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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

Explore the History of the Western Front: 10 World War One Battlefield Sites in Europe

Discover the history of world war one at these historic battlefields, memorials and monuments in belgium and france..

Harry Sherrin

09 nov 2021.

In the early days of World War One , the German Army advanced into Belgium and Luxembourg, creating the Western Front – a 400-mile-long stretch of land from France’s Swiss border to the North Sea that would go on to host some of the most brutal theatres of conflict in World War One, if not all of history.

Characterised by trench warfare, in which pockets of land were fought over for weeks and months in horrific conditions, the battlefields of World War One witnessed a devastating loss of life.

More than a century later, the devastation of World War One can still be seen in the landscapes, museums and memorials of northern France and Belgium.

From the subterranean hospital of Wellington Quarry to the infamous battleground of Passchendaele , here are 10 World War One battle sites to visit along the former Western Front.

1. Passchendaele, Belgium

The Third Battle of Ypres , later known as Passchendaele, was the site of a major British and French advance in 1917. It gained infamy for its mud and for the tragic loss of life suffered on both sides: the British alone lost some 300,000 soldiers at Passchendaele, and more than 250,000 Germans are also thought to have died.

Today, the battlefields of Passchendaele can be visited solo or as part of guided tours. Many operators offer tours around the wider region of the Ypres Salient – also referred to as Flanders Fields. The area is also home to some key museums and monuments, including the Memorial Museum Passchendaele, the 85th Canadian Memorial and the Passchendaele New British Cemetery.

2. Sanctuary Wood, Belgium

After the close of World War One , a farmer returned to his land in western Belgium to find a network of trenches and tunnels carved through it. His property, now known as Sanctuary Wood, had been the site of intense fighting during the war. Instead of reworking the earth back into shape, he preserved the area’s military relics for visitors.

Visitors to Sanctuary Wood today can explore the trenches and tunnels of this former battleground. Now a comprehensive museum, filled with recovered soldiers’ possessions, weaponry, ammunition and much more, Sanctuary Wood makes for an immersive and moving experience.

3. Vimy Ridge, France

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the larger Battle of Arras during World War One. On 9 April 1917, Easter Monday, Canadians forces attacked German positions on Vimy Ridge, northern France. After 4 days of fighting, and suffering more than 10,000 casualties, the Canadians seized the region.

Today, Vimy Ridge hosts a vast stone monument to the Canadian soldiers who died during the attack. Visitors to the area can also take a guided tour through Vimy Ridge’s network of restored trenches and tunnels that were first carved into the hills during World War One.

4. Wellington Quarry, France

The Wellington Quarry was a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels dug into the earth of northern France during World War One . The underground site was vast, encompassing newly dug routes and rooms as well as existing medieval tunnels. Built by the New Zealand Tunneling Company, the quarry ultimately contained a fully functioning hospital of some 700 beds.

Today, the tunnel system is home to the Carrière Wellington Museum. Visitors to the site can expect to take an elevator deep underground, where they’ll be immersed in the history of the former military hospital and subterranean stronghold.

5. Circuit of Remembrance, France

The Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 1916 and lasted nearly 5 months. It was one of the largest battles of World War One and among the bloodiest in human history. On the first day of battle alone, Britain lost nearly 60,000 men, making it the deadliest day in British military history . And by the close of the Battle of the Somme, a million soldiers from either side had died.

Today, a 40-mile route known as the Circuit of Remembrance starts from either the town of Albert or that of Peronne, winding through numerous battle sites, memorials and museums in the region. Those who wish to embark on this route of Somme battlefields can download audio guides to the route for free from various online sources – including the website of the Historial de la Grande Guerre Museum. Alternatively, various operators offer guided tours around the region.

6. Pozieres, France

Pozieres was the site of a major battle between Allied and German forces in 1916. Launched on 23 July, it saw Australian forces battle for the town of Pozieres, which would allow the Allies to attack the German stronghold of Thiepval.

Today, visitors can discover the history of the battle through signs and information panels at the site of the Battle of Pozieres. The area is also home to a Tank Memorial and the remnants of the Gibraltar blockhouse which served a German observation tower. There is also a cemetery and several obelisk-shaped memorials. Pozieres is one of the sites that make up the Circuit of Remembrance.

7. Lochnagar Crater, France

The Lochnagar Crater, located in the village of La Boisselle in France’s Picardie region, is the site where one of the first and largest explosions of the Battle of the Somme took place on 1 July 1916.

Set off by British forces at 7:28 am, the mine which created the Lochnagar Crater was one of the biggest ever detonated at that time in history. The crater itself is an astounding 100 metres in diameter and 30 metres deep. Today, visitors can see Lochnagar Crater either as a one-off site or as part of the Circuit of Remembrance.

8. Ulster Memorial Tower, France

The Ulster Memorial Tower in Thiepval in France is a 70-foot-high stone structure built as a memorial to the men of Ulster who fought and gave their lives during World War One. The first memorial to be built on the Western Front, the Ulster Memorial is a replica of Helen’s Tower, an important monument which is located in County Down in Northern Ireland.

Located on what was the German front line during the Battle of the Somme, the memorial faces Thiepval Wood, the site from which the 36th (Ulster) Division made its charge on the first day of the famous offensive, 1 July 1916. Today, the site offers guided tours of these woods from its visitor centre. Inside, visitors can view the plaques dedicated to the Irish soldiers, several paintings and visit its memorial chapel.

9. Verdun Memorial Museum, France

For those wishing to tour the battlefields of Verdun, the Verdun Memorial Museum offers advice and itineraries, meaning it’s a good starting point for anyone visiting the region.

The Verdun Memorial Museum is dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives at the Battle of Verdun (21 February to 18 December 1916). It stands near the site of the lengthy battle, and the surrounding landscape bears the scars of the war, including mine and shell craters. On display at the memorial museum are weaponry, French and German aircraft, photographs and medical equipment.

Laid out over two floors, the Verdun Memorial Museum immerses the visitor in the realities of the battle by recreating the trench system and using multimedia presentations to guide visitors through the events of the war. Exhibits are translated into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.

10. Fort Douaumont, France

Fort Douaumont was one of the strongest, most state-of-the-art forts in France at the time of World War One. But in 1916, the stronghold was destroyed during the Battle of Verdun. Today, it stands as a ruin, a haunting reminder of the devastation of World War One .

Fort Douaumont still appears almost exactly as it did at the end of World War One. Despite the destruction, parts of Fort Douaumont are well preserved, including the barrack rooms and command posts. Visitors can take a tour through its 3 levels and see the guns, turrets and weaponry which remain. There is also a graveyard.

• Cookie Policy
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• Travelling to Ypres
• Staying in Ypres
• Passchendaele
• Sanctuary Wood
• Bayernwald Trenches and Kemmel
• Lijssenthoek Cemetery
• Yorkshire Trench
• Polygon Wood
• Five Must See Somme Sites
• Travelling to the Somme
• Staying in the Somme
• Beaumont Hamel
• Newfoundland Memorial Park
• Ulster Tower
• Lochnagar Crater & Area
• Iron Harvest
• Delville Wood
• Trones Wood, Guillemont & Area
• Villers-Bretonneux
• Cuinchy, Cambrin and Vermelles
• Vimy Ridge Area

World War One Battlefields

Visiting the first world war battlefields of the western front.

•         - Cookie Policy
•         - Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
•         - Travelling to Ypres
•         - Staying in Ypres
•         - Passchendaele
•         - Tyne Cot
•         - Essex Farm
•         - Ypres
•         - Sanctuary Wood
•         - Hill 60
•         - Bayernwald Trenches and Kemmel
•         - Hooge
•         - Lijssenthoek Cemetery
•         - Messines
•         - Plugstreet
•         - Yorkshire Trench
•         - Langemark
•         - Polygon Wood
•         - Five Must See Somme Sites
•         - Travelling to the Somme
•         - Staying in the Somme
•         - Thiepval
•         - Beaumont Hamel
•         - Newfoundland Memorial Park
•         - Ulster Tower
•         - Albert
•         - High Wood
•         - Lochnagar Crater & Area
•         - Iron Harvest
•         - Delville Wood
•         - Trones Wood, Guillemont & Area
•         - Serre
•         - Mametz
•         - Villers-Bretonneux
•         - Arras
•         - Cuinchy, Cambrin and Vermelles
•         - Fromelles
•         - Verdun
•         - Vimy Ridge
•         - Vimy Ridge Area

Flanders /Ypres

Visiting Ypres and the Salient - Belgian Flanders

Visiting the Somme battlefields in Northern France

Other battlefields

Covering other sites of interest on the Western Front

Welcome to the World War One Battlefields website!

This website went live in 2004, and is regularly updated to provide an online guide to areas of the Western Front as they are today,  with historical information and photographs alongside modern photos of each area. It provides practical information  – see pages on Visiting the Somme and Visiting Ypres . There is information on how to best reach the battlefields of the Somme and Flanders and also where to stay ( Somme and Flanders ). For those with limited time, there is a page listing Five must-see Somme sites – useful if you have only one day to spend in the area. Helping you to make the most of your battlefield visit is the main purpose of this website.

There are many more pages on what to see in the two main areas of interest on the Western Front, Ypres/Flanders and the Somme . For Flanders, these include Tyne Cot , the Menin Gate in Ypres and Passchendaele , whilst in the Somme, there are pages on the Thiepval Memorial , the Newfoundland Memorial Park and Beaumont Hamel , among others.

There are also pages on other key sites on the Western Front, such as Vimy Ridge , Arras and Verdun .

Latest Site Updates

The latest updates to the website are from a trip e to the Somme in summer, 2021. There were few visitors, and I took some aerial photographs and video footage of some of the sites. The most recent updates are to the Ulster Tower page; other recent updates have been made to the Beaumont Hamel , Thiepval , High Wood and Trones Wood pages.

There are some excellent guidebooks and other resources for visiting the battlefields. These are also listed on the relevant pages.

Sections covering the main battlefields of interest on the Western Front can be accessed via the links below:

The Somme battlefields

Ypres/flanders battlefields.

Battlefield Tours

2024 Battlefield Tour

In the footsteps of titans: salonika and the great war, friday, sept. 13 – wednesday, sept. 18, 2024.

Venture into the crossroads of mythology and modernity with the National WWI Museum and Memorial as we explore the cultural and historical significance of the Salonika Front. From the dense forests and mountain landscapes of beautiful Greece, we will trace the forgotten trench lines of some of the war’s most remote battlefields and discover the global stories of this lesser-known theater rich in geopolitical importance as the “cradle of democracy.” The tour begins and ends in Thessaloniki (SKG) with five nights of lodging in the scenic Grecian countryside.

Please note:

This tour traverses rugged terrain and includes locations with steep and unpaved grounds. Unlike previous battlefield tours, much of this battlefield is inaccessible by vehicle. Participants MUST be able to walk a minimum of 6 miles without assistance and be able to carry their own equipment needed for hiking.

Planned Itinerary

Tour pricing, frequently asked questions.

Previous Tours

(May be subject to change)

Day 1: sept. 13.

Starting in Thessaloniki, the group’s first introduction to the campaign will be the Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, containing personnel from all nations. The group will travel north to study Birdcage Line, constructed by the British Army in 1916, and end the day at the Doiran Memorial.

Overnight Doiran – Dinner included

Day 2: Sept. 14

Northbound from Doiran, the group will explore the furthest extent of the French Army’s advance in 1915, passing through Gradsko and Krivolak. Stopping at the Demir Kapija tunnel on the way back to Doiran, the group will study the Dec. 1915 retreat before finishing the day at Lake Doiran.

Overnight Doiran – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included

Day 3: Sept. 15

Most of the day’s travels will be on flat ground and near the group’s hotel in Doiran, examining key points of action in the Battles of Doiran like La Tortue, Hill 340, the Hilt and the Petit Couronné.

Day 4: Sept. 16

A full day’s hike to Devil’s Eye and its views over Pip Ridge, the scene of the final decisive battle of Salonika in Sept. 1918. En route to the site, the group will pass through the Bulgarian reserve positions, artillery and command bunkers, as well as the T Line bunkers and an isolated British Divisional Memorial.

Day 5: Sept. 17

Trekking through the Struma Valley, the group will explore the various actions at Tumbitza Farm, specifically the 27th Division attacks, as well as the British battery positions at Triada (Dragos) and the Bulgarian positions at Palio Castro. For the final evening, the group will return to Thessaloniki.

Overnight Thessaloniki – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included

Day 6: Sept. 18

Transfer to Thessaloniki Airport for departures.

Questions?   Frequently Asked Questions

$500 deposit (per person) due by April 19, 2024

Account in full due by june 30, 2024, costs include:.

• Pick-up and drop-off at Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)
• Bus, driver and guides throughout tour
• 5 nights accommodation (includes all meals)
• Small group size

It does not include:

• Flights to and from Greece
• Incidentals

Travel Insurance

Traveler is responsible for securing their own optional travel insurance.

We encourage scheduling your arrival the day before the tour begins to avoid any risk of a delayed flight.

Ready to register?      Registration   

The British Memorial to the Missing near Lake Doiran.

Bulgarian artillery position between Grand Couronné and Pip Ridge.

Please note: Modifications may occur due to current global travel restrictions.

When and where will we meet the group?

All participants should meet at the designated meeting place and time, provided with your tour information. It is recommended to arrive in the destination city the day before the tour, giving you ample time to meet at the gathering place. Once you receive the green light to purchase your airfare, please forward your arrival time and flight number to the Museum and Memorial's Learning Coordinator at [email protected] . This will assist guides in roll call before starting the tour.

What sites will we be visiting?

Please see the itinerary sent by the guides. The itinerary is loose, allowing flexibility in visiting additional sites.

What hotels will we be staying in? What amenities are included?

Please see the itinerary sent by the guides. Breakfast, WiFi and laundry services are generally available.

How many meals are included with my registration?

Breakfasts and at least one group dinner are covered under your registration. Lunches and other dinners are not included, unless otherwise specified. Please notify us immediately if you have any special dietary requirements. For most destinations, lunches will be approximately €15-€20 and dinners approximately €35.

How will we travel between different sites/cities?

Participants will travel by coach (bus) between cities and will walk around most sites.

What amenities are included with the bus?

The bus will have A/C and heating, a refrigerator, a restroom and complimentary water.

What should I wear?

• Comfortable outdoor wear (e.g. T-shirts, jeans, shorts.) Avoid wearing clothing with large, loud logos.
• Sweater or lightweight fleece
• Appropriate footwear (e.g. walking shoes). A change of footwear is also advised.
• Waterproof outer layers (light jacket)
• Hat and sunscreen

What are essential items I need to pack?

• Medicine (in your carry on!)*
• Camera or phone
• Night clothes
• Socks and underwear
• Satchel/day pack
• Electricity adapters for destination countries
• Portable power bank (if you have one)
• Waterproof jacket (and trousers if you have them)
• Sturdy shoes
• Large plastic bag for worn clothes

* Note on medicine: should be kept in its original packing, and kept in your carry-on along with a copy of any doctor's prescription. Please consult with State Department travel information to ensure that your prescriptions are not prohibited in the destination countries. Most over-the-counter medicines can be obtained abroad, though they may have different names than those in the U.S. One of the guides, where possible, will accompany you to a pharmacy (widely available) to assist with replacements, if needed.

I am staying in Europe after the tour. Can I be dropped off at my hotel after the tour?

Unfortunately, due to the size and schedule of the coach, you will not be able to be dropped off at your hotel by bus. If you need assistance returning to your hotel:

• See if your hotel has a shuttle service—communicate when and where you’ll need to be picked up.
• If a shuttle is unavailable, the guides can assist you in finding a taxi.
• If you’d prefer to use public transportation, the guides can assist you in getting the correct ticket/line.

How safe will I be touring in the Battlefield Tour regions?

Battle Honours hosts nearly 60 tours yearly and has been in the battlefield touring business for 15 years—many of the guides are former military or police. They have thoroughly assessed any potential risks that may occur during the tour—you will not be visiting any areas that may compromise your safety. Security is both their specialty and priority—you will be in very capable hands. To secure your money and passport, we recommend investing in a wearable money belt/pouch.

How much spending money should I bring with me?

We recommend bringing at least €200 in local currency, but how much you bring is truly a personal preference. Please make sure to notify your banks that you will be out of the country if you plan on taking your debit/credit/bank cards.

• VISA is most readily accepted; American Express/Discover are not accepted at most places.
• Cards issued by a smaller, regional bank that don’t have backing from larger institutions will not likely be accepted.
• ATMs are accessible everywhere for cash withdrawal—withdrawal fees/exchange rates may apply.

How can I use my cellphone while abroad?

You will need to contact your service provider to arrange an international plan (plans vary by provider.) To avoid roaming charges, we recommend turning off apps needing WiFi data before departure. Set your phone to “Airplane Mode” before boarding your overseas flight.

I have an ancestor who fought in World War I in this particular region. Can I see the sites pertinent to their involvement?

Yes! The guides cater the tour itinerary to these requests. Send the name, rank, and any key military/occupational identification of your WWI ancestor to Clive Harris and Mike Sheil approximately two months before departure, to give ample time for research.

Can I bring my ancestor’s personal items (a diary, photographs or other memorabilia)?

Yes, please do! These really help bring your ancestor’s story come to life on the battlefield. Please let the guides know what items you’ll be bringing before packing them.

How much can I expect to walk during the tour?

Participants can expect to walk multiple miles each day across uneven, unpaved terrain. Please make sure you have comfortable, sturdy walking shoes. Battlefield maps will be provided by guides on-site and via email to the participants.

What is the climate of the region we’ll be visiting?

Generally, weather will be warm to mild, and potentially rainy. Feel free to pack a light jacket for the evening and a day pack that includes snacks as you travel off the beaten path.

Questions about mobility and accessibility, or any other questions? Contact [email protected] or 816.888.8153.

Serbian Mausoleum in Lembet Road Allied Military Cemetery.

British artillery position on La Tortue.

Considering taking your first tour? View journals from our past tours:

2023: The War in Champagne (Instagram stories)

2022: Verdun and Saint-Mihiel (YouTube playlist)

2019: Gallipoli

2018: Harry S. Truman and the A.E.F.

2018: A.E.F. Centennial Tour of France

2017: The Doughboys in France

2016: British, Italian and American sectors of the Italian battlefields

2015: Imperial German Army on the Western Front

About Clive Harris

Raised in Hertfordshire, Clive developed a lifelong fascination with history. He spent seven years with the Royal Corps of Signals, serving operationally overseas with the 1st Armoured Division in BAOR — an Infantry attachment with the Royal Green Jackets, in Cyprus, Germany and France — and finally taking an instructor’s post in the Signals Wing of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On leaving the army he joined his local Constabulary, serving 11 years in their Force Operations Room as a specialist communications officer and control room manager. In 1998, he began working as a speaker, writer, researcher and battlefield guide and since then has guided groups to the Somme, Ypres, Arras, Mons, Cambrai, The Hindenburg Line, Verdun, and Gallipoli for the Great War, as well as Normandy, Arnhem, The Italian Campaign, and of course the London Blitz for the Second World War. Clive is a Badged Member of the Guild of Battlefield Guides (No33) and also a member of the British Commission for Military History.

About Mike St Maur Sheil

Mike is the award-winning curator of Fields of Battle, Lands of Peace 1914-1918. After studying Geography at Oxford, in the early 1970s Mike began his career as a photojournalist covering “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. Here he became associated with the New York picture agency, Black Star, and over thirty years later he is still in the fortunate position of being paid to do what he loves doing — taking photographs. Mike has visited over 60 countries around the world, working for a wide range of clients such as ABC-TV, BBC, Anti-Slavery International, British Red Cross, European Commission, National Geographic , The New York Times , Shell, Time and Time Life .

Images courtesy of Mike St Maur Sheil / Fields of Battle 1418

The Long, Long Trail

Researching soldiers of the British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918

Advice on visiting the Western Front battlefields of the Great War

The battlefields of the Great War are evocative and fascinating places to visit. This section of the Long, Long Trail will be helpful for anyone planning a trip to the sacred ground of the Western Front in France and Flanders.

General tourist advice

My guides to each area of the Western Front give you specific information: how to get there, where to stay, local amenities and the sites to see. You can see them listed below: click through for all the detail.

• My guide to Ypres (Flanders/Belgium)
• My guide On the way to Wipers! A battlefield tour before you get there
• My guide to Poperinge (Flanders/Belgium)
• My guide to the Somme (France)
• My guide to Arras (France)
• My guide to St-Quentin (France)
• My (fledgling) Gazetteer of the Western Front

How long do I need?

It obviously depends on what you want to achieve, how much you wish to spend and where you want to go, but you should probably budget on a trip of 2-5 days to either study one area in detail or to see some of the main sites of the British front.

Your travel options

There are many ways in which you can see the battlefields, and they have pros and cons depending on your own requirements and preferences.

Organised package tours (UK departures)

Several specialist and some general coach tour operators run trips to the battlefields of France and Flanders. They will cater for parties of all sizes. This category includes some specialist firms that cater for school trips. Generally these tours operate to a fixed itinerary and have little opportunity to add in a special visit on your behalf. It is difficult to generalise as these companies cover a broad spectrum, but remember to check not only their tour itineraries but where the accommodation is (it can be many miles from the battlefields) and the standard of the battlefield guides who will conduct the tour. A quick internet search for “battlefield coach trips WW1″ or similar will take you to the operators websites.

Organised tours (local battlefield departures)

Based mainly at Ypres and Albert (Somme) are a number of tour operators that operate frequent local day or half day tours of their area. These are generally minibus- or people-carrier-based so cater for parties typically between 1 and 10 travellers. Many will organise special visits to, for example, a chosen cemetery and blend it into their pre-determined travel itineraries.  It goes without saying that to take advantage of these tours you need to get to the area first and that these trips do not include accommodation. Do whatever you can to determine the standard of the battlefield guides who will conduct the tour.

Independent travel

This is so broad an area that all I will say is – it is easy to travel to France and Belgium from the UK; easy to travel by car or public transport to your chosen area; accommodation is plentiful and generally of a good standard. The battlefields are easy to travel by car, motorcycle, bike or on foot as long as you have good maps and take advantage of my advice in the area-by-area pages linked above.

Get a good guide!

If  you plan to travel to the battlefields independently or perhaps have not been before, remember this advice: take a good guide book. You will get much more out of your visit. If all you do is go to the main sites and stick to the main roads, you will definitely miss out on the most interesting places and sights.

There aren’t too many good general battlefield guide books. This is what I consider to be the first and still the best: Rose Coombs’ “Before Endeavours Fade”. A series of routes covering the areas in which the British Army fought in France and Flanders, describing what happened, the sites to see and the route to take. A classic.

