ANZAC Day at Villers-Bretonneux - Day Trip from Paris to attend Dawn Service and Tour of WW1 Somme Battlefields

Commemorating the Australian New Zealand Army Corps which came together to aid the British Empire during World War I, ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the war. It originally commemorated the landing of forces at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 – which would ultimately prove a bloody failure – but  ANZAC Day has grown to become an important Australian day of remembrance around the world.

Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before ANZAC Day, as you’ll depart Paris in the early hours to make it to the dawn service in Villers-Bretonneux, located about 2 hours north. When you arrive, you'll attend the 5.30 am ANZAC Day Dawn Service, which honors the sacrifice of the Australians and New Zealanders during the war. This moving service is a major part of the tradition of ANZAC Day, dating back to the military practice of 'standing to' at dawn, the most favorable time for the attack. The ANZAC legend was poignantly put into words by Sir William Deane, Governor-General of Australia: "Anzac is not merely about loss. It is about courage, and endurance, and duty, and love of country, and mateship, and good humor and the survival of a sense of self-worth and decency in the face of dreadful odds.”

After the dawn service, you’ll spend the rest of the day on a tour of the surrounding Somme area, a part of France that suffered severely in the violent and bloody battles of WWI. Visit Somme's many battlefields, memorials, cemeteries, and landmarks.

After your lunch break (lunch not included), hop back in the coach and return to Paris around 3:15 pm.

Highlights:

• ANZAC Day tour from Paris to Villers-Bretonneux
• Attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service Ceremony
• Commemorate Australian and New Zealander soldiers during WW1
• Visit Sir John Monash Centre
  
• Explore some other major WW1 sites of Somme Battlefields
• Stop at Adelaide Cemetery
  
• See where the Battle of Pozières took place
• Visit the Lochnagar Crater, Thiepval Memorial.
  

The price includes:

• English-Speaking Guide
  
• Transport by Air-Conditioned Coach
  

The price does not include:

• Food and drinks
• Gratuities (optional)