Somme area

Albert is a nice town with quite a bit of World War I history. There is a very unique museum that is in a tunnel underneath the church. The city is very convenient to the sights in the area. The tourist info center can give you a map of a driving tour of the battlefields and monuments. Unfortunately I can't help with a hotel recommendation because we were only passing through on a day trip. Theipval Memorial to the Missing and Beaumont-Hamel are striking and not to be missed.

Hi, I would suggest Amiens as a place to stay unless you're looking for smaller place. Albert was the site of the Britiah military HQ, In Peronne is the big WW I Museum. Drive along the Somme area roads you'll see numerous British cemeteries. They dot the countryside. Although in Nord Pas-de-Calais Arras was site of GHQ for the British, the city hall holds a WW I museum. At the edge of the city is a large British military cemetery from WW I, next to the French Army caserne.

I've thought of Amiens, but I'm thinking it may be too large a town, more a city feel. And I saw where there was quite a bit of unrest there last August so that concerns me also. If it were Amiens is there an area that is better area than the rest for staying 3 nights? I'm trying to make a comparison since the only other European countries I've visited were Ireland and Italy. Is it comparable to Dublin or perhaps Florence in size? What about Lille? Ypres is in the running right now.

We stayed at the hotel listed below on our 2008 trip in that area. It is in the country but not far from some little towns. I don't know about other restaurants since we ate at the hotel. The hotel is quite elegant - supposedly Napoleon stayed there the night he decided not to try invading England. Hotel Clery, rue du Chateau 62360 Hesdin L'Abbe France telephone is 011 33 3 21 83 19 83 nr. Calais

Hi, Lille is larger than Amiens, no longer in the Somme. A smaller town which might suit you is Cambrai, another town in the war, not far from Arras.