Also a very good guide, full of photographs: Major & Mrs Holt’s “Concise illustrated guide to the Western Front – North”. This book not only covers the British areas well but also takes us into the areas occupied and fought over by the French and Belgian armies.

Similar in style and taking us all the way down to Verdun: Major & Mrs Holt’s “Concise illustrated guide to the Western Front – South”. This book covers the area of the Somme battlefields, one of the most popular areas for British, Australian and Canadian tourists.

You will need some good maps during the planning of your trip and quite probably while you are there. You can find a selection of campaign maps and sketch trench maps on this site, but here are some other ideas:

• Viamichelin (good online site for route planning)
• Geoportail (French site with online zoomable “ordnance survey” type maps
• McMaster University (free trench map collection)
• National Library of Scotland (free trench map collection)

Safety and legal notes

You are sure to see signs of the “iron harvest” – the tons of steel and ammunition that come up from the ground to this day – when you go to the battlefields. If you go to France or Flanders after ploughing you will see places where the farmer has piled the unexploded shells and grenades until the army take them away. These things are dangerous and it is illegal to bring them into the UK. Do not touch them: take photos instead. Photo: author’s collection.

It is not legal to use metal detecting equipment on the battlefields.

Privacy Overview

150th Anniversary of Antietam.

America's Battlefields

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America’s battlefields and associated historic sites are living monuments — places of remembrance and reflection —and  visitation is on the rise . These places are windows into our history, the lessons of which help us shed light upon the way forward. Walk in the footsteps of those who forged our country. Honor our heroes. Explore our past. Envision our future.

Battlefields Everyone Should Visit

Visit: Gettysburg Battlefield, PA

Over the course of three long days in the summer of 1863, 165,000 men met at Gettysburg and fought one of the most dramatic battles in Americans history, engaging in a fierce struggle over what kind of country the United States should be. Today, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the brave soldiers who fought and died at such iconic places as Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, Cemetery Ridge, and Culp’s Hill. While you’re there, make sure to pay your respects at the Soldiers National Cemetery and visit the David Wills House, where Abraham Lincoln stayed the night before he delivered his Gettysburg Address. The Civil War Trust is proud to have saved more than 900 acres of hallowed ground at numerous key sites at and around Gettysburg, including the site of Lee's  Headquarters on Seminary Ridge.

Visit: Vicksburg Battlefield, MS

Ulysses S. Grant is sometimes remembered as a blundering butcher. Those who study his audacious campaign against Vicksburg know better. Over the course of three months in the summer of 1863, Grant carried out one of the most brilliantly executed campaigns in the annals of military history, ultimately capturing the “Gibraltar of the South” and severing the Confederacy in two. Today, visitors to the Vicksburg National Military Park can walk the trenches and scenes of battle where Lincoln’s great general changed the course of the Civil War. Be sure to also visit the USS Cairo ironclad warship, recovered from a river bottom and on display. 

Visit: Fredericksburg Battlefield, VA

When President Abraham Lincoln learned of the Union defeat at Fredericksburg in December 1862, he responded, “If there is a place worse than hell, I’m in it.” Lincoln’s horror was understandable. At Fredericksburg Confederate General Robert E. Lee won one of his most decisive victories, inflicting massive casualties on the Union Army despite being heavily outnumbered. Almost a century and a half later, the Civil War Trust won a victory at Fredericksburg almost as decisive, successfully preserving more than 200 acres of hallowed ground at the Slaughter Pen Farm. Thanks to the efforts of the Trust, visitors can follow the Union’s attack on Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia from beginning to end.

Visit: Yorktown Battlefield, VA

On October 19, 1781 at Yorktown, Virginia, General George Washington shocked the world when he secured the surrender of British General Charles Lord Cornwallis . While the war that started at Lexington and Concord in 1775 would officially continue until the signing of the war-ending Treaty of Paris in 1783, the decisive victory of the Americans and their French allies at Yorktown ensured the success of the United States’ movement for independence. Today, visitors to Colonial National Park can see with their own eyes the site of Washington’s most decisive victory.

Visit: Lexington & Concord Battlefield, MA

Early on the morning of April 19, 1775 a shot rang out in Lexington, Massachusetts. While historians do not know who fired that shot, its significance cannot be over overstated. Not only did the shot fired at Lexington inaugurate a day of combat that would ultimately claim 122 lives, but it also ignited a war that forever changed the world, bringing into existence a nation dedicated to the proposition that all human beings are equal. Today, visitors to Minute Man National Historic Park can discover the story of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and walk in the footsteps of men who changed the world. 

Resources for Historic Sites and Tourism Entities

According to the National Park Service, more than 109 million people visited historic sites within the National Park System in 2018 – a powerful illustration of how significant heritage tourism can be for surrounding communities. The American Battlefield Trust strives to help promote the unique benefits of visiting historic sites and showcase how these exceptional resources can form pillars of local and regional tourism infrastructure.

In some cases, the Trust may be able to provide its historic and educational resources to battlefield parks, historic sites, museums and other relevant entities – such as regional tourism bodies – for use with appropriate copyright attribution and credit. This may include Trust-produced videos and Animated Maps, economic impact studies, battle maps, photographs and articles. Please inquire about your intended use and how the Trust can support your mission. Please let us know how the Trust can support your mission with its unique content. Email  Director of Communications, Mary Koik , to find out more

Featured Events & Sites to Visit

Traveling Exhibition at the McDuffie Museum

Minute Man National Historical Park

Traveling exhibition at the chennault aviation and military museum, traveling exhibition at the schmidt house, marble springs state historic site, traveling exhibition at the old state house, featured virtual tours.

Antietam Virtual Tour

Bentonville Virtual Tour

Gettysburg Virtual Tour

Tools for visiting battlefields.

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Explore the Wars

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Gettysburg AR Experience

Cold Harbor Virtual Tour

Make Some History This Weekend in Saratoga

South Mountain Virtual Tour

WW1 Battlefields Road Trip - Historic Drive Through France And Belgium

Day 1: drive from calais to amiens via arras, drive from the uk to calais (or fly into paris).

Presuming you're starting from the UK, the most comfortable option is probably to take your own vehicle and either hop aboard a cross-channel ferry from Dover or take the Channel Tunnel shuttle service from Folkestone.

If you're flying to France, then the Paris is generally the most convenient option for this kind of trip, being just a few hours from many of the most important areas and offering a plethora of car hire options.

As ever, our advice is to make the most of the time available by getting on the road as early as possible, as well as checking our essential guide to driving in France before you travel.

Head south towards Arras

As soon as you alight the ferry follow the signs for the A26 toll road - or 'Road of the English' as it has come to be known thanks to the number of British tourists using it - and start to head south towards the city of Arras, just over an hour away. Don't worry, driving on the right will feel natural in no time at all!

Just off of the A26 there are some fascinating World War 1 monuments, but the closer you get to Arras, the more frequent they become; perhaps this is no surprise, given that this countryside was the location for numerous bloody battles, including the 1917 Battle of Arras, which lasted little over a month but resulted in the deaths of 285,000 soldiers.

As you drive through France you'll notice road signs with poppies on - these generally point off of main roads and towards historically important towns, memorials, museums, battlefields and graveyards.

They tend to appear sporadically so don't be tempted to rely on them exclusively, but definitely call in at any that pique your interest - this itinerary is only a guide.

Top tip: Take a good guidebook with you so that your co-pilot can look up places as you go along, especially if you're aiming to seek out history relating to a particular nationality.

Stop at the world's largest French War Cemetery

The first stop of the trip is the Nécropole Nationale Française de Notre-Dame de Lorette, the world's largest French war cemetery.

Still relatively overlooked by British visitors and therefore quieter than many similar places you will encounter on a World War I circuit, over 40,000 soldiers are buried or their remains held in the ossuary here, alongside the ashes of a number of World War II concentration camp victims.

The site also includes an ornate chapel and a lantern tower, and is neighboured by the 'Ring of Memory' memorial, unveiled in 2014, which lists the names of the 576,606 soldiers of 40 nationalities who died in this region during WW1, alphabetically rather than by rank.

Visit the Canadian National Vimy Memorial

Next up, approximately 15 minutes on from Notre-Dame de Lorette Cemetery, is the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, which serves as a tribute to all Canadian service personnel that were killed between 1914-1918.

Built on top of the Vimy Ridge, the location of what is widely considered one of the most successful - but bloody - Canadian offensives of World War I, it features two gigantic white pylons adorned with various sculptures and is engraved with the names of those still missing.

Also in the grounds of the memorial are the trenches where these men would have fought, now preserved and able to be walked through.

Driving between the two you'll also come across the Lens' 14 - 18 Centre d'Histoire Guerre et Paix, which details the impact that the conflict had on this area through letters, photographs and film clips. Feel free to stop and take a look!

Continue onwards on your road trip to Arras

You're probably quite hungry by now, so continue on another eight miles or so into the city of Arras to for a bite to eat. Having been situated directly on the Front Line, Arras was all but completely destroyed during the war, with 75% of the city requiring rebuilding; nonetheless, it's not at all hard to imagine what it would once have been like here.

Many of the city's restaurants and cafes are clustered around the town's two central squares, the Place des Heroes and the Grand'Place, and on the strip that links them.

Ch'ti Charivari, on the Grand' Place would be our pick for the best lunch - from chunky burgers to classy cheese boards, there's something for everyone.

On-street parking in Arras is usually surprisingly easy to come by, but if all else fails there are also a number of car parks near to the Grand'Place and Arras train station.

Visit Carrière Wellington (Wellington Tunnels)

After you've finished lunch, enjoy a stroll around Arras, then pick up your car and make the short drive over to the Wellington Tunnels Museum on the other side of the city.

Taking you into the warren of passages that exist over 20m below the city's pavements, it explains the work of the tunnellers who expanded this cave system - which originally dated from the Middle Ages - into a space capable of hiding 24,000 troops ahead of the Battle of Arras.

The tunnels do have to be seen by guided tour, so save time by booking ahead online.

Pay your respects at Queen's Cemetery, Bucquoy

The first British cemetery on this WW1 self-drive battlefields tour is not one of the major and much-photographed burial grounds such as Thiepval or Tyne Cot (they're coming later), but a relatively small one situated along the side of a nondescript road near Bucquoy, about 20 minutes south of Arras.

Low-key and surrounded by farmland, it would be easy to drive straight past Queen's Cemetery, but that would be a mistake; it's entirely the sense of smallness and loneliness that makes it so sobering.

Add in the knowledge that it's one of literally hundreds just like it scattered across the French countryside, and that's when you start to realise the scale of the loss of life caused by the war.

When visiting, look out for a special plaque commemorating six British soldiers (the author's great uncle included) who were, for reasons still unknown, buried in a nearby German cemetery and whose graves were later destroyed.

Walk through Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park

Less than 15 minutes along on the route, the next stop on the trail is a memorial to one specific group who suffered extraordinary losses: the Newfoundland Regiment.

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 80% of this regiment were injured or lost their lives in an assault on enemy lines that lasted just 30 minutes.

Featuring war graves and bringing visitors face-to-face with trench life, via the largest section of naturally preserved battlefields on The Somme, it's a place that stands out as particularly powerful, even in an area known for its heavy concentration of WW1 sites.

Owing to the fact that it is so undisturbed, there is believed to be a considerable amount of unexploded ordnance around here, and many of the areas are out of bounds; nonetheless, you can walk through trenches, see the pockmarked landscape, and really get a sense of how horrifyingly close the two sides were to each other.

While you can do self-guided tours of the site, the Canadian tour guides that work here provide an added level of clarity so we definitely recommend joining them.

Head to Thiepval Cemetery

Just 10 minutes drive from the Newfoundland Memorial Park is one of the world's most famous WW1 memorial locations, Thiepval.

Commemorating more than 72,000 British and South African servicemen who were reported missing in the Somme up until 20th March 1918, its adjoining cemetery also holds the graves of over 300 Commonwealth and 300 French soldiers, the majority of whom remain unidentified.

Also adding to the experience, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) have created the Thiepval App , which provides more information about the battle, tells the personal stories of over 900 of the men listed here and makes it easy to find their names on the arch.

Do note that access to the site can only be gained by following Rue de L'Ancre from Thiepval village, as SatNavs and Google Maps will sometimes try to take you via other routes.

Stop at Lochnagar Crater

The next stop of the day is the Lochnagar Crater, a 30-metre-deep, 100-metre-wide bowl that was created by the explosion of a large mine placed below German trenches just two minutes before the launch of the very first offensive of the Battle of the Somme.

At the time, the blast was considered to have been the largest man-made noise, with some reports even suggesting that it was heard as far away as London.

Although just a 10-minute drive from Thiepval, by following the D73 and then the D929 route you will also get to see (or be directed to) many more monuments and military cemeteries, including the Pozières Memorial, which sits on the side of the main road.

Drive down to Amiens

It was in 1918 in Amiens that the ferocious Battle of Amiens was fought, a 100-day period that changed the course of the war and ultimately led to the end of the conflict.

Today the city is a world away, with a calm atmosphere, quaint cafes and plethora of flower boxes - and it makes for the perfect place to spend the night.

Depending on how you're doing for time, you may wish to stop off in the town of Albert during the drive between the Lochnagar Crater and Amiens.

Here, you'll find a museum dedicated to the Battle of the Somme and be able to see the statue of the Golden Virgin on top of the Basilica, which was knocked to an almost horizontal position early on in the war and came to be a point of superstition among troops, who said that the war would only end when it fell.

When you arrive in Amiens, park up and check into your hotel, then spend the evening browsing the bookshops and craft stores of Quartier Saint-Leu and sipping wine in one of the waterside restaurants.

For dinner, Restaurant T'Chiot Zinc is one that's worth a visit, despite looking like some kind of puppet theatre from the outside.

Visit the cathedral

Even if you're not religious, popping into Amiens' cathedral is something that you should do while staying in the city.

Having escaped WW1 relatively unscathed, it boasts incredible Gothic architecture, as well as a number of tributes to soldiers killed during the First and Second World Wars.

From June - September, and in November and December, the outside is illuminated by a light show - times vary depending on the month, so check their website ahead of your visit.

Day 2: Drive from Amiens to Verdun

Wake up early and get a a good breakfast, as today's journey is the longest total distance we will cover in one day of this trip.

Taking in the armistice signing location, an internment camp and an American military cemetery, the route moves eastwards towards the city of Verdun, with the afternoon spent amidst the long-lasting impact of the Battle of Verdun. Ready? Let's get going.

See where the armistice was signed at Clairière de l'Armistice

While it would surely be fitting to finish a World War I battlefields road trip with a visit to where the armistice that ended the conflict was signed, its location between Amiens and Verdun means that it actually slots more naturally into second day of this road trip.

Known in English as the Glade of the Armistice, this national memorial near Compiegne is centered around a forest clearing marking the very spot where Allied powers and Germany agreed to cease hostilities.

It was also here in 1940 that Hitler met with French officials to negotiate an armistice between France and Germany, a meeting that ended with the establishment of a zone of German occupation in the country.

As well as the main monument, there is also a really interesting museum dedicated to the story of both of these armistices, complete with a replica of the carriage in which the signing took place.

An optional WW2 addition: Royallieu-Compiègne Internment Camp Memorial

Although not technically sticking with the World War I theme, another thought-provoking memorial that you may wish to visit in this area (and just a short drive from Clairière de l'Armistice) is the Royallieu-Compiègne Internment Camp Memorial.

Managing to be both educational and touching, it tells the story of over 40,000 French Resistance fighters and Jewish citizens who were held here during WW2 before being sent to camps in German territory.

The lists of the deportation destinations on the walls - Auschwitz-Birkenau and Buchenwald among them - are a dark reminder of the fact that it wasn't only WW1 that had a huge impact on this area.

Visit Oise Aisne American Cemetery and 'Plot E'

It takes about an hour or so more to reach the Oise Aisne American Cemetery, which is built on the spot where the so-called 'Rainbow Division' - created from units from 26 states as a symbol of inter-state collaboration - fought.

While visiting this perfectly-manicured final resting place of over 6,000 US soldiers, keep your eyes open for the grave of poet Joyce Kilmer, who lost his life just four months before the war ended.

Also here is Plot E, a semi-secret burial ground that does not even exist officially, in which US army personnel executed for dishonourable offences during World War II are buried, the majority of them having been convicted of crimes such as murder.

Unfortunately, there's little chance of you actually getting to look inside - it's separate from the main cemetery, shrouded from view and accessible only through the back door of the superintendent's office. That said, there's no harm in asking.

Stop in Reims for lunch

With a plentiful supply of restaurants and cafes, Reims is a good choice for a lunch pitstop.

For some truly French cuisine, our recommendation has got to be L'Epicerie Au Bon Manger, a small family-owned deli that has just a handful of tables but whose charcuterie can't be beaten and whose attention to detail will leave you smiling.

Walk off your lunch with a short amble around the city, taking in its many attractive buildings, before continuing on your way to Verdun; it should take you roughly an hour and 20 minutes to reach your destination.

There is (surprisingly affordable) on-street parking in the centre of Reims - red and orange zones have a maximum period of two hours, green have a maximum of five.

If you can't find a spot, there are also a number of car parks, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Head to the Verdun Memorial and Museum

Your first stop after checking into your hotel should be the Verdun Memorial, which focuses on the Battle of Verdun.

The longest battle of the whole of World War I, it completely reshaped the area (as you will see) and is estimated to have killed approximately 300,000 people, and wounded a further 600,000, in the process.

The museum serves as a useful and fitting introduction not only to the battle itself, but to other locations in this area, by taking you on a virtual tour through the battlefields and delving into the daily life of those serving in the trenches.

Expect to spend at least an hour, but do try not to run too far over - there's still lots to see today.

Experience a ghost town at Fleury-devant-Douaumont (Zone Rouge)

When you've finished at the Verdun Memorial pay a visit to Fleury-devant-Douaumont, directly next door, which is one a number of villages in France that are officially recognised as 'a place that died' for the country.

Having been completely destroyed by the Battle of Verdun, it was deemed a 'Zone Rouge' - an area so damaged by the war that it is considered unfit for human habitation - by French authorities in 1918.

Over a century since the end of the war, it's still considered too contaminated by corpses, explosives, toxins and poisonous gas to farm or build on.

Now reclaimed by nature, visitors can walk through where this village once existed, with posts indicating what buildings formerly stood in their place - including a grocery store, a church, a cafe and, most poignantly, a school.

Climb the tower at Douaumont Cemetery and Ossuary

By now you don't need to be told of the human cost of World War I, but a visit to Douaumont Cemetery and Ossuary, a few minutes further on from the memorial, can't help but bring it all home once more.

Located within the Verdun battlefield, the cemetery is the largest of French World War I burial grounds, with over 16,000 graves and an ossuary housing the remains of over 130,000 unidentified soldiers from both France and Germany, whose bones are visible through a series of small windows.

Entry to the grounds is free, but there is a €6 fee to climb the tower that is built above the ossuary and provides a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the site.

Next stop on your WWI road trip: Fort Douaumont

The next stop on our trail is Fort Douaumont, one of the most fought-over sites in this area, which changed hands several times during the course of World War I.

It's less than a mile away from the cemetery, so we suggest leaving your car there and walking along the road for a close up view of how battle-scarred the landscape still is.

Stepping inside of this damp and chilly fort, complete with stalagmites, you can't help thinking how bad life outside the fort must have been, if this was the driest, safest option.

Although the rooms themselves are not all that comprehensive, there are fully guided tours, self-guided audio headset tours and paper handouts available.

With the most popular option, the headset tour, you can expect to spend about an hour working your way round.

Head back into Verdun

After you've visited all of today's locations, the drive back to Verdun should take about 20 minutes or so.

Although it has become a city that very much exists around historical tourism, and isn't really all that beautiful, do take an early evening stroll around it, particularly to see the imposing and castle-esque Porte Chaussee up close.

For dinner, scoot on over to La Brasero, an unassuming little restaurant who have cooking meat down to absolute perfection.

Day 3: Drive from Verdun to Mons

Today's drive starts in Verdun, France and crosses the border into Belgium, eventually ending up in the city of Mons. Although there are multiple routes you could take, the two below are the ones that we'd recommend in terms of places to stop.

Crossing the border between France and Belgium should be a simple process, with just a road sign marking the transition between the two countries.

Driving in Belgium tends to be fairly similar to France, with tailgating seemingly borderline compulsory, although there are no toll roads to contend with. At the time of writing, both petrol and diesel were a few cents per litre cheaper in Belgium.

Route 1: Visit Hitler's bunker

By travelling via Charleville-Mézières and joining the N5 on the Belgian side you will pass close to Brûly-de-Pesche, from where Adolf Hitler orchestrated the invasion of France.

Nip off of the main road and drop into the Brûly-de-Pesche 1940 museum, which is formed around the actual bunker that Hitler stayed in.

Route 2: Detour to Dinant

Another option is to drive via the Belgian city of Dinant, a route that requires a detour but only adds about 40km to the total journey.

One of the first places to feel the catastrophic impact of World War I, Dinant was the site of intense fighting between French and German forces in August 1914, which eventually culminated in the brutal massacre of 674 unarmed civilians.

A visit to La Citadelle de Dinant, of which both sides desired control, will explain what happened here as well as providing a wider history of the town.

Afterwards, grab a coffee and a crepe at Cote Sax cafe and have a walk along the waterfront, before heading on your way.

Learn about the town's history at the Mons Memorial Museum

Arriving in Mons in the early afternoon, check into your hotel and get your bearings before heading over to the Mons Memorial Museum, about a 10-minute walk from the Grand Place. Don't worry, there will be time to explore the city itself later.

Providing a strong understanding of why this town has so frequently been a centre of conflict throughout the years, as well as painting a picture of what life was like for civilians living in Mons under occupation, it's a surprisingly moving and different take on the events of World War I.

With over half of the permanent exhibition space dedicated to World War I, it's probably one of the strongest and most useful museums on the entire trip.

Tour Saint-Symphorien Cemetery

Different in both appearance and nature to any of the graveyards on the journey so far, the Saint-Symphorien Cemetery contains almost equal numbers of graves of both British and German soldiers killed in the Battle of Mons, the first major British military action of World War I.

Unlike in other cemeteries, soldiers of all ranks and nationalities, including Victoria Cross and Iron Cross holders, lie within touching distance of one another.

Of particular note are the graves of 17-year-old John Parr, who was killed in August 1914 and is believed to have been the first British soldier to die in the conflict, and George Ellison, who is believed to have been the last British soldier killed - dying 90 minutes before the armistice came into effect - and is, coincidentally, buried opposite him.

Feet away from these men lies George Price, the last Commonwealth soldier to die, just two minutes before the armistice.

