Western Front Walk - Amiens to Arras

Your journey begins in Amiens, the historic capital of the Somme region in northern France. Located behind the front lines, Amiens served as a vital transport and supply hub for Allied forces operating along the Somme. Today the city feels peaceful and welcoming, centred around its magnificent Gothic cathedral – the largest in France and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your hotel is a short 10-minute walk from the railway station, close to the cathedral and the picturesque Saint-Leu district where colourful houses line the canals of the Somme River. Spend time exploring the lively squares, riverside cafés and narrow medieval streets before beginning your walk along the Western Front tomorrow.

Your first day of walking follows the gentle course of the Somme River as you head east from Amiens along a peaceful riverside towpath once used by working barges. Early in the walk you pass the famous Hortillonnages, a remarkable network of floating market gardens cultivated since medieval times. These fertile plots surrounded by narrow waterways have supplied Amiens with vegetables for centuries and remain an important part of the region’s heritage. Continuing through quiet countryside you arrive in Corbie, a small riverside town that became an important Allied headquarters during the war. In 1918, when German forces launched their massive Spring Offensive, Corbie lay dangerously close to the front lines. The nearby battles, particularly those fought by Australian troops around Villers-Bretonneux, ultimately halted the German advance and helped secure the safety of Amiens. Your hotel for the next two nights is located near the historic abbey and the river. Distance: 17km/10.5mi

Today’s walk leaves the river behind and crosses open farmland typical of the Somme region. A century ago these peaceful fields formed part of the front line during the dramatic fighting of 1918. In April of that year Australian divisions launched a daring night attack to recapture the town of Villers-Bretonneux from German forces, preventing them from gaining a commanding position overlooking Amiens. During your walk you can visit the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, one of the most important Australian war memorials anywhere in the world. It commemorates more than 10,000 Australian soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves were never found. Nearby, the Victoria School museum tells the story of the strong connection that developed between Australia and the local community after the war. Distance: 14km/8.7mi

Today you walk through landscapes deeply shaped by the events of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The route follows peaceful waterways along the Somme Canal and the River Ancre, but beneath these quiet surroundings lies ground that once endured months of intense fighting. Along the way you will encounter several small Commonwealth and German cemeteries. Each is carefully maintained and often located close to where soldiers fell during the fighting. These cemeteries form a moving network of remembrance across the region. Your destination is Albert, a town that sat just behind the Allied front lines during the Somme offensive. The famous basilica overlooking the town, with its golden statue of the Virgin Mary leaning dramatically from the tower after being struck by artillery, became known to soldiers as the “Leaning Virgin of Albert.” Today Albert is a peaceful town where cafés and the Somme 1916 Museum provide deeper insight into the battle that once dominated this region. Distance: 18km/11.2mi

After a short transfer to Pozières (around 15 minutes), today’s walk follows sections of the old front line east of Albert. This area witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the entire Somme campaign. The landscape may appear calm today, but during 1916 it was almost completely destroyed by artillery. Your route passes numerous cemeteries and memorials dedicated to the soldiers who fought here – British, Welsh, German, New Zealand and South African. At Delville Wood you can visit the South African National Memorial, located in the forest where South African troops endured days of relentless fighting during the Somme offensive. The walk also visits the Australian 1st Division Memorial at Pozières, marking the location of one of the most significant Australian battlefields on the Western Front. Many Australian soldiers regarded Pozières as one of the most difficult battles they faced during the war. Returning to Albert later in the day, you may wish to relax in one of the local cafés and reflect on the powerful history surrounding the landscapes you have explored. Distance: 19km/11.8mi

Your walk today begins beside the peaceful Ancre Canal before gradually climbing toward one of the most striking memorials on the Western Front – the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and inaugurated in 1932 by the Prince of Wales, this enormous monument commemorates more than 72,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died during the Somme battles and have no known grave. The scale of the memorial powerfully reflects the immense losses suffered during the campaign. Nearby stands the Ulster Tower, commemorating the soldiers of the 36th (Ulster) Division who fought here on the first day of the Somme offensive in July 1916. Continuing your walk you reach Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park, one of the most preserved sections of the Western Front. Here the battlefield landscape remains remarkably intact, complete with shell craters, barbed wire and reconstructed trenches. After exploring the site you will be transferred to Arras (about 40 minutes), a beautiful city known for its elegant Flemish-style squares and arcaded buildings. Distance: 14km/8.7mi

This morning you are transferred to Vimy Ridge (around 20 minutes), the site of one of Canada’s most important military victories of the First World War. In April 1917, all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together for the first time to capture the heavily fortified ridge from German forces. Their success became a defining moment in Canadian national history. At the summit stands the impressive Canadian National Vimy Memorial, a powerful monument overlooking the former battlefield. The surrounding park preserves trenches, tunnels and shell-scarred terrain, allowing visitors to visualise the conditions faced by soldiers during the battle. From Vimy Ridge you walk through peaceful countryside toward the Scarpe River before returning to Arras. During the war Arras itself was heavily damaged by shelling and served as an important Allied headquarters. Today it is a lively and elegant city where you can explore the historic squares, cafés and the underground tunnels once used by soldiers preparing for the 1917 Battle of Arras. Distance: 16km/10mi

Your Western Front walking journey concludes after breakfast in Arras.