemen from me!!.
Peter.
Peter.
European battlefields?
Only piece of advice I can think of is: don't visit any live ones......
Only piece of advice I can think of is: don't visit any live ones......
Come on down to a FLASH weekend break in South West France!
Rufty-Tufty, tassled, Bikers ONLY. No cars please! (unless it's a Volvo Estate with a carbon fibre tow-bar)
Check it out on: http://www.flashtours.co.uk
Rufty-Tufty, tassled, Bikers ONLY. No cars please! (unless it's a Volvo Estate with a carbon fibre tow-bar)
Check it out on: http://www.flashtours.co.uk
Must also chip in and recommend Vimy Ridge near Arras as an excellent WWI site to visit. Very moving, and also extremely interesting as you have the opportunity to go underground and explore the earthworks and tunnels that the Canadians created as part of their offensive against the Germans.
Regards Bob
Regards Bob
Having toured Normandy a few times, I can recommend a great bike friendly accomodation.
It's close to Le Mans, Falise, Honfleur and is in the heart of Normandy.
It's called Le Pressoir, and is run by Rob and Maggie Hind.
They regularly look after small groups of bikers.
Le Pressoir a La Thibaudiere
61470 Heugon
Orne
0033 (0)2 33 366 899
Cheers
Simon Matthews
It's close to Le Mans, Falise, Honfleur and is in the heart of Normandy.
It's called Le Pressoir, and is run by Rob and Maggie Hind.
They regularly look after small groups of bikers.
Le Pressoir a La Thibaudiere
61470 Heugon
Orne
0033 (0)2 33 366 899
Cheers
Simon Matthews
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