Saint-Symphorien Cemetery is a few kilometres outside of town and getting there will require the car, although you could also choose to take the 22 bus from Mons to Saint-Symphorien Ecoles. From there, it's an easy 10-minute or so walk down a country lane.

Spend the evening away from the battlefields

If you do still have time to spare in the afternoon, then take some time to discover Belgium away from the battlefields by paying a visit to one of Mons' museums.

Two trusty options are the Doudou Museum, which illuminates the heritage of the city's famous Doudou festival, and the Francois Duesberg Museum, which is dedicated to decorative arts including pottery, clocks and jewellery.

Alternatively, climb the Mons Belfry for a view over the city (last admission is 5:15pm).

Later on, grab dinner and drinks at one of the many restaurants and cafes located on or around Mons' Grand Place - we recommend Le Mechoui, not far away from the tourist information centre.

Look out for the two remembrance plaques in the porch of the square's most striking building, the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), and if you can find the lucky Guardhouse Monkey on the side of the building, then be sure to give his head a rub for good luck.

Day 4: Drive from Mons to Ypres

Our the next city in this WW1 self-drive itinerary, Ypres, has long earned its place as a 'must-include' on any World War 1 tour, both for its location of the horrifying Battle of Ypres and its determination to remember the atrocities that took place there.

There isn't really all that much to see on the drive from Mons to Ypres, and it takes less than two hours in total, but as it's such a pretty city to just hang out in we'd suggest getting on the road nice and early anyway.

Educate yourself at the In Flanders Fields Museum

As you may have guessed already, we're big fans of putting each area's history into context, so make your first destination in Ypres the In Flanders Fields Museum.

Housed in the former Cloth Hall, the museum tells the story of WW1 in the West Flanders region of Belgium, and covers all aspects of warfare you could imagine, using modern technology to deliver everything from nurses' testimonies to 'then and now' visuals.

You'll probably spend longer here than you plan to, but do take time to really watch the (surprisingly tasteful) actors who bring personal stories to life at various points - it makes the human connection so much more poignant.

Spend the afternoon getting to know Ypres city

After the intensity of the previous few days, you're probably going to want to take some time to just kick back, relax, and enjoy Ypres.

While visitors may be drawn to the city for its history, it's actually incredibly charming in its own right - think beautiful architecture, chocolate shops, cute cafes, and walking trails along waterside ramparts. Go ahead and enjoy just doing nothing this afternoon!

Top tip: If you're in the city on a Saturday, the Kazematten Brewery offers tours between 3pm - 5pm, which cost €10 and include three tasting samples.

Visit Menin Gate and witness the Last Post

After walking around town, make your final visit of the day the Menin Gate, which honours British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in action in the trenches around Ypres whose graves are unknown, and is inscribed with almost 55,000 names. It's almost scary how easy it is to find your own surname or that of someone you know.

Every evening at 8pm, volunteer buglers from the Last Post Association stand underneath the Gate and sound the Last Post in a ceremony that has been conducted every day since 1928.

If you can be there when it happens, do - it's simple and yet quite something at the same time. On busy days, crowds start to gather from about 7:30pm, so if you want to be able to see the buglers then get there early.

Day 5: Explore Ypres and drive back to Calais

It's the fifth and final day of the trip, but that doesn't mean we're slowing down. While this is not the kind of trip in which you could ever say we're saving the 'best' until last, we've certainly saved some of the most well-known places for today.

First though, there's just one thing to do and that's have a much needed lie-in and find a cosy cafe for a traditional Belgian breakfast.

Trust us when we say that the pancakes at Mimi's teamed with one of their deliciously frothy coffees make for a particularly great morning treat.

Suitably stuffed? Let's get moving.

Stop by the Christmas truce memorial, near Ploegsteert

The first stop of the day is a visit to the site of the legendary 1914 Christmas truce - surely a must for any history-loving football fan.

Marked by a cross dedicated to the 'Khaki chums,' it's a small but sombre memorial. If you wish to do so, take a football, shirt or scarf to leave next to the memorial, as many have done before.

Right next door you'll find the Prowse Point Cemetery, which is the only cemetery on the Ypres Salient that is named after an individual soldier and contains many graves from around the time that the match was played.

Just down a muddy track to the side of the memorial (but not accessible by car) is the peaceful Mud Corner Cemetery, for soldiers from Australia and New Zealand.

Trudge through Sanctuary Wood Museum (Hill 62)

Roughly a 25-minute drive back towards Ypres is Hill 62, which witnessed some of the most intense fighting in the area. In the aftermath of the war the trenches were cleared of bodies and bombs by a local farmer, but otherwise left intact, and the complex now serves as a slightly rough-and-ready museum.

Although more 'artificially' preserved than some of the other trenches you will have come across on this trip, they are more manageable for individuals who have trouble walking and wield no less impact.

Spend some time sloshing through the mud and clambering through the tunnels - these trenches might be comparatively neat, but it's still not what you'd call a pleasant experience.

Prepare to be moved at Tyne Cot Cemetery

The next stop of the journey is, arguably, one of the most famous remembrance sites in the whole of Europe: Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Even after four days of cemeteries, it's still hard not to be slightly taken aback by its sheer scale when you see it for the first time, with almost 12,00 individual white headstones lined up, and a Memorial to the Missing wall listing a further 35,000 names.

The first thing to do when you arrive, however, is to pop into the small visitor centre which provides a good introduction to Tyne Cot, as well as displaying heartbreaking letters from loved ones.

Afterwards, spend a while just walking between rows upon row, noting in particular how many of the graves in the world's largest Commonwealth War cemetery are unnamed. All we can say is bring a tissue!

As one of the major landmarks on any World War I tour, Tyne Cot does get busy, so visiting early in the morning or in the late afternoon is better, if possible. Like most CWGC sites, parking is free.

Head to Langemark German Cemetery

In stark contrast to the rows of white at Tyne Cot, the rows of flat, black grave markers of Langemark German Cemetery are moving in an entirely different, considerably more downcast way.

Not only is it darker, but it's considerably smaller in size, despite more than 44,000 soldiers being buried here; one mass grave even contains the remains of almost 25,000 individuals.

Top tip: The two cemeteries are less than a 15-minute drive apart, so visit one and then the other for maximum impact.

Driving to Essex Farm

Before we call time on this northern France and Belgium road trip, there's just one more major stop to make - the Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station.

That said, there are multiple smaller monuments between Langemark and Essex Farm, including the Welsh Memorial Park, a tribute to all Welsh servicemen and women, and Cement House Cemetery, which is still used to accommodate new burials as bodies continue to be discovered.

The Harry Patch Memorial, which was unveiled by the very last surviving soldier of WW1 Harry Patch, who died in 2009 age 111, is also on this road.

Take a moment to reflect at Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station and Cemetery

Said to be where John McCrae wrote his famous poem In Flanders Fields while serving as a medic, the concrete bunker at Essex Farm was once a makeshift A&E that would have been crowded with wounded troops.

Today, it has been restored and - even though it is empty - standing inside, you get a sense of how inadequate it must have been in a theatre of war.

When you're walking around the cemetery for those that did not make it, take a second to reflect in front of the poppy-clad grave of Valentine Joe Strudwick, the youngest soldier buried here, who was killed in 1916 at the age of 15.

Drive back to Calais

Well, the time has come to head home - we hope you've learned something useful.

At just over 60 miles, the drive back to Calais shouldn't take much more than an hour, giving you plenty of time to stop for one last dinner along the way.

On the French side, there's a cheap and cheerful restaurant called Bistrot de Groenberg in the town of Beruges, who keep it simple with a meat-and-fries based menu.

If you'd rather stay in Belgium for dinner, Restaurant't Molenhof in Vleteren is a stand out choice, with decoration as quirky as the food.

Getting back to Paris

The drive from Essex Farm to Paris takes roughly three hours - whether you choose to make the drive this evening is entirely up to you, likely depending on what time your flight is.

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These are the places you should visit to feel the legacy of WWI

• By Paul Ames

VIMY RIDGE, France — World War I started 100 years ago next month. Between July 28, 1914 and Nov. 11, 1918, 17 million people would die in the fighting.

The war marked the end of great empires, triggered the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and redrew the borders of Europe and the Middle East.

As commemorations are held around the world this summer to mark the conflict once called the war to end all wars, here’s a guide to 12 sites that show the war's lasting impact.

1. The Latin Bridge, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Where it all began. The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were gunned down here on June 28, 1914, by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip as he visited Bosnia, recently annexed by Austria to Serbia's dismay. Balkan rivalries that ignited WWI flared again in the 1990s and Sarajevo still bears the scars of the 1,425-day siege that left thousands dead. These days, however, the river Miljacka flows peacefully under the bridge's three arches and a museum on the northern bank marks the spot where Princip fired his fateful shots.

2. Langemark German Cemetery, Belgium

A visit to any of the war cemeteries scattered across Flanders or the other theaters of WWI is always a moving experience. This German graveyard holding the remains of 44,000 fallen soldiers is particularly poignant. Shaded by oak trees, row upon row of flat, roughly hewn grey stones mark graves. Among the fallen are 3,000 schoolboys and students mown down when inexperienced German volunteers charged Allied machine guns in October 1914. One young infantryman who survived the carnage around Langemark was Adolf Hitler, who paid a visit to the cemetery after his forces occupied Belgium in World War II.

3. Przemysl, Poland

Although the fighting on WWI's eastern front is often neglected in the West, the battles between the Baltic and Black Sea cost an estimated 4 million lives. Przemysl was an Austro-Hungarian fortress town on the border with the Russian Empire. Russia's attack on the city led to the longest siege of the war. It took six months until Austrian defenses were overpowered — a defeat that dealt a major blow to the tottering Hapsburg Empire. Today, visitors can stroll through remnants of the fortifications that stretch from city to the nearby Ukrainian border. On one street, four cemeteries provide a resting place for German, Russian and Austro-Hungarian casualties. In the city's main square sits a statue of The Good Soldier Svejk, hero of the anti-war novel with the same name by Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek, who became a symbol for ordinary servicemen dragged into the armies of empire.

4. The Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium

Apart for a four-year gap during the Nazi occupation, a bugler from the Ypres fire brigade has stood beneath the Menin Gate at 8 p.m. every evening since 1928 to play "The Last Post," Britain's mournful call to fallen soldiers. The ceremony honors the 54,896 men from Britain, Canada, Australia, India, South Africa and the West Indies whose names are carved on the great stone and brick gate. They died in the series great battles around Ypres but their bodies were never found. Even today, farmers regularly unearth the remains of WWI combatants. On Thursday, leaders from the 28 nations of the European Union attended a ceremony here in a symbol of reconciliation.

5. Farnborough Airport, England

The annual Farnborough Airshow on July 18-20 is one of several places around England this year where a team of pilots will be taking to the air in replica WWI aircraft to recreate dogfights between British and German fighters over the Western Front. Among the planes in action will be a Fokker triplane like the one flown by German ace Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. Although Italian pilots made the first air strike in 1911 during an invasion of Libya, WWI saw the first large-scale use of air power. Aerial bombardments were just one of WWI’s technological advances that were to transform the killing potential of modern conflicts — along with machine guns, long-range artillery, tanks and poison gas.

6. Historial de la Grande Guerre, Peronne, France

Opened in 1992 on the battlefields of the Somme, this is one of the best museums dedicated to WWI. Housed in a building that combines modernist cubes with a medieval chateau, the collection of more than 70,000 objects focuses on the war’s impact on the lives of soldiers and civilians. Exhibits range from the plumed and polished helmets under which cavalrymen trotted to war in 1914 to propaganda posters, religious artifacts crafted from shell cases and letters sent home from the trenches. The first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, remains the deadliest in the history of the British army. Some 20,000 died advancing on the German lines.

7. Asiago, Italy

Thirteen million men fought on the Italian front, where the horrors of trench warfare were often compounded by the freezing Alpine winters as battles ravaged the beautiful plateaus, plains and mountains between Austria and the Adriatic. On a hilltop overlooking the little town of Asiago, a marble mausoleum holds the remains of 54,000 Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops, former enemies who now lie side by side. The fighting around here helped define the modern borders of Italy and the states that would emerge from the Habsburg Empire.

8. Vimy Ridge, France

It wasn't just the new states of Europe that were forged in the flames of WWI. Many Canadians view this forest-covered ridge rising out of the farmland of northern France as the cradle of their nation. In 1917, all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force came together for the first time to storm Germans dug in along the ridge. The land is now managed by the Canadian authorities as a National Historic Site and the soaring white stone monument dominating the ridge features on the country's $20 bill. For Australia and New Zealand too, the trauma of wartime sacrifice was a nation-building experience. The Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, where troops from Pacific nations spearheaded a doomed attack on Ottoman positions, remains a place of pilgrimage.

9. Basra War Cemetery, Iraq

Many of the frontiers of today's Middle East emerged from the break-up of the Ottoman Empire after WWI. Syria and Lebanon became French protectorates. The British were given post-WWI mandates to run Iraq and Palestine. The Middle East was key theater of the war: British troops invaded Turkish positions in Arabia to secure oil fields; Egypt and Palestine were caught up when German and Ottoman troops sought to seize the Suez Canal from the British; under the command of Col. T. E. Lawrence, the British stirred up rebellion among the tribes of Arabia. After the war, the British and French failure to respect promised support for an independent Arab state fueled resentment that lingers today. In Basra, the scene of fighting between British and Iraqi forces in 2003, a cemetery holds the remains of 2,551 Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Mesopotamian campaigns of WWI.

10. 26 Pilies Street, Vilnius, Lithuania

At the start of World War I, Vilnius formed part of the Russian Empire. In 1915, the Lithuanian capital was occupied by Germany. With Russia torn by revolution and the tide of battle turning against Germany, leading Lithuanians met in this 18th-century townhouse to sign a declaration of independence. Across Eastern Europe, people made similar bids for freedom as the rule of Russian tsars, Austrian emperors, German kaisers and Turkish sultans crumbled. The empires' implosion often brought chaos. Lithuania and the other Baltic states were riven by multifaceted conflicts involving the Bolshevik Red Army, renegade German fighters, White Russians, Allied forces and newly independent Poland before they finally won brief spells of independence that ended again in World War II.

11. Flanders Field American Cemetery, Waregem, Belgium

After the United States entered the war in 1917, the men of American Expeditionary Force were soon fighting in the fields of France and Flanders. Most of the 411 buried here were killed in the Battle of the Lys in 1918 as Allied forces pushed back the German line in the final months of the war. President Barack Obama traveled here in March to pay tribute and highlight the bonds between the United States and its European allies that were tempered in WWI.

12. Clairiere de l'Armistice, Rethondes, France

This clearing in the Compeigne Forest north of Paris was chosen by French commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch as the site of Germany's surrender. Facing defeat on the battlefield and revolution at home, the German generals were escorted to Foch's private railway carriage. They signed his armistice terms on Nov. 11, 1918, ending the war. In 1940, Adolf Hitler had the same carriage taken from a museum and returned to the clearing. Hitler was there as defeated French generals were forced to sign a capitulation putting most of France under German control. Today, French monuments destroyed by the Nazis have been restored and the glade is a peaceful place to reflect on both great wars of the 20th century.

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Day Trip to Ypres, War Sites, and World War I Battlefields in Belgium

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: April 19, 2023

Does the name Ypres (Ieper) ring a bell to you? What about Flanders Fields – the World War I battlefields in Belgium ? If it does, you are now probably seeing images of the ‘great’ war, of the trenches and poison gas, and of hundreds of thousands of young soldiers who lost their lives in the war…

If you are wondering how to visit Ypres and the WW1 sites and battlefields in Belgium , then read on!

In this article, we are sharing our experience and tips for your visit to Ypres and the WWI battlefields. First, you can read about what to see and do in Ypres. In addition, you can find information about Tyne Cot and other famous Great War cemeteries near Ypres, as well as other WWI sites.

At the bottom of this post, you can find our suggested self-drive 1-day itinerary and also organized day tours that visit Ypres and WW1 sites in Belgium.

TIP: If you have no time to read the article and are looking for the best tour that visits Ypres and the battlefields, then check out this highly-rated day tour . It’s the best tour that’s available and ideal if you don’t have a car.

Day Trip to Ypres and World War I Battlefields

Why did we choose Ypres and the WWI battlefields for a family day trip?

This part of Europe has been a battlefield for so many armies throughout history, and Belgian schools do their utmost to ensure that future generations do not forget. The WWI battlefields near Ypres and the WWII Bastogne War Museum and Mardasson Memorial are the main war sites in Belgium and every child learns about their significance.

So it was not a surprise that our 8-year-old son came home from school one day and told us what he had learned about the terrible battlefields in West Flanders where hundreds of thousands of soldiers from all over the world died in the mud. He learned about the use of poison gas, Yperite, life in the trenches, and the fact that the soldiers were even eating their horses in order to survive in no-man’s-land.

We then realized that it was maybe time to bring him and his little brothers to the places he had heard and read about. In fact, we felt a bit ashamed, because it’s less than 2 hours from where we live and we hadn’t visited Ypres yet. While, in the meantime, tens of thousands of people come from all over the world to visit Ypres and the war battlefields every year…

So we thought it was a good time to take some time for reflection and to go back in time a hundred years (or does that sound too serious now?). And we decided to make a day trip to Ypres and surroundings. 

We had a very interesting, moving, and educational day and so I want to share our experience. Whether you live here or are visiting Belgium, Ypres and the WWI battlefields are certainly worth the trip!

In Flanders Fields

Before I share practical information about visiting Ypres and the WWI Battlefields, I’d like to share this beautiful poem by John McCrae – ‘In Flanders Fields’.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and Memorial

It was a cold December day and when we arrived in the tiny village of Zonnebeke the faint winter sun was there to welcome us.

It is here that some of the most infamous battles of WWI, the battle of Passchendaele (Passendale), took place in 1917, taking the lives of more than half a million soldiers.

Tyne Cot war cemetery is an obligatory stop when visiting the war battlefields in Belgium. It put us all in the ‘mood’ for the rest of that day: an impressive burial ground for almost 12,000 Commonwealth soldiers, most of whom the name/identity could never be established.

Our kids understood the meaning of a ‘world war’ after seeing headstones of soldiers from places as far away as Australia, New-Zealand, Canada, South-Africa or India in this tiny little village in Flanders.

The stone wall surrounding the cemetery makes-up the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. Walking around here and seeing the names of almost 35,000 missing Commonwealth soldiers who died here after 1917 is very moving.

Practical information for visiting Tyne Cot:

• Tyne Cot is located approx. 10km outside the city center of Ypres. Address: Vijfwegestraat, 8980 Zonnebeke
• The Tyne Cot visitor’s center was closed during winter, but the cemetery can be visited anytime.

After visiting Tyne Cot, we drove to the center of Ypres, where we had a quick lunch. It wasn’t that easy to find something at a decent price and good quality in this tourist area in the low season, but there were a few restaurants open. I assume that there is more choice if you come here in the high tourist season.

After lunch, we visited the In Flanders Field Museum – it’s located right on the main town square of Ypres.

Ypres – Ieper

When you are visiting the battlefields, make sure to also take the time to explore the small town center of Ypres. If you are not sure where to go, you can follow the signs on the pavement for a tourist route – see the picture below.

Don’t miss the Cloth Hall where In Flanders Fields Museum is located, the St Martin’s Cathedral , the Menin Gate Memorial and the Ramparts next to the canal! Read on for more information about these places!

In Flanders Fields Museum and the Bell Tower

The In Flanders Fields Museum is situated right on the main square of Ypres town, in the impressive Lakenhalle building, or Ypres Cloth Hall . This is definitely a must if you want to get a picture of life during the war! 

We steered the kids away from some of the videos and photographs that were too shocking in detail. On the other hand, our kids showed a huge interest in the stories told by children who survived the war, in the weapons, the clothes, and the various interactive displays.

For more information and practical information, check the official website of the In Flanders Fields museum .

Inside the museum, you can also opt to climb the Bell Tower (Belfry). If you’re fit enough, make sure to do it! The views are great and in the distance, you can see the surroundings where all those battles of WWI took place.

Needless to say, we climbed the 231 steps of the Bell Tower (our kids can never resist a tower to climb!). From there, we had a fantastic view of the city, including the Menin Gate. It’s definitely worth the climb and the kids loved it!

The Menin Gate and the Last Post

Another must-see landmark in Ypres, the Menin Gate , is sometimes also referred to as Ypres War Memorial. It has the names of almost 55,000 missing Commonwealth soldiers who died in the area between 1914 and 1917. Hundreds of thousands of men passed through this gate on their way to the battlefields.

The size of the monument is very impressive. But it’s not before you see thousands of names on the endless walls that you really get a lump in your throat. There are flowers everywhere and many  ‘We will not forget’ messages that people still leave here every day.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.” – Laurence Binyon

Good to know: Every evening, at 8 PM, the Last Post is sounded at the Menin Gate . Following the Menin Gate Memorial opening in 1927, the people of Ypres wanted to express their gratitude towards those who had given their lives for Belgium’s freedom, and since that day for almost a century now, a daily ceremony is held at the Menin Gate. It’s a simple, but moving tribute.

The Last Post would certainly have been an unforgettable experience, but we also wanted to visit other places around Ypres, so we decided to leave this for a next visit. And indeed, a few months later, we returned to Ypres and listened to the Last Post. It’s so moving! If you can, wait for it.

The Ramparts of Ypres

If you have some time to discover Ypres more, it’s well worth walking on the walls surrounding the city.

The Ypres ramparts can be accessed via the Menin Gate. The official website of Ypres tourism has some more information about the Ramparts of Ypres .

Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out

Our kids wanted to see the trenches, so we drove to the Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out where we could walk through the restored trenches.

We had some difficulties finding the place in the middle of an industrial area. In fact, the whole place has only been discovered in 1997 with the creation of the industrial site. While the kids walked through the trenches we read the explanatory signs. It’s so eye-opening to learn about life during the war.

Practical info for visiting Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out:

• Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out is not easy to find. It’s a very small place, amidst the industrial buildings, so drive slowly and look for a sign, on the left side if coming from Ypres. Address: Bargiestraat, 8904 Ieper

Langemark German War Cemetery

We continued our trip and went on to Langemark , where the first gas attacks took place, to visit the German war cemetery . More than 44,000 German soldiers are buried here, almost 25,000 of them in a mass grave.

If you come to meditate, this is a very good place to be. It was calm and quiet at the popular landmark like Tyne Cot, but this place was absolutely abandoned. The flat grave markers give this cemetery a distinct and modest look. The German graveyards are very different than the somewhat pompous Tyne Cot.

