The best walks and hikes around Thiepval

Officially part of the Historial de la Grande Guerre, the Thiepval Museum is located near the impressive Thiepval Memorial and offers an in-depth look at the Battle of the Somme of 1916. Opened in 2016 to mark the centenary of this bloody battle, the museum comprises seven thematic areas, each highlighting a different aspect of the war. One of the highlights is the 60-metre-long panoramic comic strip by artist Joe Sacco, which vividly depicts the events of 1 July 1916. Visitors will gain insight not only into the military strategies, but also into the human suffering and the culture of remembrance surrounding the missing of the Somme.

An interesting anecdote is that the monument was inaugurated in 1932 by the Prince of Wales and the French President Albert Lebrun. The monument consists of a series of arches supported by sixteen massive square pillars, on which the names of the missing soldiers are engraved. At the foot of the monument is a Franco-British military cemetery with 600 graves: 300 French and 300 British soldiers.

The Parc Mémorial de Thiepval is an impressive war memorial that commemorates the 72,337 missing British and South African soldiers who died during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial is considered one of the greatest British monumental works of the twentieth century. The park also includes a visitor centre, opened in 2004, and the Jardins de la Paix, where visitors can reflect and enjoy the serene surroundings. Every year on 1 July, remembrance ceremonies are held to honour the victims of the Battle of the Somme.

The largest Newfoundland memorial in Europe. 30 hectare site with preserved trenches

The documentation at this location allows a precise picture of the events: the traces of the trenches, the craters and the course of the battle up to the German position.

This park honors the brave soldiers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who fought and died in the Battle of the Somme during the First World War. You can explore the preserved trenches, cemeteries and memorials that tell the story of their sacrifice and courage. You can also admire the caribou statue, emblem of the regiment, which stands on a mound overlooking the battlefield. The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and entry is free. You can also take a guided tour or watch a film at the visitor center to learn more about the history of the site.

The Fricourt German military cemetery is the second largest German military cemetery in the Somme. There you can pay homage to the 17,027 soldiers who died during the First World War, many of them during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. You can also see the original grave of the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richtofen, who was shot in 1918 and later transferred to Berlin. The cemetery is located on the outskirts of the village of Fricourt, which was a fortified stronghold of the German army until its capture by the British in July 1916.

Lochnagar Crater is the largest artificial mine crater of the First World War on the Western Front. It was created by a massive explosion of 60,000 pounds of explosives under German lines on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. You can tour the crater and discover its history thanks to the information panels. You can also pay your respects to fallen soldiers by visiting the memorial cross and memorial plaques.