Practical info for visiting Langemark German war cemetery:

• Address: Klerkenstraat 64, 8920 Poelkapelle

Essex Farm Cemetery

One of the best known WWI sites in Ypres is the Essex Farm Cemetery . If you have the time, it’s definitely worth a visit too. You can read more about it here: Essex Farm .

Yser Tower – IJzertoren Diksmuide

The kids wanted to see the Yser Tower (IJzertoren) so we drove to the nearby town of Diksmuide . The Yser Tower is a peace monument and commemorates the soldiers killed on the Yser Front during WWI.

The Yser Tower, the highest peace monument in Europe, symbolizes the demand for peace. Words ‘No more war’ are written on the tower in the four languages of the fighting forces in the area during the First World War (Dutch, French, English, and German).

We knew it would be too late to visit the 22-floors museum (they close at 5 PM in winter), but we could at least make a walk around the peace site with the tower and the impressive Gate of Peace .

Trench of Death, Diksmuide

You can also visit the Trench of Death near Diksmuide . It’s a larger site than the Yorkshire Trench & Dug-Out. We skipped this as it was already dark by the time we were in the area. From what I understand, it’s a much more popular site with longer trenches, so if you have time to do just one, try the Trench of Death.

Here you can find more info for visiting the Trench of Death.

Vladslo German War Cemetery

Our next stop was the Vladslo German war cemetery . It’s one of the many cemeteries in the area, with almost 26,000 soldiers buried there.

It is an impressive place, with each gravestone containing 20 names of soldiers. But it is especially known for the Grieving Parents statues by Käthe Kollwitz , whose son is buried in this cemetery.

It was getting pretty dark by now and walking amongst the graves of so many young men who lost their life here was a moving and unusual experience. Although it all happened a hundred years ago we could still feel the pain, the suffering, and the death around us.

Suggested one day itinerary for Ypres and the World War I Battlefields in Belgium

Visiting Ypres and the war cemeteries was a unique experience, also for the children. We won’t quickly forget it!

If you are visiting Belgium, I highly recommend paying a visit to the WWI battlefields and Ypres.

If you have your own car and want to visit the most interesting WWI battlefields and cemeteries around Ypres in a day, I suggest the following itinerary:

Vladslo German war cemetery – the Trench of Death – Yser Tower and the Gate of Peace – Tyne Cot – Essex Farm or Langemark German War Cemetery – Ypres .

Best Tours to Ypres & WWI Battlefields

If you don’t have a car, it’s best to book an  organized tour to Ypres (see below). You can also take a train to Ypres and visit the sights in town, but it’s not easy to see any other sights if you don’t have transportation.

Ypres tour from Brussels. This might be a good day trip to consider if you are staying in Brussels for a few days. However, the tours for visiting Ypres from Brussels seem to have been discontinued. So you’d have to first take a train to Bruges and then a tour from there – see below.

There are also organized tours to the Ypres battlefields that leave from Bruges . Bruges is very close to Ypres, so this is something definitely worth doing if you are staying there for a few days. Check this highly-rated tour to Ypres from Bruges .

TIP: You can easily take a train to Bruges from any other city in Belgium and join this tour for a day – it starts and ends at the train station in Bruges.

READ ALSO: What to See & Do in Bruges

Tips for Visiting Ypres and WWI Sites

• Plan ahead what you want to see , read about the places you want to visit, and decide on your itinerary in advance. There is so much to do in the area! If you travel with kids, you may want to tell them some history so that they know what to expect and understand what they see. Ypres City has an excellent website to help you prepare for your trip.
• If you are traveling by car, start your day early in the morning, especially in winter. Or stay overnight and take your time to explore the area more in-depth. Here you can find the best deals for Ypres accommodation .
• Take a picnic lunch if you are visiting the cemeteries during the day. We went to Ypres for lunch but wasted so much time on this.
• Dress warmly for the cemetery visits. There is a lot of wind in the area.

Books and Movies about the WWI

If you like history and want to know a bit more about World War I, here are some great book- and movie suggestions:

• The guns of August by Barbara Tuchman – about the start of WW I.
• The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War by Peter Hart.
• Voices from the Front: An Oral History of the Great War by Peter Hart.
• Movie and books about Passchendaele .

Yes, Ypres is worth visiting. The city is beautiful with some impressive landmarks, including Menin Gate and Flanders Fields Museum. In addition, Ypres is the starting point for visiting the World War I sites, battlefields, and war cemeteries throughout the region.

Ypres is best known as the site of five WWI battles between Germans and the Allied armies. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives near Ypres during the First World War. It was in Ypres that mustard gas (now called ‘Ieperiet’ or ‘Yperiet’) was used by Germans in 1917 for the first time.

At least 1 million people died in the battles near Ypres during WWI, with estimates up to 1,35 million casualties. First Battle (Oct-Nov 1914) had over 250,000 casualties, the Second Battle (Apr-May 1915) – around 100,000 casualties. The Battle of Passchendaele (July-November 1917) had around 400,000 to 800,000 casualties. The Fourth Battle of Ypres – 200,000 casualties, and the Fith Battle of Ypres had at least 10,000 casualties.

Yes, you can visit Ypres and Belgian WWI sites as a day trip from Brussels. Ypres is 120km from Brussels and it takes about 1,5 – 2 hours to drive there by car. You can also get to Ypres by train. But if you want to visit the war sites, it’s best to either come by car or with an organized tour.

So, this is our guide to visiting the Flanders Fields and Ypres. If you are visiting Belgium and are not sure how to best plan your time, please check our suggested Belgium itinerary for 3 or 4 days . It covers all the musts!

READ ALSO: Fun Facts About Belgium

More tips for visiting Belgium, Luxembourg & The Netherlands:

• Where to go: Belgium Itinerary
• Safety: Is Belgium safe?
• Best Things to Do in Brussels
• Best Areas to Stay in Brussels
• Brussels Flower Carpet
• Belgium in Winter
• Brussels Christmas Market
• Belgium Christmas Markets
• Best Things to Do in Antwerp  
• Hidden Gems of Antwerp
• Best Theme Parks in Belgium
• Antwerp with Kids
• Best Things to Do in Bastogne
• Best Things to Do in Dinant
• Bastogne War Museum (WWII sites)
• 1 Day in Amsterdam
• 2 Days in Amsterdam
• Best Things to Do in Amsterdam
• Amsterdam Travel Tips
• Best Day Trips from Amsterdam
• Lisse Tulip Fields
• Tips for Visiting Keukenhof Gardens
• Best Day Trips from Luxembourg

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

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Friday 22nd of September 2023

thanks so much for your one day suggestions. We've just done our day and found it immensely fulfilling and moving. thanks again.

Saturday 23rd of September 2023

Glad to help, Phil. It is a very moving place to visit, indeed. And so sad too, even more so these days when it's very clear that the world still hasn't learned from the past... Enjoy the rest of your time in Belgium!

Saturday 28th of December 2019

Thank you for the informative blog and the one day itinerary suggestion. It worked great and we had an interesting and smooth day in the Ypres area - all thanks to you! :)

Tuesday 31st of December 2019

Glad to hear that you had a great time and enjoyed your visit to Ypres, Maarit. I really appreciate your kind feedback.

Mick stenson

Friday 13th of December 2019

I have visited ypres 3 times every time there is something i missed the time before. it is a very moveing place. i will be returning next year. thanks you

Monday 16th of December 2019

Agree with you, Mick. It's a special place and there is a lot to visit in the region. Enjoy your 4th trip!

Tuesday 15th of October 2019

Hi Jurga, it was great reading your blog. I am organising a tour for former, serving and military historians, next Oct. I am myself an ex cavalry officer from the Indian army, and living in the UK. Having gone through your blog, except for transportation to and back from the UK, would you have the time to help me with advice. Would be grateful and obliged. I organise tours to India which include the battlefields there in the east along the Burmese border

Hi Paddy, I'm sorry but I can't really help you with organizing a trip. I have as much practical information as possible on the blog, but really have no time to help hundreds of thousands of our readers with the practical side of planning their own trips. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Planning a trip to Belgium is nothing compared to India ;)

Saturday 18th of May 2019

Hello Jurga - thank you for your thoughtful and insightful post. We are visiting the first week in June and had decided to stay in Ghent as a good launching pad to brugge, ypres, brussels. We want to spend a day in Ypres. I would like to take a tour to provide (1) a good concise history and (2) transport to the key sites. What would you recommend? Do I do separate tours in ypres and outside? should I just rent a car and do the outside ypres on my own? It is just my husband and me. Thank you for your advice. Jackie (NYC)

Monday 20th of May 2019

Hi Jackie, generally, we recommend this organized tour. It visits Ypres and also some main places outside the town. The tour leaves from Bruges, but you can easily get there by train from Ghent. There are several trains per hour and it takes about 20-30min depending on which station/ train you take. If you rather rent a car, you can definitely visit all those places on your own, it just will require some preparation as there are so many cemeteries and places worth visiting. The tours know the best ones and they have perfected their itineraries to make sure you make the most of your time. We drove there from home and been to the area several times to later find out that we missed some interesting places... So I'd recommend going with a tour.

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COMMENTS & FEEDBACK

A big "thumbs up" for the latest publication on Bullecourt! My relative Bert Perry was awarded his MM there during fighting with D Coy of 14th Bn AIF.

I have been to Bullecourt before to try and find exactly where he would have crossed no mans land, but Paul's work will help me to really walk in his footsteps when I go next. Definitely recommended!

Gil (Frontaal Tours)

‘Fronts Lines and Trenches’, project Beaumont-Hamel. by Paul Humphriss. This booklet delivers exactly what it promises: front lines and trenches. Dozens of aerial photos "then and now" superimposed, and also some beautiful panoramas. Nowadays there is a lot to be found online, but I think paper still offers great added value.

I have looked at your site many times and am a great admirer of all that you do. It is excellent, superbly professional and endlessly fascinating - and a major resource for so many people and hugely appreciated by many.

You’re doing a brilliant job in keeping the memory alive in an innovative and unique way. 

Paul, thank you very much once again. I will make the trip Belgium next June. You FB page here is of the best calibre, and i enjoy reading and learning from all the information that comes across here.

Well done Paul! You are so kind. I will never forget you locating my great uncle, William Quade AIF.

This is an amazing series/sequence of photos, Paul Humphriss. How clearly they evidence the effects on the terrain of a prolonged battle.

Have you thought about offering them to schools for WW1 syllabus?

Truly amazing piece of work. We are indebted to you.

Just received my copy, wow, the work and effort is to be applauded, this will be forever in my bag when on the Somme, this will help to understand the areas and actions better and pinpoint trenches.

Brilliant research Paul. Congratulations! Private Angus Munro, Rest in Peace, in the warm glow of glory. You’re not forgotten.

He is an ace at this kind of thing. He has done the same for me for the locations of the deaths of two of my Great Uncles; one in the Second Battle of Ypres and one just outside Courcelette. Jim.

Would just like to thank Paul at ‘Fronts,Lines and Trenches’ for providing me with a number of battle maps and overlays of areas where my Great Grandfather served at Arras. After sending Paul names of trenches which were named in the War diary he produced not only original trench maps but he also placed them over current terrain maps to see exactly where the position was. The work he put in was so much appreciated and when I visit in September (COVID-19 permitting) these will be of great assistance to stand where my Grandfather did.

After making a donation to the up keep his work I also purchased one of his T-shirt’s which arrived today. Great quality and fantastic service on this page. If anyone is looking for assistance then I would highly recommend Paul’s work.

Visit The Somme and the WW1 Battlefields of The Western Front, WW1 Photographs, Somme Hotels, B&B's, Cemeteries, Museums, Memorials, Battlefield Maps and Battlefield Tours.

The Fading Battlefields of World War I

• Alan Taylor
• May 28, 2018

This year will mark the passing of a full century since the end of World War I—a hundred years since the “War to End All Wars.” In that time, much of the battle-ravaged landscape along the Western Front has been reclaimed by nature or returned to farmland, and the scars of the war are disappearing. Some zones remain toxic a century later, and others are still littered with unexploded ordnance, closed off to the public. But across France and Belgium, significant battlefields and ruins were preserved as monuments, and farm fields that became battlegrounds ended up as vast cemeteries. In these places, the visible physical damage to the landscape remains as evidence of the phenomenal violence and destruction that took so many lives so long ago.

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A drone's-eye view of the preserved World War I battlefield at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Monument in Beaumont-Hamel, France, on June 10, 2016. The preserved trenches and craters are part of the grounds on which the Newfoundland regiment made their unsuccessful attack on July 1, 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. #

Sheep graze among the craters and regrown woods on the World War I battleground at Vimy Ridge, France. Unexploded ordnance remains a constant danger. #

A German fortification sits overgrown in the forest of Argonne, France, in May of 1998. The Battle of the Argonne Forest was part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive planned by General Ferdinand Foch. General John Pershing led the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) at the Battle of the Argonne Forest, while General Henri Gouraud led the French Fourth Army. U.S. casualties at the Battle of Argonne Forest totaled 117,000. The French lost 70,000 men and the Germans lost 100,000. #

A piece of barbed wire from World War I stands on the site of the former village of Bezonvaux on August 27, 2014, near Verdun, France. Bezonvaux, like a host of other villages in the region, was obliterated during the intense artillery and trench warfare between the German and French armies during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, and was never rebuilt. #

Stone crosses marking the graves of German soldiers are overtaken by time and and the growing trunk of a tree in Hooglede German Military Cemetery on August 4, 2014, in Hooglede, Belgium. #

An old World War I German bunker stands in Spincourt forest on August 27, 2014, near Verdun, France. At least half a dozen of the bunkers still stand in the forest in an area where the German army maintained a hospital, rail connections, and command posts during the Battle of Verdun. #

Part of the fort of Douaumont on the battlefield of Verdun, in Douaumont, eastern France, on May 17, 2016. #

This aerial picture shows the remaining gate of the destroyed Chateau de Soupir, near the famed "Chemin des Dames" (Ladies' Path) along which World War I battles were fought, photographed on March 25, 2017. #

"These are some of our Marines buried here," said U.S. Marine Sergeant Major Darrell Carver of the 6th Marine Regiment as he walked among the graves of U.S. soldiers, most of them killed in the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood, during a ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle on Memorial Day at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery on May 27, 2018, near Chateau-Thierry, France. Nearly 100 years before U.S. soldiers, including marines from the 6th Regiment, repelled repeated assaults from a German advance at Belleau Wood only 60 miles from Paris. The U.S. suffered approximately 10,000 casualties in the month-long battle. Today the Battle of Belleau Wood is central to the lore of U.S. Marines. #

Wild poppies grow on the verge of a Flemish field near Tyne Cot Military Cemetery as dawn breaks on August 4, 2014, in Passchendaele, Belgium. #

The remains of the Chateau de la Hutte in Ploegsteert, Belgium, photographed on November 21, 2014. The chateau, due to its high position, served as an observation post for the British artillery, but soon afterwards was destroyed by German artillery. The cellars would serve as a shelter for a great part of the war and Canadian soldiers soon nicknamed it "Henessy Chateau" after the owner. #

The remains of trenches are seen in the Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel on May 17, 2016, near Albert, France. #

A crumbling German fortification in the Forest of Argonne, France, in May of 1998. #

A tree grows in the World War I London trench at Douaumont near Verdun, France, on March 30, 2014. After the recapture of Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux by French troops in late 1916, this trench was built to join the town of Belleville with both Fort Douaumont and the ruined town of Douaumont in order to deliver supplies, relieve troops, and allow for hospital evacuation. #

Wild poppies grow in the "Trench of Death," a preserved Belgian World War I trench system on July 14, 2017, in Diksmuide, Belgium. #

A World War I German bunker stands in Spincourt Forest on August 27, 2014, near Verdun, France. #

A corridor runs through a section of Fort Douaumont in Douaumont, France, on September 3, 2013. Built from 1885 to 1913, Fort Douaumont is the largest and highest fort of the ring of 19 large defensive forts, which protected the city of Verdun during World War I. #

This aerial picture, taken on March 25, 2017, shows the forest of the plateau de Californie near Craonne, where shell holes and trenches can still be seen, near the famed "Chemin des Dames." #

An unexploded World War I shell sits in a field near Auchonvilliers, France, in November of 2013. The iron harvest is the annual "harvest" of unexploded ordnance, barbed wire, shrapnel, bullets, and shells collected by Belgian and French farmers after plowing their fields along the Western Front battlefield sites. It is estimated that, for every square meter of territory on the front from the coast to the Swiss border, a ton of explosives fell. One shell in every four did not detonate and buried itself on impact in the mud. Most of the iron harvest found by farmers in Belgium during the spring-planting and autumn-plowing seasons is collected and carefully placed around field edges, where it is regularly gathered by the Belgian army for disposal by controlled detonation. #

Sunlight highlights craters created by artillery bombardments during the fierce Battle of Les Eparges Hill during World War I on August 26, 2014, near Verdun, France. The German and French armies fought a vicious battle for control of the strategically significant hill in 1915, which preceded the much larger Battle of Verdun in 1916. #

A German World War I bunker, named the "Devil's Bunker," sits upon a hill in Cuisy, France, on March 24, 2017. American troops in the Meuse-Argonne region battled constantly for the high ground, which provided a vantage point against the enemy. #

A barbed-wire fence and the landscape, as seen from a gun position inside of a World War I bunker in Belgium on February 28, 2014. Bunkers and trenches, many very well preserved, can still be seen across the landscape in Flanders Fields. #

Remains of World War I shell craters and German trenches at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France. #

The remains of a World War I bunker at the Ploegsteert Wood, in Ploegsteert, Belgium, on April 14, 2006. #

The moon rises over the Newfoundland Memorial, which commemorates the Newfoundland Regiment, on March 12, 2014, near Beaumont-Hamel, France. #

Early-morning sunlight at Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery on March 25, 2014, in Passchendaele, Belgium. Tyne Cot is the largest commonwealth war cemetery in the world. There are 11,956 commonwealth servicemembers from World War I buried or commemorated here. #

Sunlight on the craters and regrown woods on the World War I battleground, Vimy Ridge, France. #

The skeleton of a church stands at the site once occupied by the village of Ornes on August 27, 2014, near Verdun, France. Ornes, like a host of other villages in the region, was obliterated during the intense artillery and trench warfare between the German and French armies during the Battle of Verdun in 1916, and was never rebuilt. #

A steel machine-gun turret overlooks the Woëvre Plain from the top of Fort Douamont on August 27, 2014, near Verdun, France. Fort Douamont was one of a string of French forts built along the Cotes de Meuse hilltop range, which became a focal point of bitter fighting between the German and French armies during the World War I Battle of Verdun in 1916. #

A cross made from basalt stands in front of original battlefield bunkers at the German Langemark Cemetery on March 26, 2014, in Poelkapelle, Belgium. #

The sun sets on preserved Somme battlefield trenches at the Newfoundland Memorial Park on March 12, 2014, near Beaumont-Hamel, France. #

The setting sun illuminates the sculpture of the "Brooding Soldier," commemorating the Canadian First Division's participation in the Second Battle of Ypres of World War I, on August 2, 2014, in Saint Julien, Belgium. #

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Visiting Historic Ypres: Battlefields and Must-See Sights

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A guide to the Ypres battlefields and sites you don’t want to miss on your trip!

Located in Southern Belgium near the border with France, Ypres (also known by its Flemish name, Ieper) is probably best known for being the site of some of the most prominent battles of WWI. 

Due to it’s position on the French border, Ypres stood in the way of the planned German campaign to conquer Belgium. This small town is where Allied forces chose to make a stand to halt the German advance, resulting in a drawn-out conflict with tens of thousands of deaths. 

On a visit today, you’ll find WWI cemeteries, battleground sites, trenches, and some excellent WWI museums. 

Besides the WWI historic sites, Ypres is also a charming city that is lovely to visit in its own right. Located on the front line of the war, the city was completely destroyed during WWI. However, after the war the city was rebuilt in the original medieval and renaissance style. Today you can walk down charming cobblestone streets that look much as they did before the war. 

Ypres was a last-minute addition to our itinerary on our trip to Belgium, and we were so glad that we chose to fit it in! We love history and visiting the battlefields and museums of Ypres was a truly fascinating and sobering experience. 

There are a lot of amazing sights that you don’t want to miss while you’re in Ypres. In this post we’ll share the highlights so that you can plan an amazing trip! Read on for information about the Ypres battlefields, memorials and cemeteries, and other significant points of interest.

Ypres Battlefields

The Ypres battlefields are some of the most memorable and moving locations to visit on a trip to the region.

The area is often referred to as Ypres Salient, a salient being a military term used to describe an area that protrudes into enemy territory, leaving troops surrounded by the enemy on three sides. As the location of the Western front for much of the war, Ypres was a place of intense fighting and mass casualties during WWI. 

As such, in this area you can still find many battlefields that are remnants of the brutal war that took place near this small town. 

Yorkshire Trench and Dugout

The Yorkshire Trench is a preserved section of the British trenches located near Ypres. This site was only rediscovered within the past 30 years. A group of amateur archeologists, referred to as “The Diggers” unearthed the dugout, an underground shelter that served as a military headquarters during the war. There were staircases leading down to the dugout, which was over 30 feet deep and included 11 side rooms. 

You can’t enter the dugout today, as it’s filled with water and not open to visitors. However, you can walk along the trenches and see the entrance to the dugout while you read the interesting placards detailing the history of the location. 

The Yorkshire Trench is not the most complete or best preserved of the trenches, but it has a fascinating history and is well worth a visit if you are in the area. 

It is located next to an industrial site and can be easy to miss as you’re driving through the area. There is no cost for visiting these trenches.

Sanctuary Wood (Hill 62)

As one of the best-preserved systems of trenches from WWI, Sanctuary Wood (also referred to as Hill 62) is a place you absolutely must visit while in Ypres. 

The trenches located here are part of the former British trench system that marked the front line for four years of the war.

While most of the other trenches in the area were covered and converted back to farmland after the war, this section was largely left undisturbed when the owners returned to their land. In this quiet wood you can find trenches, tunnels, and earth still pockmarked by artillery fire. 

It’s a solemn place to visit, one where you can clearly visualize the gritty reality and terrors associated with trench warfare. There’s something about actually walking through the trenches that gives you a new perspective on a war that previously perhaps felt more distanced. 

While we were there we had the whole place to ourselves and were able to take our time to explore the woods in peace. 

Also located at this location is a small museum, which contains artifacts from the war, including weapons, uniforms, and daily use items.

There’s also a room which is full of stereoscopic viewers to view a wide array of old photos from the war that were taken on the front line. These rare photos showed clearly the brutality and destruction of the war as well as the realities of everyday life in the trenches. The pictures were extremely riveting and we found it hard to pull ourselves away from the displays. Be aware that many of the photos are quite graphic, so be mindful if you are visiting with children.

This is privately owned land and purchase of a ticket is required to access the museum and the trenches. We found experience to be well worth the cost of admission.

If you’re only visiting one of the Ypres battlefields, this is a great choice.

Another of the Ypres battlefields, Hill 60 is an elevated ridge that changed hands between the Germans and Allies many times during the war, with incredible loss of life. This strategically significant hill provided unobstructed views of the area, making it the focus of many campaigns.

Today the evidence of the war has been largely erased by time. However, you can still see the massive craters that are the result of mines set off at various times during the war by both sides. One of the most significant craters was formed at the start of the Battle of Messines when the British detonated mines in tunnels dug underneath the German position, creating an enormous crater and taking the lives of thousands of German soldiers. 

This entire area is considered a mass grave to the many soldiers who were buried in this hill and should be treated with respect and reverence.

At the site you can also see the remains of a pillbox and several bunkers, one of which has been mostly preserved. 

There are information displays at the site, but it’s worth it to read up on the history of the area before going so that you can have a good understanding of what happened at this historical site. 

Cemeteries and Memorials

Due to the sheer number of battles in the area, there are many, many memorials and cemeteries located in the region. We can’t possibly cover all of them, so we’ll list just a few of significance, although all are worth visiting. 

Essex Farm Cemetery and Dressing Station

In this cemetery you will find the graves of 1,185 soldiers killed during the war. One of the graves marks the resting place of a 15 year old boy, one of the youngest soldiers to die in the war. Behind the cemetery is the 49th Division Memorial. 

The cemetery grounds are beautifully kept and it’s a lovely place for quiet reflection. 

Next to the cemetery are concrete bunkers which were used as a dressing station. It was in one of these bunkers that John McCrae, a Canadian military doctor, penned his famous poem “In Flanders Field”. 

McCrae wrote the poem in May of 1915 after fighting in the Second Battle of Ypres, which he described as a “nightmare”. The day before he wrote the poem he had buried a close friend who had died in the battle. His reference to poppies in the poem led to the flower becoming a widely recognized symbol of WWI.

Menin Gate and Last Post

Menin Gate is one of the four memorials to the missing in Ypres Salient, dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives but whose bodies were never found. This memorial is specifically dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who fought in the area, and inscribed on the memorial are the names of over 50,000 soldiers with unknown graves. 

The Menin Gate is a massive arch spanning one of the main roads leading out of town. It symbolically represents a gateway for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who passed that way on their way to the war, many never to return.

Every evening at 8 pm, traffic is halted and crowds gather to hear a group of buglers play the Last Post under the Menin Gate. This is a way to remember the fallen and pay tribute to their ultimate sacrifice.

The Last Post ceremony also typically involves a minute of silent remembrance, the Exhortation, the laying of wreaths, the Lament, and reveille. The whole ceremony is usually finished in about 15 or 20 minutes. 

You can attend the ceremony free of charge, but you’ll want to arrive early to get a spot where you can see the proceedings. In the summer the crowds can swell to as many as 1,000 people, so plan on being there well in advance if you want to be able to see anything. 

We were there 15 minutes early and the mass of crowds made it impossible for a short person such as myself to see. It was still a meaningful and moving experience, but if I were to go again I would plan on being there at least an hour in advance to secure a spot up front. 

Tyne Cot Memorial and Cemetery

Tyne Cot Memorial is another of the four memorials to the missing in the Flanders region. On this memorial you can find the names of 35,000 soldiers with unknown graves. 

Next to the memorial is the beautiful and somber Tyne Cot Cemetery.

In the Tyne Cot Cemetery, 11,961 soldiers are buried, making it the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world. Also in the cemetery you can see the Cross of Sacrifice and several pillboxes left over from the war. 

Like the other cemeteries in the area, the grounds are meticulously kept. The sheer number of tombstones is quite a sight to behold and really puts into perspective the tragedy of the war. 

Saint Julien Memorial (Brooding Soldier)

The Saint Julien Memorial, also known as the Brooding Soldier, is a memorial to the Canadian First Division. This courageous group of soldiers fought during the Second Battle of Ypres and faced the first attacks using poisonous gas in WWI. Two thousand of the Canadian soldiers died during the attack and were buried there.

The impressive granite statue stands 36 feet tall, a tribute to the lives of those brave soldiers. This memorial and garden is a nice place to spend a few quiet moments as you ponder on the heavy toll of the war. 

While you’re in Ypres, make sure to set aside some time to visit the informative museums to get a background of the war and the history of the city itself. 

In Flanders Field Museum

The largest WWI museum in Belgium, In Flanders Field Museum is a must-see for anyone interested in history (which hopefully you are if you’re visiting Ypres!). A visit to the museum is a great way to start your trip to Ypres, as it provides meaningful context for the other significant sites in the area. 

Located in the historic Cloth Hall, the museum provides a comprehensive look at the war in the Flanders region, from the details of the campaigns to the everyday lives of the soldiers to the impact on the locals who were displaced. 

I especially loved the video displays of actors dressed in period clothing reading excerpts from the journals of Allied and German soldiers. It felt like you were hearing first-hand from the soldiers about their experiences in the field.

The museum is riveting, and you’ll want to plan at least two to three hours to make your way through all the exhibits. 

I highly recommend getting the audio tour, as it provides additional details to supplement what you see in the informational placards. It’s an extra charge, but well worth the cost in my opinion.

Climb the Belfry

Halfway through the In Flanders Field Museum, you’ll find the entrance to the belfry. It’s an additional charge of €2 to climb the belfry, which you will pay when you purchase your ticket for the museum. 

It’s a great way to break up your time in the museum and if you can make it up the 300 steps, at the top you have stunning views of Ypres and the surrounding area. The stairs get quite steep at the top, so beware if you’re scared of heights. 

After learning more about the war in the museum, it feels significant to look out over the landscape and think of the destruction which razed the entire city to the ground during the war.

Yper Museum

The Ypres Museum is not focused on WWI, but instead gives a history of Ypres itself. This museum is the perfect break from the heavier war museums and is a wonderful place to visit with children. 

The museum is located in the same building as the In Flanders Field Museum. When you enter, you are given a wristband that allows you to interact with displays and play games. 

Children have specific bands that allow them to accumulate points and win a prize at the end (the staff said they are very lenient and will provide a prize either way).

The museum provides details about the history and customs of Ypres throughout the ages in an engaging and often humorous way.

You can purchase a combination ticket for both the Yper Museum and the In Flanders Field Museum for a discounted rate. 

Passchendaele Museum

The Passchendaele Museum is located about a 12 minute drive from the city center. This interactive museum details the history of the war in Ypres, with a particular focus on the Third Battle of Ypres, also called the Battle of Passchendaele. 

Known as one of the bloodiest battles in WWI, over the course of the Battle of Passchendaele nearly 600,000 soldiers died for a gain of less than five miles. 

If you’re going to pick only one museum to visit in Ypres, this should be it, especially if you’re traveling with children. This museum brings the war to life through videos, artifacts, and immersive experiences. 

One of the best parts is the opportunity to walk through a life-size replica of a dugout, which really allows you to feel what it must have been like for soldiers living in those conditions. There are also reconstructed trenches that you can walk through, which show the progression of trench construction throughout the war and the differences between the Allied and German trenches.

There’s a special audio tour just for children which provides them with age-appropriate materials and fun tasks to accomplish within the museum.

Plan to spend an hour and a half to two hours for the museum, plus extra time to explore the memorial gardens outside.

Other significant sights and things to do

In addition to the Ypres battlefields and WWI sites, Ypres itself, with its cobblestone streets and charming architecture, is a lovely place to spend some time. Make sure you take some time to wander the Grote Markt and grab a bite to eat at one of the eateries lining the square.

Saint Martin’s Cathedral

Standing at 335 feet, this imposing cathedral is one of the tallest buildings in Belgium. 

The church was originally built in the 12 and 13th centuries, but was completely destroyed during WWI, like much of the rest of the city. 

After the war, the cathedral was rebuilt to look exactly like the original building, with the only change being to make the spire taller.

The church is located in the city center next to the In Flanders Field Museum. It’s worth the time to spend a few minutes inside admiring the gothic architecture, stained glass windows, and towering ceilings. 

Indulge in some chocolate

And of course, since you’re in Belgium you should probably stop for some chocolate while you’re there. 

We tried several of the chocolate shops near the center square and I had some of my favorite chocolate of the trip from a small chocolaterie we found there called Vandaele. The chocolate was delicious and the owner was very friendly and helpful.  

Common Questions

How to get to ypres.

Unlike many of the main cities in Belgium, Ypres is not a place that is particularly easy to explore using public transportation. Although there is a bus system, the buses aren’t very convenient for visiting the war sites. 

One of the best ways to get around Ypres is to rent a car . We rented a car from Bruges and drove from there to Ypres. With our own car we were able to get around easily and follow our own schedule. We found the rural roads to be easy to navigate, despite it being our first time driving in Belgium (getting out of busy Bruges was a bit more stressful, but manageable). 

The other option is to join a tour group . You can set up a tour in Ypres or join a day trip tour from Bruges. I would recommend trying to spend the night in Ypres if possible, given that there is so much to see in the area. 

Where to stay in Ypres

If you’re looking for a conveniently-located and reasonably priced hotel in Ypres, consider Novotel. This hotel is located right in central Ypres, only a two minute walk from the city center. It’s also a four minute walk from Menin Gate, making it a perfect place to stay if you want to attend the Last Post ceremony.

We enjoyed our stay at Novotel, especially the central location and friendly staff.

Note that there is free overnight parking down the street in front of the church.

How long should I spend in Ypres?

In order to see the best of what Ypres has to offer, plan on spending at least two days in the city.

While Ypres is commonly visited as a day trip, one day really is not enough time to see the main historic sites in the area, especially if you’re planning on visiting some of the museums (which you should definitely do, as they are excellent).

Another compelling reason to stay overnight in the area is so that you can easily attend the Last Post, which starts at 8 pm each night. It’s much more convenient to attend the bugle ceremony if you have a hotel nearby instead of having to make the trip back to Bruges or on to another destination.

Is Ypres worth visiting?

So now to the real question: is Ypres actually worth visiting? Our answer to that would be a resounding yes! Ypres is definitely worth the trip, especially for history enthusiasts. As the site of some of the most significant battles of WWI, the area is steeped in a rich and meaningful history. 

From the fascinating museums to the somber Ypres battlefields to the charming and historic city itself, there is so much to see and do while visiting Ypres. 

We were so glad that we decided to add this small but influential town to our itinerary and hope to be able to come back to visit again in the future. 

If you’re planning on visiting Belgium, be sure to include a trip to historic Ypres. You won’t be disappointed!

Other posts you might be interested in:

A Magical Weekend in Bruges (The Perfect 2 Day Itinerary)

A Perfect Itinerary for One Day in Ghent

Related Posts:

Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, and more

November 17, 2021 | Posted in: Belgium

2014-2018 marked four years of commemorating the end of the Great War, World War I, now more than 100 years ago. There was an influx of people from around the world visiting the Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, museums, and cemeteries. If you weren't one of them but would still like to come and remember, here's a list of sites you can find around and related to the battlefields in Belgium.

1. In Flanders Fields Museum

2. west front nieuwpoort, 4. lange max museum, 5. hooge crater museum, 6. museum aan de ijzer, 7. the pondfarm, 8. talbot house, 9. memorial museum passchendaele 1917, 10. museum of 18 days, 11. memorial museum for the regiment, 12. fort boncelles museum, 13. blockhaus pionnier 14-18, 14. mons memorial museum, 15. museum of the battle of the borders in the gaume – museum baillet-latour, 1. lijssenthoek military cemetery, 2. buttes new british cemetery, 3. flanders field american cemetery, 4. german military cemetery langemark, 5. belgian military cemetery de panne, 6. belgian military cemetery houthulst, 7. essex farm cemetery, 8. saint-charles de potyze, 9. aeroplane cemetery, 10. zeebrugge churchyard, 11. german military cemetery hooglede, 12. bedford house cemetery, 13. belgian military cemetery oeren, 14. belgian military cemetery steenkerke, 15. hooge crater cemetery, 16. belgian military cemetery vleteren, 17. belgian military cemetery hoogstade, 18. ossuaire francais, 19. kemmel chateau military cemetery, 20. belgian military cemetery bruges, 21. harelbeke new british cemetery, 22. poelcapelle british cemetery, 23. belgian military cemetery keiem, 24. cement house cemetery, 25. divisional collection post cemetery and extension, 26. new irish farm cemetery, 27. dozinghem military cemetery, 28. french military cemetery machelen-aan-de-leie, 29. kezelberg military cemetery, 30. french soldier ereperk veurne, 31. french soldier ereperk roeselare, 32. dadizeele new british cemetery, 33. ingoyghem military cemetery, 34. duhallow ads commonwealth war graves commission cemetery, 35. potijze chateau grounds cemetery, 36. potijze chateau wood cemetery, 37. tuileries british cemetery, 38. german military cemetery vladslo, 39. zuidschote churchyard, 40. coxyde military cemetery, 41. belgian military cemetery ramskapelle, 42. ploegsteert wood military cemetery, 43. cemetery of heuleu, 44. saint-symphorien military cemetery, 45. locre no. 10 cemetery, 46. toronto avenue cemetery, 47. dranoutre military cemetery, 48. adinkerke churchyard extension, 49. la clytte military cemetery, 50. klein-vierstraat british cemetery, 51. godezonne farm cemetery, 52. kemmel no. 1 french cemetery, 53. irish house cemetery, 54. kemmel churchyard, 55. lindenhoek chalet military cemetery, 56. suffolk cemetery, vierstraat, 57. loker churchyard, 58. la laiterie military cemetery, 59. locre hospice cemetery, 60. kandahar farm cemetery, 61. westhof farm cemetery, 62. westoutre british cemetery, 63. westoutre churchyard and extension, 64. cabin hill cemetery, 65. croonaert chapel cemetery, 66. derry house cemetery no. 2, 67. lone tree cemetery, 68. oosttaverne wood cemetery, 69. r.e. farm cemetery, 70. somer farm cemetery, 71. packhorse farm shrine cemetery, 72. torreken farm cemetery no. 1, 73. artillery wood cemetery, 74. bard cottage cemetery, 75. saint quentin cabaret military cemetery, 76. pond farm cemetery, 77. colne valley cemetery, 78. wulverghem-lindenhoek road military cemetery, 79. ration farm (la plus douve) annexe, 80. welsh cemetery (caesar’s nose), 81. dragoon camp cemetery, 82. la belle alliance cemetery, 83. no man’s cot cemetery, 84. talana farm cemetery, 85. dickebusch new military cemetery extension, 86. dickebusch old military cemetery, 87. wijtschaete military cemetery, 88. dickebusch new military cemetery, 89. the huts cemetery, 90. bleuet farm cemetery, 91. solferino farm cemetery, 92. spanbroekmolen british cemetery, 93. canada farm cemetery, 94. ferme-olivier cemetery, 95. hagle dump cemetery, 96. hospital farm cemetery, 97. belgian battery corner cemetery, 98. menin road south military cemetery, 99. potijze chateau lawn cemetery, 100. ramparts cemetery, lille gate, 101. ypres reservoir cemetery, 102. ypres town cemetery extension, 103. buffs road cemetery, 104. la brique military cemetery no. 1, 105. la brique military cemetery no. 2, 106. minty farm cemetery, 107. oxford road cemetery, 108. track x cemetery, 109. white house cemetery, st. jean-les-ypres, 110. wieltje farm cemetery, 111. brandhoek new military cemetery no. 3, 112. brandhoek military cemetery, 113. brandhoek new military cemetery, 114. divisional cemetery, 115. hop store cemetery, 116. railway chateau cemetery, 117. red farm military cemetery, 118. vlamertinghe new military cemetery, 119. vlamertinghe military cemetery, 120. bus house cemetery, 121. elzenwalle brasserie cemetery, 122. oak dump cemetery, 123. ridge wood military cemetery, 124. voormezeele enclosure no.3, 125. voormezeele enclosures no.1 and no.2, 126. birr cross roads cemetery, 127. blauwepoort farm cemetery, 128. chester farm cemetery, 129. spoilbank cemetery, 130. first dcli cemetery the bluff, 131. hedge row trench cemetery, 132. larch wood (railway cutting) cemetery, 133. maple copse cemetery, 134. perth cemetery (china wall), 135. zillebeke churchyard, 136. berks cemetery extension, 137. calvaire (essex) military cemetery, 138. gunners farm military cemetery, 139. hyde park corner (royal berks) cemetery, 140. la plus douvre farm cemetery, 141. lancashire cottage cemetery, 142. london rifle brigade cemetery, 143. motor car corner cemetery, 144. strand military cemetery, 145. tancrez farm cemetery, 146. toronto avenue cemetery, 147. mud corner cemetery, 148. prowse point military cemetery, 149. underhill farm cemetery, 150. le touquet railway crossing cemetery, 151. ruisseau farm cemetery, 152. bridge house cemetery, 153. dochy farm new british cemetery, 154. gwalia cemetery, 155. haringhe (bandaghem) military cemetery, 156. seaforth cemetery, cheddar villa, 157. poperinghe old military cemetery, 158. grootebeek british cemetery, 159. poperinghe new military cemetery, 160. poperinghe communal cemetery, 161. st julien dressing station cemetery, 162. mendinghem military cemetery, 163. nine elms british cemetery, 164. reninghelst new military cemetery, 165. bethleem farm west cemetery, 166. abeele aerodrome military cemetery, 167. bethleem farm east cemetery, 168. messines ridge british cemetery, 169. ramscappelle road military cemetery, 170. nieuwpoort communal cemetery, 171. watou churchyard, 172. passchendale new british cemetery, 173. tyne cot cemetery visitors centre, 174. zandvoorde british cemetery, 175. zandvoorde churchyard, 176. polygon wood cemetery, 177. ploegsteert memorial, 178. wwi francis ledwidge memorial to the missing, 1. fort st. heribert, 2. fort de lantin, 3. fort de boncelles, 4. fort de loncin (fsfl), 5. fort de barchon, 6. fort flémalle, 7. fort de boncelles, 8. fort d'émines, 1. saint michael’s church, 2. st. vedast church, 3. the khaki chums cross, 4. st julien canadian war memorial, 5. ‘vierfrontenbrug’ bridge of four battles, 6. menin gate, 7. front line hooghe, 8. nieuwpoort memorial, 9. yorkshire trench and dug out, 10. railway line 74, 11. monument for king albert i, 12. statue 7de linieregiment, 13. guynemer pavilion, 14. memorial 14th line regiment, 15. hill 60, 16. ypres salient, 17. mine crater sint-elooi, 18. island of ireland peace park, 19. death cells & execution room poperinge, 20. interallied memorial, 21. bayernwald german trenches, 22. lettenberg bunkers, 23. 36th & 16th div memorial stones, 24. passchendaele dodengang or trenches, 25. pool of peace, 26. st george's memorial church, ypres, 27. hof ter molen, 28. coming world remember me, 29. german command post, zandvoorde, world war 1 battlefield tours, where to stay, how to get to the battlefields, belgium wwi museums.

During World War One, the flooding of the IJzer Plains was orchestrated at Nieuwpoort’s sluice complex, stopping the relentless march of the German army. In the modern visitor center, you can enjoy amazing views of the WWI Belgian battle site areas and computer simulations where you can see how the system of sluices operates. While you’re there, be sure to pay a visit to the monument for King Albert I and the fallen Belgian soldiers as well.  

The Hill 62 Canadian Memorial, also known as Sanctuary Wood, is about 30 kilometers north of Lille. It commemorates the defense of Ypres by Canadian troops in 1916, during the First World War. Over 8,000 Canadian soldiers gave their lives during five months of fighting in order to keep the German forces from occupying what little of Belgium was still controlled by the Allies.  

A visit to the Lange Max Museum is a wonderful way to get a better understanding of the German side of the Western Front. Situated about 3 kilometers north of Koekelare, this museum is on the site of one of the largest artillery pieces of the First World War, the “Long Max”. There are many interesting and educational displays, as well as audio programs to listen to. Up to date and visually pleasing, this museum has a wealth of information to share.  

In the summer of 1915, the exposed British forces around Hooge were easy targets for the Germans. To counter their attacks, the British tunneled toward the Germans and placed a 1700 kilogram charge of explosives in the tunnel. The explosion resulted in the Hooge Crater. Hooge Crater Museum is a private museum dedicated to this amazing piece of history. Located in a chapel commemorating fallen soldiers from World War One, the war museum is home to a number of historic collections from the era, including weapons, photos and a variety of military equipment that was used in Belgium in World War 1.  

On the Yser River in Diksmuide, the Museum Aan de Ijzer is a place where Peace, Freedom, and Tolerance are emphasized. The museum holds a collection of artifacts, personal stories, films and other displays following the timeline of the First World War, primarily with a Flemish focus. Your tour begins on top of the 22-story structure and features an amazing view of the surrounding land.  

During World War 1, the Pondfarm was a place of upheaval and turmoil. In November 1914, residents were told to evacuate the area immediately as the German army advanced into the area. Residents desperately wanted to return to their homes but were prevented from doing so for a long time due to the Pondfarm repeatedly changing hands during the War. The daunting post-war task of rebuilding is a truly inspiring story. Today you can visit the small farmhouse museum where many relics of the War are kept and learn even more about the history of the Pondfarm.  

The Talbot House was the respite for every soldier passing through Poperinge. It was located in unoccupied Belgium – removed from the actual fighting. British Army chaplains Talbot and Clayton decided that the soldiers coming through the area needed the Talbot House to be a place where they could enjoy rest and relax during their downtime. Today a tour of the facility begins in the old barn, which was converted into a concert hall. You’ll enjoy a full-immersion experience that provides a taste of what day to day life was like in this camp setting during the Great War.  

The World War One Battle of Passchendaele is memorialized in this museum. It pays tribute to the 500,000 men killed over the course of 100 days. Located in the historic Zonnebeke Castle, this museum is broken down into 5 parts. Each part focuses on a different aspect of the War and its effects on the region and its people. It ends in the Hall of Reflection, where the many victims of the fighting are remembered. Enjoy the many featured displays where you can re-live many actual war-like experiences.  

Through vignettes featuring period uniforms and equipment, numerous documents, and other displays, the Museum of 18 Days looks at the effects of the Great War at the local and regional level. The thousands of artifacts tell the stories of the people of the area during World War One and how their lives were forever altered by the politics and military actions of the time.  

Created in 1830, the Memorial Museum for the Regiment covers all aspects of a remarkable Regiment. The museum features actual military equipment, weapons, and uniforms from the various eras and you will get a real education regarding one unit’s contribution to the history of the region. The Memorial Museum for the Regiment is located on an active military installation. Therefore, the museum is open by appointment only, and groups are limited in size.  

The Fort Boncelles Museum is located approximately 8 kilometers south of Liege. It features an amazing collection of historic artifacts from both World War I and II. You’ll see artillery field pieces, aircraft, sidearms, and even a scale model of the fortifications. The fort is one of twelve constructed in the late 1800s and played a key role in the defense of Belgium during several conflicts.  

Located in Comines-Warneton, Blockhaus Pionnier 14-18 is one of the smaller museums in Belgium and consists of only three rooms. Its true importance is in how it depicts the everyday lives of the German soldier who were stationed in this blockhouse. You will gain a greater understanding of what life was like here from 1914 to 1918 as you look through this unique collection of historic items.  

One of the most pivotal parts of the First World War was the Battle of the Borders. During this fighting France attempted to drive into Germany, while the Germans invaded Belgium and Luxembourg in order to strike the French along their northern border in an effort to take Paris. Tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives during this campaign and the Museum of the Battle of the Borders in the Gaume, with its collection documents and personal items, is dedicated to their memory.  

World War I Cemeteries in Belgium

This is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground. It contains the remains of almost 11,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died during the Great War. It is the second-largest WW1 cemetery for Commonwealth soldiers in Belgium.  

This Commonwealth cemetery located near Zonnebeke is the final resting place for 2,108 soldiers from World War One, 80% of whom are unknown. It is actually two WW1 cemeteries that have been joined.  

This is the only American military WW1 graveyard in Belgium. It holds the remains of 370 soldiers who died in the First World War.  

One of only 4 German military cemeteries in Belgium, it honors more than 44,300 German soldiers who died in combat during the First World War. Only about 17,000 of them could be identified and their names have been made a permanent part of the cemetery.  

This is the largest Belgian military cemetery in West Flanders and is the final resting place of over 3300 Belgian soldiers. Soldiers who died in the nearby military hospital were interred here. Almost half gave their lives in the Final Offensive in 1918.  

Many of the graves in this cemetery came from field graves and smaller cemeteries in the area. There are 1723 Belgian graves and 81 Italian graves of those who were German POWs. The graves are arranged in a six-pointed star pattern.  

Although this French cemetery is the largest on Belgian soil, it started out as a simple garden adjacent to a school which the French used as a military hospital. Today it commemorates 4200 French soldiers who died in the Great War.  

The unusual name for this cemetery comes from the wrecked aircraft which crashed into it during combat. There are 1105 Commonwealth servicemen commemorated here with 636 of them unidentified.  

The port town of Zeebrugge is home to a Commonwealth cemetery which is the final resting place of 185 British and German soldiers from the First World War. A total of 20 of those are unidentified.  

This is one of only four cemeteries in Belgium honoring the German dead from World War One. Following the consolidation of German graves from around the area, the cemetery now holds the remains of 8,241 soldiers. It features a Hall of Honor constructed out of stones from the German Pavilion from the 1928 World’s Fair.  

This Commonwealth cemetery located just outside of Ypres on the grounds of the castle Rosendael which was used as a medical facility by the British. Small cemeteries were created in the gardens of the castle which now hold the remains of 5,144 Commonwealth soldiers.  

One of the smaller Belgian cemeteries, this one commemorates 508 Belgian soldiers who died in the Great War. Although a number of the graves were marked with Flemish “fallen hero” crosses, only a handful remain intact.  

During the First World War, Steenkerke was the site of a medical infirmary to treat wounded soldiers. Over 500 Belgian soldiers are buried here. Well-known Flemish soldier Joe English was the first fatality interred here, although his remains were later transferred to another location.  

The cemetery was originally begun in 1917 at the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres. It was small but eventually took in graves from other battle sites in the area. Currently, the cemetery has approximately 5800 graves.  

One of nine Belgian military cemeteries in West Flanders, it was taken over from the French in 1916 after relocating the French graves. Today it is the final resting place of 1207 Belgian soldiers killed in the First World War.  

Belgian soldiers who were wounded and died at the nearby military field hospital were buried in this cemetery. It is the final home to 825 Belgian soldiers from the First World War, 35 of whom are unknown. There are also 20 British soldiers interred here.  

This cemetery honors those French soldiers who gave their lives during World War Two. The cemetery is comprised of a total of four mass graves containing 5,294 fallen soldiers, only 57 of whom were ever identified.  

This Commonwealth cemetery was created in 1914, then, despite fighting from the French and Commonwealth forces, lost to the Germans in 1918. Later that year it was retaken, although it was badly damaged during those months. There are 1135 Commonwealth burials from the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.  

Located in the Bruges district of Assebroek, this Belgian cemetery has 611 graves. Most of those killed were part of the Liberation Offensive in October of 1918.  

This cemetery commemorates those Commonwealth soldiers who fell on the battlefield during the Final Offensive of World War One, in 1918. The remains of soldiers who died in other combat were transferred to this cemetery, which now holds 1116 graves.  

The third largest Commonwealth cemetery in the Westhoek, it was created in 1919. Approximately 7500 Commonwealth soldiers are buried here, mostly as a result of major conflicts in the Autumn of 1917.  

Containing the graves of 590 Belgian soldiers, many of whom were killed in the fight for Keiem, this cemetery was not created until after the Great War was over. Roughly 60% of those interred here are unknown.  

During the fighting in World War One the British designated a nearby farmhouse as “cement house” and the name remained. For a long time, this cemetery was one of the few which was still accepting Commonwealth remains. Any Commonwealth victims that were discovered, especially in recent years as construction has occurred in the area, are interred here.  

The need for this cemetery arose due to the carnage following the Third Battle of Ypres 1917. Originally holding only 87 graves, the extension brought 678 more graves from surrounding smaller cemeteries and battlefields.  

This cemetery is located at what was, at one time, the front line of World War One. In the beginning, it had only about 73 graves, but following a program of consolidation of smaller cemeteries, the number expanded to 4500. 70% of the people interred are unidentified.  

Anticipating the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 several field hospitals were established in the area. Dozinghem was one of them and it soon became the location of a cemetery to deal with who were mortally wounded. There are 3,174 Commonwealth burials in the cemetery as well as 65 German graves.  

This French cemetery is the final resting place for 750 soldiers from the First World War. The deaths occurred during the Liberation Offensive of 1918.  

The Moorsele area around this cemetery was retaken by the 15th Royal Irish Rifles in October of 1918 after being held by German forces for much of the war. The cemetery holds the remains of 147 Commonwealth soldiers as well as 14 Germans.  

In addition to the approximately 80 French soldiers who share a mass grave at this cemetery, there are about 150 individual graves honoring the French soldiers who fell here during the Great War.  

This cemetery holds the graves of Commonwealth, French, and Belgian servicemen from World War One. There are a total of 93 wartime casualties buried on this site.  

This Commonwealth cemetery is the final resting place for 1028 soldiers from the First World War. Of those, 158 remain unknown.  

Originally constructed by the Germans following the battles which took place in 1918, this cemetery contains 88 Commonwealth graves as well as 54 German graves. It was declared a protected monument.  

Duhallow was originally a medical post. The cemetery was created in 1917, following the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. There are 1544 Commonwealth graves from World War One at this site. 231 of those are listed as unknown.  

Over 200 casualties from the First World War are located here. Almost 30 of them are still unidentified. Although the area was behind British lines for almost the entirety of the War, it was still within range of German guns and the original chateau which housed the medical aid station is in ruins.  

One of three Potijze Chateau cemeteries, including Chateau Grounds and Chateau Lawn, Chateau Wood contains 151 Commonwealth graves from the Great War.  

During World War One the frontline trenches ran right through the community of Zillebeke where the “Tuileries” or Tile Works were located. In 1915 a number of Commonwealth and French soldiers were buried there. Unfortunately, during a heavy enemy shelling, many graves were destroyed. The cemetery contains 95 burials, although only 26 of them are known and marked. There is a special memorial on site commemorating those whose graves were destroyed.  

At the end of World War Two, the decision was made to consolidate the German war graves from World War One into four major cemeteries. As a result of this merging, the German cemetery at Vladslo now contains the remains of 25,644 soldiers.  

Although most of the burials on this site are Commonwealth soldiers from the Second World War, there are also five unidentified French burials from the First World War.  

This cemetery was started by the French at the beginning of the First World War. It became one of the primary Commonwealth cemeteries along the Belgian coast. There are now 1507 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site, the French remains having been returned to their homeland for full military burials.  

This military cemetery was created at the end of the First World War and is the result of the merging of small local field graves and municipal cemeteries. This site contains the graves of 635 Belgians, most of whom were killed during the Battle of IJzer in 1914.  

This cemetery was created by enclosing a number of smaller, regimental cemeteries and combining it into one all-encompassing facility. It contains the remains of 164 World War One soldiers.  

The French cemetery of Heuleu is the final resting place of over 200 soldiers who were killed during the defense of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse in August of 1914.  

This World War One military cemetery is unique for several reasons. It is located on land which was donated by a private owner Belgian naturalist Jean Houzeau de Lahaie, and it is a multinational facility. Soldiers from the Commonwealth and Germany are interred in one place as a way to unite both sides of the conflict.  

This is one of a number of cemeteries created by the French in 1918, but all 248 French graves were relocated to another cemetery. There are now 58 Commonwealth burials on the site, with 14 of them unidentified.  

Not a large cemetery, but it holds the remains of 78 soldiers of the First World War. They were officers and enlisted men of the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. They were killed during the Battle of Messines in June of 1917. Two of those buried remain unidentified.  

The local churchyard was used for the burial of Commonwealth soldiers until 1915 when the military cemetery was created. It now holds 458 Commonwealth graves as well as a lone German grave.  

Located on the west side of the churchyard, the cemetery holds 67 Commonwealth graves of those fallen during the First World War.  

Begun in November of 1914 there are now 1,082 casualties of the Great War buried here. Of those buried, 238 of them are unidentified.  

Due in part to the serious combat which took place in and around the village of Kemmel in April of 1918, there are 805 Commonwealth war graves in this cemetery, 109 0f them unidentified.  

The history of this cemetery begins in the garden of the Godezonne Farm in 1915. After the Armistice graves were consolidated on this site from a large area north and east of the village of Kemmel. There are now 79 burial sites in this cemetery, 44 of them have never been identified.  

The origin of this cemetery is unknown, but it contained Commonwealth, French and German casualties. The French graves have since been removed to other locations and there remain only 296 Commonwealth graves, mostly unknown, and 94 German graves, also mostly unknown.  

Near the front lines of World War One, Kemmel itself was held by the Germans for a while. The Churchyard cemetery contains 25 Commonwealth burial sites. There is a special memorial to those soldiers whose graves were destroyed by enemy shelling.  

The cemetery was begun in 1915 and was actively used by field ambulances and combat units until 1917. Following the Armistice, over 100 graves were added to the cemetery from battlefields in the surrounding area. There are now 315 internments, 67 of those unidentified.  

At one time referred to as Cheapside Cemetery, it now contains 47 burial sites of Commonwealth soldiers. Many of those soldiers were killed in April of 1918, during an attempted German advance.  

During the spring of 1918, the town of Loker changed hands several times amid fierce fighting. The churchyard was used by both fighting units and by field ambulances during the fighting. It now contains 215 Commonwealth burials.  

Created in 1914 and used until October of 1918, this cemetery was used as a place to consolidate graves from many battlefields to the north and northeast of Kemmel. Because of this consolidation, there are now 751 Commonwealth graves here. There is a special memorial on site which commemorates two soldiers whose original graves were destroyed during combat.  

Although the area changed hands several times during fighting, this World War One cemetery survived largely intact. There was some restoration of the garden area and there are now 244 Commonwealth graves on the site. There are 12 burials which are unidentified.  

Located near the village of Wulverghem, this Commonwealth cemetery was lost to German forces for 5 months in 1918, but the village was retaken, along with the cemetery in September of that year. There are a total of 443 Commonwealth soldiers buried here.  

This farm was headquarters for the New Zealand Division in 1917 when the cemetery was begun. It was used by combat units as well as field ambulances until April of 1918. There are 131 Commonwealth graves on this site as well as 5 German graves.  

Westoutre remained in Allied hands from the beginning of the First World War until the Armistice, even though at times it was within 2.5 km of the front lines. Although some French and German soldiers were temporarily interred here, they were later removed to other locations. Today the cemetery is the final resting place for 175 Commonwealth soldiers.  

This Churchyard and extension were used by fighting units and field ambulances from 1914 to 1918. There are 98 Commonwealth soldiers and 3 German soldiers interred here.  

The town of Wijtschaete is home to Cabin Hill Cemetery, begun in 1917 after the area had changed hands several times. The 11th Division created it as a front-line cemetery until March of 1918. It now contains the remains of 67 Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War.  

The Croonaert Chapel, in “No-Man's-Land” prior to the Battle of Messines, was created during the First World War by the 19th Division in 1917. There were originally 15 German graves on this site, but they were relocated after the Armistice. Currently, there are 75 Commonwealth soldiers buried in this cemetery.  

Derry House Cemetery, so named by the soldiers of the Royal Irish Rifles, was created in June of 1917. It was used as a front line cemetery by the 2nd London Scottish. In addition to 166 Commonwealth war dead, the cemetery also contains the remnants of a concrete command post built in 1917.  

The Battle of Messines occurred in June of 1917 and it necessitated the creation of this cemetery. It contains the bodies of 88 soldiers who fell on the first day of that Battle.  

Created during the Battle of Messines in 1917, this cemetery became a concentration point for graves in outlying battlefield areas. It now contains 1,119 Commonwealth burials.  

A merger of two separate cemeteries, the R.E.Farm cemetery was begun in 1914. It now contains 179 Commonwealth burials with 11 of them unknown.  

Begun in June of 1917 this Commonwealth cemetery was in use until October of 1918. It is the final resting place of 91 soldiers from the Great War.  

Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery was one of two such cemeteries begun by the 46th North Midland Division in 1915. It contains 59 First World War burials.  

The town of Wijtschaete was taken and retaken by Commonwealth forces several times during the First World War. This cemetery was created by the 5th Dorset Regiment in June of 1917. It contains 90 Commonwealth burials as well as 14 German war graves.  

When the Battle of Pilckem Ridge ended in 1917, the Guards Division created this cemetery. It continued as a front-line cemetery until 1918. Following the Armistice, a large number of graves were moved to this site from battlefields around the area. Currently, there are 1,307 burials at this site with 506 still unidentified.  

During the First World War, the Bard Cottage was just across the Yser Canal from the front lines, and the cemetery was started close by, under a high bank. Following the Armistice, graves from Marengo Farm Cemetery and other areas. The total of Commonwealth burials now stands at 1,639.  

Begun in February of 1915 by the 46th Division, this cemetery lies adjacent to the St. Quentin Cabaret. The cabaret was used as battalion headquarters until it was captured by Germans in 1918. The cemetery contains 460 Commonwealth burials.  

Pond Farm Cemetery was begun in 1916 by the 3rd Rifle Brigade and was used by both combat units as well as field ambulances. Two hundred ninety-six Commonwealth soldiers are buried at this site along with 5 German graves.  

This cemetery was begun in July and August of 1915 by the West Riding Regiment, 49th Division. It remained in use until February 1916. It contains 47 World War One burials, 30 of those belonging to officers and men of the West Riding Regiment.  

Soldiers of the 5th Division began this cemetery in 1914. Originally designated as the Wulverghem Dressing Station Cemetery, it was used up until October of 1918. Remains from numerous burial sites and battlefields in the area were brought to this location following the Armistice. Today the cemetery holds 1,010 Commonwealth servicemen.  

In the Douve river valley, just north of Ploegsteert Wood, this cemetery was begun in January of 1915. It was in use until January of 1918 and contains 202 Commonwealth burials from the First World War.  

On the east side of the village of Boesinghe is a spot known as “Caesar’s Nose”. This is where the 38th Welsh Division began this cemetery. It was only in use from July of 1917 until the following November. There are 65 Commonwealth soldiers buried at this location.  

Originally known as the Villa Gretchen Cemetery, after a local landmark, this cemetery was begun by the 13th Royal Welch Fusiliers in August of 1917. It contains 66 First World War burials, ten of which are unidentified.  

Created in 1916 by the 10th and 11th King’s Royal Rifle Corp, this cemetery took its name from a nearby farmhouse. It is the final resting place for 60 Commonwealth soldiers of the Great War.  

From July of 1917 until March of 1918 this cemetery was active. It contains 79 burials of Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War. Of those, more than half belong to officers and men of the 51st Highland Division.  

Named for a group of farmhouses, Talana Farm Cemetery was originally created by the French but was taken over by the 1st Rifle Brigade and 1st Somerset Light Infantry in 1915. There are 529 Commonwealth servicemen buried in this cemetery, with 14 of those unidentified.  

The extension of this Commonwealth World War One Military cemetery was in use from May 1917 until January of the following year. It has 547 burials with 5 of those unidentified.  

This was a World War One front-line cemetery, used from January through March of 1915. It has 46 Commonwealth burials, as well as 10 burials from the Second World War.  

This cemetery was created after the Armistice and was used to consolidate burials from a number of smaller field cemeteries and battlefields in the area. There are 1,002 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site. 673 of those are unidentified.  

Begun in 1915 and in use until April of 1918, this Commonwealth cemetery also includes an extension that began in May of 1917. The cemetery proper includes the remains of 624 World War One war casualties, with 8 of them listed as unidentified.  

Named for the line of huts along the road between Dickebusch and Brandhoek, this cemetery was created by field ambulance crews in 1917. Due to the German advance into the area, the cemetery was closed in April of 1918. This site contains 1,094 Commonwealth burials.  

The Bleuet Farm was appropriated for use as a dressing station in 1917. As a cemetery, it was in use from June to December of that year and only occupied a corner of the property. After the Armistice, other graves were brought to this location from outlying areas, bringing the total of World War One Commonwealth soldiers buried here to 442. There are also nine soldiers from the Second World War interred here.  

Begun by Commonwealth forces in 1917, the cemetery is actually across from the location of the farm. There are 296 World War One soldiers from the Commonwealth buried here, along with 5 burials from World War Two and a plot containing 3 German war graves.  

Named after a nearby windmill, this Commonwealth cemetery contains 58 casualties of the first two days of fighting in the Battle of Messines in the Great War. There are special memorials on this site commemorating 6 soldiers who were buried here, but whose graves were destroyed during combat.  

The nearby farmhouse was used as a dressing station during the Allied offensive in 1917. Most of those buried here were soldiers who died of their wounds at the dressing station. There are 907 soldiers of the First World War interred at this site.  

In continuous use from June 1915 until August of 1917, this cemetery was the product of a number of successive dressing stations and field ambulance operations in the area. Over 400 Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War have been laid to rest at this site.  

Begun following the Battles of Lys in April of 1918, the cemetery took its name from a stores dump located adjacent to it. Following the Armistice, over 200 graves from nearby battlefields were brought to this site. There are now 437 Commonwealth burials here.  

Originally a farm building that was used as a dressing station during the Great War, the cemetery was in use from 1915 until 1917. There are 115 Commonwealth and 1 Belgian soldier interred at this location.  

Three batteries of Belgian artillery were positioned at a junction near this cemetery, giving it its name. Nearly one-half of the graves are those of soldiers who were part of the artillery units. The cemetery has 573 burials of World War One Commonwealth soldiers.  

First used by the 8th South Staffords and 9th East Surreys in 1916, this Commonwealth cemetery was used until the summer of 1918. Following the Armistices, other graves from isolated Belgian battlefields and smaller cemeteries were brought to this site. The total number of First World War soldiers at this location is 1,657.  

Because of incessant enemy fire, there is very little left of the chateau. The Chateau Lawn Cemetery was in use from May of 1915 until October of 1918, though not in continual use. There are 226 World War One casualties interred at this site, with almost 30 of those unidentified.  

Begun by French troops in November of 1914, this cemetery was later used by Commonwealth units until April of 1918. It houses the remains of 198 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War. French graves have been relocated to French soil.  

Combat units and field ambulances first established this cemetery in October of 1915 and it was in use until the Armistice. At that time it contained 1,099 burials. Later, graves from other locations were centralized in the Reservoir Cemetery. It now holds the graves of 2,613 Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War. Of those 1,034 are unidentified.  

The extension is located on the east side of the town cemetery in Ypres. It was begun in October of 1914 and used until April of the following year. Following the Armistice, graves from nearby battlefields and smaller cemeteries were added to the extension in a consolidation effort. There are 604 Commonwealth burials at this site.  

Created by the 12th, 13th, and 14th Royal Sussex and the Royal Artillery in July of 1917, this cemetery was later increased in size when graves from surrounding battlefields were added. Currently, there are 289 World War One Commonwealth soldiers buried in this site.  

Named for the brickworks which stood until the First World War, this cemetery was created in May of 1915 and was in use until December of that year. It is the final resting place for 91 soldiers, 4 of whom are unidentified.  

This cemetery in the small town of LaBrique was used from February of 1915 until March of 1918. Originally there were 383 burials at this site, but after the Armistice, many more were brought in from surrounding battlefields. The total now is 840 Commonwealth servicemen from the First World War, with 400 of those unidentified.  

Used at various times as a German blockhouse and a company headquarters for Commonwealth units, the cemetery was begun in October of 1917 and was active until the following April. Over a third of the burials are of officers and men of the Royal Artillery. There are 192 World War One soldiers buried at this site.  

The “Oxford Road” in the name of this cemetery was actually a name Commonwealth soldiers gave to a small road which ran behind the support trenches in the area. The cemetery was in active use from August 1917 until April of 1918. Graves which had been scattered throughout the area were added and now there are 851 soldiers from the First World War interred at this location.  

This cemetery is situated between what were the front lines of Allied and German forces in World War One as they were in June of 1917. The 38th and 49th Divisions created the cemetery which was used only from the end of July 1917 until November of that year. There are 149 soldiers of the Great War in the cemetery now, with 27 of them unknown.  

Taking its name from an actual “white house” on the Ypres Road, it was created in March of 1915 and was used until April of 1918. By this time the town of St. Jean had been completely destroyed. After the war, many graves from the surrounding area were concentrated here, and today the number of burials exceeds 1400 with the bulk of those soldiers from the U.K.  

Created by fighting units in July of 1917, it was active until the following October. There are 115 soldiers of the Commonwealth buried at this site with 10 of the unidentified. There is also a memorial to 20 soldiers whose graves were destroyed by artillery fire.  

In August of 1917, this new cemetery was created in anticipation of the coming Allied offensive. It was in use until the following May. There are 975 First World War burials at this location.  

During the First World War, the area surrounding this cemetery was relatively safe from enemy fire, so field ambulances were stationed there and the cemetery was created in May of 1915, just adjacent to the dressing station. There are 669 Commonwealth burials here.  

Begun in July of 1917 ahead of the massive Allied offensive, this cemetery contains 530 burials of Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War, as well as 28 German war graves.  

Begun by Commonwealth units in April of 1915, it was active until May of the following year. Following the 1917 Flanders offensive, the cemetery was again pressed into use, predominantly to handle casualties from the artillery units involved. Now there are 283 burials from the Great War at this site.  

Although the surrounding area was within range of enemy artillery, it was sometimes selected as headquarters for Allied artillery and field ambulances. The cemetery was begun in May of 1915, but due to its location, it remained relatively small. There are 251 soldiers from the Great War interred here.  

Begun in 1914, this cemetery, also known as “Augustine Street Cabaret”, was used sporadically until October of 1916. It contains 105 burials of World War One soldiers, six of them unknowns.  

For the bulk of World War One, the area in and around the village of Vlamertinghe was just beyond the reach of German artillery. Because of this, it was used by both Allied artillery units and field ambulances. The cemetery was begun in April of 1918 and it holds 46 Commonwealth burials.  

Begun in June of 1917, in anticipation of the coming offensive, and in order to augment the original military cemetery, it was used until October of 1918. The cemetery now contains the remains of 1,812 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War.  

Although this unique cemetery was created by the French in 1914, it was taken over by Commonwealth troops in 1915. The cemetery was used by field ambulance units as well as combat units. The unique aspect of this location is that great care was taken to bury soldiers from the same unit side by side whenever possible. There are 1,175 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War interred here.  

Bus House Cemetery, named for a nearby farmhouse, was begun in June of 1917. The cemetery is a gathering of 206 burials from the First World War, 2 French war graves, and 79 burials from the Second World War.  

This cemetery, actually a collection of small regimental cemeteries, is named for a nearby brewery. A significant number of casualties are from the 22nd Canadian Infantry. The cemetery holds 149 burials from the Great War.  

Fighting units created this cemetery in July of 1917. Some burials were brought to this site following the First World War, so there are now 111 Commonwealth burials here, with 5 of them unidentified, and there is a special memorial erected to honor two graves destroyed by artillery fire.  

The Ridge Wood stood on an elevated site and the cemetery was created in a hollow on the west side of that high ground. It was created in May of 1915 and, although Germans advanced on the ridge, it was retaken by the 6th and 33rd Divisions. There are 619 Commonwealth burials located at this site.  

There were originally four of these enclosures, but that number has dropped to three. Begun in February of 1915 by Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Enclosure Number 3 now contains 1,611 Commonwealth burials from the Great War. Six hundred and nine of the burials are unidentified.  

Although there are three enclosures at this location, Enclosures 1 and 2 are now considered as a single cemetery. Begun in March of 1915, and added to following the Armistice, the cemetery now holds 593 Commonwealth soldier of the First World War with 40 of those unknown.  

Begun as a Dressing Station, the cemetery was created adjacent to it in August of 1917. Following a post-war consolidation of graves, there are now 833 Commonwealth soldiers from World War One buried here. Of those, 332 are unidentified. There are also memorials at this site to honor those whose graves were destroyed by artillery fire.  

Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery was in November of 1914. It was originally created by the French Chasseurs Alpins battalion, but it was used by Commonwealth soldiers from February of 1915 until the following February. Following the Armistice, all French graves were relocated. There are now 91 burials from the First World War at this site.  

Located only 1 km to the south of Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery, this site was used by front-line soldiers from March of 1915 until November of 1917. There are 420 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War buried or commemorated at this location.  

Also known as “Chester Farm Lower Cemetery”, this site is closely linked with the casualties suffered by the 2nd Suffolks in 1916. As was the case with many cemeteries, following the Armistice, a number of graves were moved from smaller, outlying sites to this one in an effort to organize and concentrate burials. The cemetery now contains 520 burials and commemorations from the First World War.  

Due to its proximity to the front line trenches during the First World War, there are numerous cemeteries in this area. This one was begun in April of 1915 when there was a need for graves for officers and men of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Other burials were added to this site after the Armistice and it now holds 76 Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War.  

Sometimes known as Ravine Wood Cemetery, this site was created in March of 1915 and used until August of 1917. The cemetery suffered heavy damage from artillery fire and many individual graves were lost or damaged beyond repair. This is the reason that many headstones are symmetrically arranged around the Cross of Sacrifice. There are 98 World War One burials at this site.  

Begun in April of 1915, this military cemetery was created in the midst of a plantation of larches. After the Armistice, graves from the battles at Ypres and from many smaller plots in the area were added to Larch Wood. There are 856 Commonwealth burials from the Great War here, with 321 unidentified.  

This area was used as an Advanced Dressing Station during The Great War, and the cemetery held burials from around the time of the Battle of Mount Sorrel in June of 1916. During the fighting in the area, most of those graves were destroyed. The cemetery was enclosed following the Armistice, but of the 308 burials and commemorations, only 78 could be found, and of those, only 26 could be identified.  

In November of 1914, this cemetery was begun by the French. Following the Armistice, their graves were relocated. It was then appropriated by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in 1917. The cemetery was known by several names; “Perth”, to honor the 2nd Scottish Rifles, “China Wall” from the communications trench referred to as the Great Wall of China, or “The Halfway House”. There are now 2,791 soldiers of the First World War buried here.  

This churchyard contains 32 Commonwealth burials from the Great War, many of whom were from the Foot Guards or Household Cavalry who were killed in 1914.  

The Berks Cemetery Extension is separated from the original cemetery by a road. The extension was begun in June of 1916 and was in use until September of the following year. Following the concentration of burials, the extension now holds 876 First World War burials.  

Begun in November of 1914, this regimental cemetery was in use until 1916, before falling into German hands briefly in 1918. There are 218 World War One Commonwealth burials at this site.  

Another example of a regimental cemetery, this site was established in July of 1915 by the 9th Essex and 7th Suffolk Regiments. It was in active use by various regiments until 1916. There are 175 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site as well as 4 German war graves.  

Begun in April of 1915 by the 1st and 4th Royal Berkshire Regiment, this cemetery was used sporadically until November of 1917. It contains 83 Commonwealth burials from the First World War as well as 4 German war graves.  

This area, also known as Ration Farm, was occasionally used as battalion headquarters. The cemetery was begun in April of 1915 by the 48th (South Midland) Division. It was used until it fell into German hands in May of 1918. There are 336 Commonwealth burials from the First World War at this site.  

This cemetery was begun in November of 1914 by the 1st East Lancashire and 1st Hampshire whose units account for 84 and 56 of the graves, respectively. The cemetery was taken by the Germans briefly in 1918, so it contains 13 German war Graves in addition to the 256 Commonwealth burials.  

In December of 1914, this cemetery was begun by the 4th Division. It was used by field ambulances and combat units until March 1918. At this point, the cemetery was taken by Germans until September of that year. There are 335 Commonwealth soldiers from World War One buried here along with 18 German war graves.  

So named because no military cars were allowed any closer to the front, this military cemetery was begun in June of 1917 coinciding with the Battle of Messines. It was in use until March of 1918, when it fell into German hands for a time. Except for one, the German graves were relocated and the cemetery now holds 131 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War.  

“The Strand” was a name given by soldiers to a trench that ended at the Ploegsteert Wood. It was at this point that a cemetery was begun in October of 1914. After the Armistice, graves were brought to the site from many battlefields and small cemeteries in the area. There are now 1,143 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this location, 354 of whom are unidentified.  

In Ploegsteert there is a farmhouse, now rebuilt, which served as an aid station during World War One. Behind that farmhouse is the military cemetery, begun in December of 1914 and used by field ambulances and combat units until March of 1918. There are 333 Commonwealth burials at this site.  

Named for one of the paths used by soldiers in the Ploegsteert Woods, this military cemetery contains casualties from the Battle of Messines. Specifically, it holds officers and men of the 9th Brigade ( 3rd Australian Division). There are 78 burials from the First World War, two of them remain unidentified.  

This cemetery was begun in June of 1917, with the capture of Messines by the New Zealand Division. It was in use until December of that year. There are 85 burials from the First World War here, and with only one exception, they are all from New Zealand or Australian forces.  

Named for war hero Major (later Brigadier General) C.B. Prowse, the cemetery was begun by the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the 1st Royal Warwicks in November of 1914. There are 231 Commonwealth burials from the Great War located here.  

Close by dressing stations, the cemetery was created in June of 1917 and was in use until January of the following year. There are 190 First World War casualties buried here. Nine burials are unidentified.  

Used from October of 1914 until June of 1918, there are 74 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in this cemetery. Of those, 24 are unidentified, but there are special memorials to three soldiers known to be among them.  

Created by the Guards Division in October of 1917 and used until November of that year. The cemetery contains 82 burials from the First World War, with 6 of them unknown,  

Named for a nearby farmhouse, this cemetery was created in September of 1917 by the 59th (North Midland) Division. The vast majority of the burials are soldiers from that Division following the Battle of Polygon Wood. There are 45 World War One burials at this site, four of them unidentified.  

In September of 1917, in the Battle of Polygon Wood, Commonwealth forces took the German strong point at Dochy Farm. This military cemetery was created following the Armistice when burials from several nearby battlefields were concentrated here. There are 1,438 Commonwealth burials from the First World War at this site. Of those, 958 are unidentified.  

Gwalia Cemetery was begun in the time period between the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Because of its location near the camps, it was used by field ambulances, artillery troops, and combat units. There are 467 Commonwealth military burials at this site from the Great War.  

Using the popular name given by the troops, Bandaghem Cemetery was created in July of 1917, originally as a site for Casualty Clearing Stations. It remained in operation until October 1918. This location contains 772 Commonwealth burials from World War One. There is also a plot which holds 39 German war graves.  

Created in April of 1915 during the Battle of St, Julien, the cemetery initially took the name given by the army to a nearby farmhouse, so it became known as “Cheddar Villa Cemetery”. That was changed to its official name of Seaforth Cemetery in 1922, at the request of Commanding Officer of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders. Since more than 100 of those buried at the site were part of that battalion, it was a reasonable request. There are 148 burials from the First World War at this location.  

This cemetery was created out of necessity during the First Battle of Ypres in 1914. There are 450 Commonwealth burials here from the Great War, with 24 of them unidentified.  

In April of 1918, this cemetery was begun, following the Battles of the Lys. It was originally known as Ouderdom Military Cemetery but was later renamed Grootebeek British Cemetery. It contains 109 Commonwealth burials from the First World War and 2 burials from World War Two.  

The Old Military Cemetery at this location was closed in May of 1915, creating the need for the New Military Cemetery which was created in June of that year. It holds 677 Commonwealth burials from World War One, as well as 271 French war graves.  

The Communal Cemetery was used for the burial of Commonwealth soldiers from October of 1914 until the following March. It holds 22 burials from the First World War.

While this area changed hands several times, the cemetery was begun in September of 1917 and was operational until March of 1918. As was often the case with cemeteries, following Armistice, graves from other smaller locations were incorporated into this cemetery. It now holds 420 Commonwealth servicemen, with 180 of those unidentified.  

Mendinghem was the popular name given to the casualty clearing station located in the village of Proven and is also the name of the cemetery. This military cemetery was created in August of 1916 and was in use until September of 1918. There are 2,391 commonwealth graves from World War One located at this site, along with 52 German war graves.  

Nine Elms was created in September of 1917 by the 3rd Australian and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations. The majority of those buried here are the result of the 1917 Battle of Ypres. There are 1,556 Commonwealth burials at this site as well as 37 German war graves.  

In 1914 the town of Reninghelst was occupied by Commonwealth forces and remained so until the Great War’s end. The cemetery was an offshoot of the field ambulance station here and was operational from 1914 until September of 1918. The cemetery contains 798 Commonwealth burials from the First World War.  

This cemetery was created by the 3rd Australian Division when Bethleem Farm was captured during the Battle of Messines in 1917. It was used by the 14th Light Division until the end of that year. There are 165 Commonwealth servicemen buried at this location. There is also one unidentified burial from the Second World War.  

Named for the nearby aerodrome, this cemetery was created in April of 1918 by French troops. The following July and August the cemetery was expanded by Commonwealth forces. Following the Armistice, the French graves were removed and replaced with Commonwealth casualties. The cemetery now contains 104 burials from the First World War.  

Begun by the 3rd Australian Division when they captured the area during the Battle of Messines in 1917, this cemetery was used primarily as a place to bury those officers and men who fell during that fight. The cemetery was in use until the following September. There are 44 soldiers from the First World War buried or commemorated here.  

This cemetery was created following the Armistice at the end of World War One. It was used as a place to concentrate burials from smaller cemeteries and battlefields in the area. There are 1,534 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site.  

Created in July and August of 1917, this Commonwealth military cemetery from the First World War was added to a great deal after the Armistice. At that point, burials from all over the area were included at this site in a consolidation effort and to make certain that even casualties from the smallest battlefield grave sites were not overlooked. There are 841 Commonwealth soldiers buried or commemorated at this location.  

This communal cemetery was heavily used in the summer of 1917 as German forces mounted a fierce attack from Nieuwpoort heading north. It was also used to bury British casualties during the Second World War. There are 70 burials from the First World War at this site, with 3 of those unidentified.  

Used only sporadically from April of 1915 until April of 1918, this cemetery contains 12 Commonwealth graves from the First World War.  

Located in an area that changed hands several times during the First World War, this cemetery was created at the end of the war. When the Armistice went into effect there was an effort to consolidate burial sites scattered throughout the country and many of those burials were sent to the New British Cemetery. It now holds 2,101 Commonwealth burials, with 1,600 of them unidentified.  

The original number of soldiers buried at this site was greatly augmented at the end of the war, with burials from several battlefields and smaller cemeteries concentrated here. There are 11,954 Commonwealth burials from the Great War with 8,367 of those unidentified.  

This cemetery is another of the post-Armistice cemeteries created in an effort to consolidate all of the burial sites from battlefields and dressing stations in the outlying areas. There are 1,538 Commonwealth servicemen interred at this site, with 1,135 of those listed as unknowns.  

Located in a heavily-contested area that changed hands several times during the course of the First World War, this small cemetery contains 4 Commonwealth burials.  

Created after Commonwealth troops cleared the woods, this front-line cemetery was used from August 1917 until September 1918. There are 107 Commonwealth soldiers buried at this site, 19 of them unidentified.  

Not a cemetery, this memorial to the missing pays respect to the more than 11,000 Commonwealth servicemen who were killed in this area in Belgium in WW1, but who have no known grave.  

This memorial to the missing is in honor of Irish war poet Francis Ledwidge who was killed during the First World War at Rose Crossroads in Boezinge.  

WW1 Belgian forts you can visit

Built in the late 1800s to help defend the areas surrounding Namur, this fortification came under heavy fire on the afternoon of August 24, 1914. Although sturdy in construction, the scale, and length of the attack was more than the facility could withstand.

Many soldiers were overcome by toxic gasses from their own weapons as well as those emanating from exploded enemy ordinance. Though abandoned and even buried, the fort is being restored section by section by volunteers.  

This fortification is unique in that it is the only one of the original Liège WWI forts to remain unaltered since 1914. It fell under German attack in August of 1914 and, because of inadequate ventilation, was surrendered three days later. Currently, the fort is open for tours, but availability can be an issue, so calling to secure reservations is wise.  

When the Germans arrived at the Liege fortifications during the Great War, they were dismayed to find how resistant they were to the firepower that they had brought to bear. They sent for much heavier siege weapons against which the fort had no defense. Building damage and lack of air circulation brought about the surrender on August 14, 1914. In addition to the museum, all that remains of the fort today is the air intake structure and two of the bunkers. There is also a small cemetery on site as well as a memorial to the dead.  

Part of the Fortifications of Liege, this fort withstood a punishing German attack for eleven days before surrendering. It took a 42 cm, 800 kg shell from the famous gun known as “Big Bertha” to shatter the fort, killing 350 men. Today, the site offers visitors a chance to experience life in the fort, including a reenactment of the fatal explosion. You can see the enlisted men's quarters, the officers mess, and more, including recovered artifacts from the era like weapons, uniforms, and personal effects.  

This fort has survived a great deal of damage as the result of two World Wars, but the bulk of the facility is still open to the public. Visitors can take an underground walking tour of the galleries and get a feel for what daily life was like in the fort. There is an excellent 3D reconstruction of the fort as it was in May of 1940 which gives you an idea of how the defenses of the fort evolved between wars. There is also an impressive collection of equipment, weapons, uniforms and more from both World Wars.  

Built in the late 1800s with the idea of protecting the Liege area, this fort saw heavy military action in both World Wars. Today you can appreciate the size and scope of this defense by enjoying a 6 km walking tour of the area. Although the fort itself has been abandoned and partially buried, you can still see the air tower and other well-known military landmarks in and around the site.  

Fort d’Emines fired its first defensive shots on August 23, 1914. It was met with heavier fire from the German artillery batteries and began to sustain serious structural damage. The fort was forced to surrender the following day after being hit by over 1500 shells. The fort was closed to the public for some time but opened for tours in 2008. Advance booking of tours is strongly recommended. Sections of the fortification which are closed for safety reasons are available digitally.  

Important WW1 memorials and WW1 monuments

Saint Michael’s Church has had a long and painful history since its construction in the 13th century. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1579 and very gradually rebuilt over a period of decades. During an attack in World War One, the church was again almost completely demolished by bombs. It was rebuilt again in the 1920s. Although artillery badly damaged the church during the Second World War, it was nowhere as serious and repairs were soon underway yet one more time.  

Beginning in 857 as a simple chapel, St. Vedast Church in Vlamertinge has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The most recent rebuilds took place after shelling damage in World Wars One and Two. The original 64-meter-high Neo-Gothic-style tower has been duplicated – as much as possible – in the current incarnation of the church.  

Commemorating the Christmas Truce of 1914, the Khaki Chums Cross was originally erected 1999 by a group who wanted to make sure the event would be remembered for a long time. They recreated the World War One conditions, right down to digging trenches and sleeping on the soaking ground. A wooden cross was erected as a to the soldiers of both sides of the conflict – as a sign of respect. The locals were so touched that they preserved the cross and set it in cement as a permanent reminder of that special Christmas so long ago.  

Canadian forces, in their first battlefield appearance of the Great War, acquitted themselves admirably and gained the respect of other combatants. Near Ypres, their forces, in concert with British and French divisions encountered one of the first poison gas attacks. Suffering great losses, they continued to hold strong against the Germans and even mounted a counter-offensive of their own. The beautiful memorial topped by a touching stone bust, stands over the site where 2,000 Canadian troops gave their lives.  

Along the banks of the Lys river, near Zulte, there is a bridge which has become a landmark for its part in battles in both World Wars. Multiple battles were fought over this strategically valuable bridge, giving it its name. It has become so important that, even though the Lys has been redirected around the area, the bridge still stands as a monument.  

Just on the outskirts of Ypres sits the famous Hooghe Chateau – site of some of the most intense fighting in the First World War. The strategic location of the property made it of supreme importance to both sides and, as is often the case in war, this section of land was taken, lost and retaken many times. The site has been excavated and numerous items from that time have been recovered and are now a part of a historic display. Visitors can also enter some of the concrete bunkers from that time.  

This memorial is a tribute to the 566 Commonwealth soldiers who died during operations along the coast of Belgium during the First World War. Located near the mouth of the Yser, it is an eight-meter-high pylon of Euville limestone and is surrounded by a band of bronze. On this band are engraved the names of those who are memorialized.  

This unique memorial, located in Boezinge, is only possible through the hard work and determination of a group of amateur archeologists known as “The Diggers”. They did the research to locate the trench systems and began the actual reconstruction of the trenches themselves. During that process, the remains of a number of British, French, and German soldiers were discovered and returned to their respective countries for full military burials. The reconstruction of these trench systems will give visitors an idea of their construction as well as the brutal and claustrophobic atmosphere in which these soldiers fought.  

This section of the Belgian Railway, also known as the “Frontzate” was very critical to World War One combat forces. Strategic flooding of the plains between the Yser and the railway embankment helped provide a barrier against enemy troops. Allied Supreme Commander Foch once said that France was saved by a meter and a half high railway embankment. Where the bed of the tracks was located, today there is a well-maintained path for walking or bicycling. From this picturesque path, visitors can still see the gun positions, observation posts and even a number of bunkers from the war.  

This monument, located in Nieuwpoort, is unique in that it commemorates two separate battles fought by the 7th Line Regiment. It honors both the Battle of the Yser and the Battle of Lombaert Zyde, fought in October and November of 1914, respectively. The memorial includes a large statue of a soldier with his hands clasped over his rifle, as though honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice here.  

If you are a lover of early aviation and the role it played in the Great War, this memorial will both thrill and educate you. Dedicated to one of the earliest wartime aviators, Georges Guynemer, this pavilion includes information on the legendary flyer as well as a documentation of the development of aircraft during the First World War. There is even a complete replica of the Morane-Saulnier aircraft which he flew.  

While the Belgian Army began to flood the polders between the local railway line and the Yser, the German forces captured the town of Ramskapelle, stationing machine guns at high points in the surrounding area to lay down suppressing fire. On the 31st of October, the 14 Line regiment helped launch a counter-attack which retook the town and drove the German forces into the ever-deepening water. This memorial celebrates the heroism of those liberating forces and honors those lost in the fighting.  

Hill 60 was actually made up of dirt and rock which was moved to construct the nearby railway. It was also the highest point in the area, which made it strategically invaluable during the Great War. The hill was taken and retaken many times by Allies and enemy forces. It was tunneled into, riddled with mines, and concrete bunkers and pillboxes were built into its sides. Hill 60 was fired upon with countless artillery shells and small arms fire and sadly, it is the final resting place for many soldiers who fought there.  

Ypres Salient saw a number of significant battles during the Great War. Today, in addition to many memorials built to honor those who fought and those who gave their lives in these battles, there are many remnants of war. You can find concrete bunkers, remains of trench systems, and even bomb craters. Visitors to the area can also pay their respects at any of a number of cemeteries.  

As the deepest advance of the German army in World War One, Sint-Eloi was also the center of fierce fighting. This included the detonation of mines in the area, making them as deep and as powerful as possible in order to inflict as much damage and carnage as possible. Both sides of the conflict took part in this mine warfare and the result is the enormous mine crater which can be seen today. The crater is still flanked by a British bunker, another reminder from 1917.  

The Island of Ireland Peace Park is just south of the village of Messines. It is dedicated to all Irish soldiers, regardless of their religion or political affiliations. Many combatant countries in World War One had Irish men and women serving in their ranks and this monument is in their honor, as well. A classically Irish round stone tower, it is designed and built so that the interior of the tower is lit by sunlight on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, recognizing the Armistice agreement which ended the fighting.  

The Great War saw combat on a scale never before imagined. And the war’s effects on those fighting was not very well understood. Because of this, many soldiers who were “shell-shocked” either tried to run away or simply would not continue to fight. These unfortunates were quickly court-martialed, held in a death cell, and executed by firing squad the next morning. The cells and the execution pole are now a part of a historical display in the courtyard of the town hall.  

This memorial is actually a merger of two projects; the Inter Allied Memorial Tower, and a regional church of the Sacred Heart. The church was built to commemorate the Great War and the tower was designed as a tribute to the countries that worked together to defeat the invading armies. The memorial was built in Liege, the first city to face attack in the War and the first to raise armed opposition to the invading force.  

One way to experience what life in the trenches of World War One was like is to visit the Bayernwald Trenches. Restored with historical accuracy, just as they would appear in 1916, this trench system will allow you to appreciate the labor that went into building and reinforcing these trenches. In addition to standard sandbag construction, these trenches also feature woven branches along the sides, duckboard walkways, and reinforced concrete dugouts.  

Built by British engineers, these bunkers are interconnected and provided strategic shelter during the Great War, as well as a headquarters for military operations in the area. Although some areas are no longer accessible by visitors, there is still plenty of World War One history to explore. Allow plenty of time to walk the area and get an idea of the part these bunkers played.  

These memorial stones are placed on either side of the road where the two divisions fought side by side for the first time. The predominantly Protestant 36th (Ulster) Division and the mostly Catholic 16th (Irish) Division linked up at this spot during the Great War. These stones were dedicated in 2007 as a part of the 90th Anniversary of Passchendaele Commemorations.  

Ironically, the Pool of Peace was created by a devastating act of war. It was a part of the mine warfare of World War One which was waged by both sides in an effort to gain some strategic advantages. Nineteen deep mines were detonated in June of 1917, creating the loudest man-made sound up to that point. It was said that the explosion was heard as far away as Dublin. After the war, this particular piece of land was purchased and reclaimed so as to preserve the now water-filled crater as a Pool of Peace.  

Completed in 1929, this beautiful church honors the memories of over 500,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who gave their lives in the three major battles fought for Ypres. The church is open to visitors every day and regular church services are held. The services are ecumenical and everyone is welcome to attend them.  

This local mill, built in the 1800s was a part of the local agrarian commerce and also included a small inn. During World War One, it fell victim to wartime strategies and was dynamited down to roughly half its original height to prevent it from being used as an observation post. In 1995 the mill and the Miller’s house were designated for protection as a monument due to its historic past.  

This incredible work of art is a tribute and remembrance of all victims of the Great War who lost their lives on Belgian soil. Toward that end, the artists created 600,000 figurines out of native clay and set about displaying them in an appropriate setting. At the heart of the enormous work, is an egg, symbolizing the fact that even in the aftermath of war, there can still be life. The scale and scope of this work is a way to put a more human face on that terrible loss of life.  

This incredibly well-preserved and restored command post bunker was built in 1916 and is open to visitors with no charge. In 1999 this bunker was officially designated as a monument. All six rooms in this 19-meter-long bunker are accessible. There is a concrete plaque in the bunker describing when it was built and by which unit of the Imperial German Army.  

There are also a bunch of bunkers and literally hundreds of other, smaller memorials spread throughout the country and especially in West Flanders. I don't think it would be of much value to list all of them here but if you're interested in them this site has a complete list.

In regards to the bunkers: most of these are in ruins or not accessible. When they're potentially worth a visit, I've listed them above.

Around West Flanders, there are also a bunch of craters created by bomb impacts. Some craters were filled up again in the past. Others are still visible, although often barely. Only the ones mentioned above (Hill 60, Hill 62, and the Pool of Peace) are somewhat worth a visit. Lots of (former) crater sites nowadays lie on private property too.

In terms of cemeteries, the ones above are military cemeteries or communal cemeteries which also have a lot of war graves. There are, however, also communal cemeteries where just a few former soldiers, or sometimes even just one solder, have or has been buried. These are not listed in this post.  

If you'd rather visit the Belgian World War 1 sites with a guide, there are plenty of WW1 battlefield tours to choose from:  

1. World War I Battlefields Tour of Flanders from Brussels On this full-day tour from Brussels, an expert guide takes you to WWI-related memorials, cemeteries, and the renowned In Flanders Fields museum. You'll also get the chance to spend time in Ypres and experience the Last Post ceremony there in the evening.

Aside from the tour itself, hotel pick-up in an air-conditioned vehicle and lunch at Passchendaele’s famous Old Cheese Factory are included.

Click here to book this tour.  

2. Private World War I Flanders Battlefields Tour from Brussels This full-day tour is similar to the one above except that it's a private tour, which means that you'll have your guide all to yourself and will be able to personalize the itinerary based on your interests. Lunch isn't included but hotel pick-up is.

3. Private WWI Canadian Battlefields tour from Brussels This full-day private tour focuses on the role of Canada in the First World War. You'll visit places like the Thiepval Memorial, Beamont-Hamel, Vimy Ridge and Tyne Coty Cemetery. On top of that, you'll get to experience the Last Post Ceremony in Ypres and all of this while traveling in a luxury minivan with an expert guide to answer all of your questions.

This tour includes hotel pick-up but no meals.

4. Private WWI day tour from Paris This full-day tour from Paris takes you to some of the most important World War One sites in Flanders. A professional guide will tell you all about places such as Tyne Cot Cemetery, Hill 60, and the St Julien Memorial. You'll end the day in Ypres, where you'll have some free time after having visited the Menin Gate.

5. Full-day Flanders Battlefields tour from Bruges On this full-day battlefields tour, an expert historical guide will take you to some of the most moving memorials and cemeteries as well as to the exquisite In Flanders Fields Museum. In the evening, you'll attend the famous Last Post cemetery at the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Aside from the guided tour itself, lunch and admission to the In Flanders Fields Museum are included.

6. Small-Group Australian Battlefield Tour from Bruges On this full-day trip from Bruges, you'll focus on the role Australian soldiers played in World War I in Belgium. You'll visit cemeteries such as Messines, Polygoon Wood and Passendale and will see mine craters laid by the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company. You'll end the day in Ypres where you'll attend the Last Post ceremony at the famous Menin Gate.

Aside from the actual guided tour, this experience includes hotel pick-up and drop-off and lunch.

7. Private New Zealand and Australia Battlefield Tour This full-day private tour from Ghent focuses on the ANZAC Corps, made up of Australians and New Zeelanders. You'll visit places such as the memorial on Messines Ridge, the Pool of Peace (Spanbroekmolen), several cemeteries, and Ypres in the company of an expert guide.

This tour starts at the Kortrijk train station and includes a drop-off at your hotel in Ghent should you choose to stay there. Lunch is included in the tour price.

Whether you'd like to stay in a city like Brussels, from which many tours depart, or somewhere near the battlefields to explore them by yourself, I highly recommend Booking.com to book your accommodation. It's where I always book my hotels as I love their filtering options and they always seem to offer a great price as well.

Depending on where you come from and how you want to visit the battlefields, you can choose to travel to Belgium by bus, train, plane, or car.  

By bus Flixbus offers long-distance bus travel between European cities at cheap prices.

By train The NMBS is the Belgian railroad company. On their international website , you'll find train times and prices for trains to and within Belgium.

By plane Brussels Airport is the biggest and most important international airport in Belgium. Brussels-South or Charleroi is the second biggest and from a select number of destinations, you can also fly into Antwerp or Oostende. I recommend checking Skyscanner for an extensive list of flight options and prices.  

Also interested in WW2 sites? Find my list of World War 2 tours, museums, and war memorials in Belgium here.

And if you want to go behind the battlefields, check outthese fun things to do in Belgium .    

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Maps for Travel to the WW1 Battlefields

Modern road, walking & cycling maps.

Numerous modern maps covering the Belgian and French battlefield regions of the 1914-1918 Western Front are produced by the well-known map publishers Michelin and Institute National Géographique (IGN). A number of other independent publishers have recently added maps for tourist itineraries on the battlefields, including walking and cycling routes, to the increased variety of maps now available for visitors to Belgium and France.

Maps recommended for visitors travelling to the 1914-1918 battlefield regions of Belgium and France have been listed here by country and by scale. They will usually be available to buy or order from map stockists. In Belgium and France the Tourist Offices in the relevant region will also usually have maps for sale to cover that particular area. Maps of the local area can be found in the local Belgian and French bookshops, stationery shops, petrol stations and the larger supermarket branches, for example, GB and Cora, which usually have a book section including assorted stocks of Michelin and IGN maps covering the region you are in.

Belgian NGI/IGN Series, Scale 1:50 000

• Belgian Walking & Cycling Map Series 1:50,000

Belgian NGI/IGN Series, Scale 1:20 000

Belgian ngi/ign series, scale 1:10 000, michelin regional road maps, scale 1:200 000 (1cm:2km), michelin local maps of france, scale 1:150 000, french ign cartes tourisme et découverte top 100: scale 1:100 000 (1cm:1km), sportoena cycling maps, scale 1:50 000, french ign série bleu: scale 1:25 000 (1cm:250m), ign top 25 series: walking & hiking map, ign top 25 memory map, michelin road atlas: cemeteries and memorials in belgium and northern france, battle maps & visitor guides, map stockists, yser - ypres salient battlefield region.

This is a map series by the Nationaal Geografisch Instituut/Institut Geographique National (NGI/IGN) covering Belgium at a scale of 1:50 000. The maps are in the Belgian Top 50 map series. They should be available from the Visitor Centre for Ypres in Ypres or online from worlwidemaps.com. (See our Map Stockists heading below.)

• Map No. 12-11: Oostende Publisher: Nationaal Geografisch Instituut/Institut Geographique National (NGI/IGN), ISBN: 9789059340077
• Map No. 19-20: Roesleare Publisher: Nationaal Geografisch Instituut/Institut Geographique National (NGI/IGN), ISBN: 9789059340060
• Map No. 27-28-36: Ieper Publisher: Nationaal Geografisch Instituut/Institut Geographique National (NGI/IGN), ISBN: 9789059340510

Belgian Walking & Cycling Map Series 1:50 000

Ypres salient battlefield region (westhoek).

The map is available from the Visitor Centre for Ypres in Ypres. (See our Map Stockists heading below.)

• Map No. 2: Westhoek Zuid (South) - Walking routes in West Flanders. Publisher Westtoer, for the West-Vlaams tourist and recreation service.

Ypres Salient Battlefield Region

These maps should be available from the Visitor Centre for Ypres in Ypres or online from worlwidemaps.com. (See our Map Stockists heading below.)

• Map 28 1-2: Poperinge-Ieper
• Published by: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129301490, Belgian Top 20 Series, Scale 1:20 000
• Map 28 3-4: Zonnebeke-Moorslede Published by: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129301506, Belgian Top 20 Series, Scale 1:20 000
• Map 28 5-6: Heuvelland-Mesen (Messines) Published by: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129301513, Belgian Top 20 Series, Scale 1:20 000

The map numbering system includes N for Nord (North) and Z for Zuid (South). The maps covering the commonly visited Ypres Salient battlefield areas are maps 2 north and south, maps 3 north and south and map 6 north.

They should be available from the Visitor Centre for Ypres in Ypres or online from worlwidemaps.com. (See our Map Stockists heading below.)

• Map 28 2 N: Boezinge (North) . Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129304279, Belgian Top 10 Series, Scale 1:10 000
• Map 28 2 Z: Ieper (South) . Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129304286, Belgian Top 10 Series, Scale 1:10 000
• Map 28 3 N: Zonnebeke (North) . Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9789059347717, Belgian Top 10 Series, Scale 1:10 000
• Map 28 3 Z: Beselare (South) . Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9789059344556, Belgian Top 10 Series, Scale 1:10 000
• Map 28 6 N: Wijtschate (North) . Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9781129390555, Belgian Top 10 Series, Scale 1:10 000

Michelin Regional Road Maps include city maps, 24 hours service stations, toll gates, rest areas, petrol stations, speed cameras and useful travel information.

• Map 533: Belgique Nord and Centre (Michelin Regional Maps) Scale 1:200 000. Edition April 2003, ISBN-10: 2067100963 and ISBN-13: 978-2067100961. Includes city maps of Bruxelles/Brussel and Antwerpen.
• Map 511: Nord, Pas de Calais, Picardie Published by: Michelin, March 2008, ISBN-10: 2067135198 and ISBN-13: 978-2067135192, Date: 2008, Michelin Regional Road Maps. Includes city maps of Lille and Amiens.

Pas de Calais to the Vosges Mountains

• Map 301: Pas-de-Calais/Somme Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067133563, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150,000
• Map 302: Nord Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067133570, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150,000
• Map 306: Aisne/Ardennes/Marne Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067133617, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150,000
• Map 307: Meuse/Meurthe-et-Moselle Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067135918, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150 000
• Map 315: Bas-Rhin/Haut-Rhin/Ter. Belfort Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067133693, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150 000
• Map 314: Haute-Saone/Vosges Published by: Michelin, ISBN: 9782067133686, Date: 2008, Michelin Local Maps of France, Scale 1:150 000

Maps providing visitors travelling on foot, by bicycle and car with clear, practical information about what to see in the region, GPS co-ordinates, suggested excursions and tourist routes.

• Map 101: Lille, Boulogne-sur-Mer IGN Reference: TOP100101
• Map 102: Lille, Maubeuge IGN Reference: TOP100102
• Map 103: Amiens Arras IGN Reference:TOP100103
• Map 104: Reims, St. Quentin IGN Reference: TOP100104
• Map 107: Rouen, Le Havre IGN Reference: TOP100107
• Map 109: Paris, Compiegne IGN Reference: TOP100109
• Map 111: Metz, Verdun, Luxembourg IGN Reference: TOP100111
• Map 121: Nancy, Epinal IGN Reference: TOP100121
• Map 122: Colmar, Mulhouse, Bale IGN Reference: TOP100122
• Map 1A: West Flanders Panne - Ostend . Published by: Sportoena, Edition January 2009, ISBN: 9789078976189, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 4: French Flanders Cycling Published by: Sportoena, Edition January 2004, ISBN-10: 9078976268 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976264, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 38: Artois North Pays du Ternois Cycle Path Network. Published by: Sportoena, Edition May 2010, ISBN-10: 9078976403 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976400, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 39: Artois Sud Cycle Path Network. Published by: Sportoena, Edition May 2010, ISBN-10: 9078976411 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976417, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 37: Bay and valley of the Somme . Published by: Sportoena, ISBN-10: 907897639X and ISBN-13: 978-9078976394, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 28: St-Quentin - Laon . Biking & Hiking Map Département Aisne North. Published by: Sportoena, Edition April 2008, ISBN-10: 9078976209 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976202, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 25: Champagne Biking & Hiking Map Reims. Published by: Sportoena, Edition June 2007, ISBN-10: 9078976152 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976158, Scale 1:50 000
• Map 26: Verdun 1914-1918 - Meuse Biking & Hiking map. Published by: Sportoena, Edition June 2007, ISBN-10: 9078976160 and ISBN-13: 978-9078976165, Cycling Map 1:50 000 Series, Languages: English, French & German, Scale 1:50 000

The Série Bleu IGN maps listed below cover the Western Front battlefields from the Belgian-French border in French Flanders to the southern and eastern Somme battlefield areas

The numbering system for the French IGN 1:25,000 maps includes a suffix of O for Ouest (West) and E for Est (East).

• Map 2304 E: Aire-sur-la-Lys Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501107, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2305 O: Heuchin Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501138, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2305 E: Lillers Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501121, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2404 O: Hazebrouck Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758521983, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2404 E: Armentieres Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758521976, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2405 O: Bethune Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501152, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2405 E: Lens Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501145, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2406 O: Avesnes-Le-Comte Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501176, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2406 E: Arras Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501169, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2506 O: Rouvroy, Vitry-En-Artois Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501244, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2407 O: Bapaume Ouest (Acheux-en-Amienois) Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501183, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2407 E: Bapaume Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501183, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2505 O: Henin-Beaumont, Carvin Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758501220, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2507 O: Croisilles Publisher: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758502630, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2507 E: Cambrai Publisher: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758502623, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2308 O: Amiens Publisher: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112308169, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2308 E: Corbie Publisher: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112308268, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2408 O: Albert Publisher: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758513438, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2408 E: Bray-sur-Somme Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758513421, Series: IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2508 O: Peronne Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112508149, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2508 E: Roisel Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112508248, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2309 E: Moreuil Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112309258, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2409 O: Harbonnieres Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758513452, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2409 E: Roye Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758513445, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2509 O: Nesle Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112509146, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2509 E: Ham Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282112509245, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000
• Map 2609 O: Saint-Quentin Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 9782758509158, IGN Blue Series, Scale 1:25 000

The IGN website (in French) lists the 1:25 000 maps by region.

Website: www.ign.fr

• Map 3112ET: Forets de Verdun et du Mort-Homme & Champ de Bataille Published by: Institut Geographique National (IGN), ISBN: 3282113112529, Map Series: IGN TOP 25, Scale 1:25 000

This is a mapping system as computer software with maps.

• Nord, Picardie, Champagne, Ardennes IGN Top 25 Memory Map Premium Edition. (Software and maps.) Compatible with Memory Map iPhone App. Published by Memory Map, ISBN-10: 1845141466 and ISBN-13: 978-184514146, Scale 1:25 000

A road atlas covering the areas of the war cemeteries in Belgium and northern France including Normandy. There is an alphabetical index of the cemeteries and memorials. Scale 1:200 000.

This atlas is produced by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) in association with Michelin. The Michelin road maps in the 1:200 000 scale series are overprinted to show the location of each Commonwealth cemetery and memorial. For information on this atlas and other publications available from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, prices and methods of payment visit the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website:

Website: www.cwgc.org

This Road Atlas is also available to buy from the shop in the Visitor Centre for Ypres Belgium, and the Thiepval Visitor Centre, France. (See our Map Stockists heading below.)

Battle Map 1914-1918: The Great War in Flanders (Memorial Museum Passchendaele)

Publisher: Cartografie Aquaterra, ISBN: 9789078131045, Date: October 2008, Language: English, French, German, Folded Map and Guide Book, 64 pages, Scale 1:35 000

Belgian Battlefield of Europe Map

Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9789059349063, Date: 2011, scale 1:250 000

In Flanders Fields, 1st World War Belgium Tourist Map

NGIB.TOE-803. Publisher: Belgian Institut Geographique National, ISBN: 9789059347403, Date: 2003, Scale 1:100 000

Map 908: France, Battle Sites

The somme battlefield 1916 (fir tree aerial maps).

A contemporary aerial view map of the Somme battlefield of July - November 1916. This skilfully hand-painted map shows the Allied and German Front Lines for 1 July 1916, the lines of advance made by the Allies to November 1916, a list of the locations of British, French and German military cemeteries, memorials and selected places of interest. A2 size 594 x 420mm. Available flat, laminated or folded. £1.00 will be donated to the charity Combat Stress for each Somme map purchased from the website www.themapcentre.com

The Western Front: A Guide of the Great War

An historical and tour guide map. Published by Footstep Maps, Australia. 1999, 2002. (See below for website contact .)

Visitor Centre for Ypres Shop

Visitor Centre for Ypres & the Westhoek, Belgium

Thiepval Visitor Centre Shop

Thiepval Visitor Centre, Somme, France

Online Map Stockists

Most of the maps listed on this page are available to buy online. The maps listed bu not pictured here may also be available from the stockists shown below.

533: Belgique Nord and Centre (Michelin Regional Maps)

by Michelin

Scale 1:200 000. Edition April 2003, ISBN-10: 2067100963 and ISBN-13: 978-2067100961

511: Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardie (Michelin Regional Maps)

Scale 1:200 000. Edition March 2008, ISBN-10: 2067135198 and ISBN-13: 978-2067135192

301: Pas-de-Calais, Somme (Michelin Local Maps)

Scale 1:150 000. Edition March 2008, ISBN-10: 206713356X and ISBN-13: 978-2067133563

IGN 103: Amiens, Arras with free distance ruler (New Top 100 Range)

by IGN (Institut Geographique National)

Scale 1:100 000. Edition: 2010. ASIN: B005G3V4DS

IGN 2408 E: Bray-sur-Somme Map (Serie Bleue 1:25 000 scale)

Scale 1:25 000. 1977. ASIN: B001U3QUGY

by Memorial Museum Passchendaele

Scale 1:35 000. Edition October 2008. ISBN-10: 9078131047 and ISBN-13: 978-9078131045

Forets de Verdun et du Mort-Homme ~ IGN Top 25 3112ET (The Outstanding All Weather Map)

by IGN (Institut Geographique National de France)

Scale 1:25 000. Edition: July 2009. ISBN-10: 0755833805 and ISBN-13: 978-0755833801

IGN 908. France, Battle Sites

Revised 3rd edition: July 2006. ISBN-10: 2110090812 and ISBN-13: 978-2110090812

Somme - 100 lieux pour les curieux

by Jean-Francois Leblond

Published by Christine Bonneton maps. Edition: November 2008. 192 pages. ISBN-10: 2862534900 and ISBN-13: 978-2862534909

Nord Picardie - Champagne Ardennes, Memory Map, Premium IGN Top 25 (Software & Maps)

by Memory Map

Scale 1:25 000. Edition: June 2007. ISBN-10: 1845141466 and ISBN-13: 978-1845141462

Map of the Somme Battlefield 1916 (Fir Tree Aerial Maps)

by Richard Chandler

A2 size 594 x 420mm. Available flat, laminated or folded. £1.00 will be donated to the charity Combat Stress for each Somme map purchased from the website www.themapcentre.com

The following are specialist map publishers and retailers:

Website: www.editions-bonneton.com

Website: www.mapsworldwide.com

Website: www.monkeystores.com

Website: www.themapcentre.com

Website: www.stanfords.co.uk

Website: www.footstepmaps.com.au

Related Topics

Tours & Travel to the WW1 Battlefields

Guidebooks for the WW1 Western Front Battlefields

• Western Front Battlefields
• Battlefield Visits
• Memorials & Monuments
• Museums & Archive Collections
• Tracing Family History
• Researching Military History
• Education Resources
• Experience of the Great War
• Remembrance
• Organizations
• The Poppy Umbrella
• Tours from UK
• Tours start in Belgium/France
• Cycling Tours
• Walking Tours
• Self-Drive Tours
• Motorcycle Tours
• Tours by Rail
• Tours for Schools & Students
• Guild of Battlefield Guides
• Travel Maps
• Accommodation

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