The best walks and hikes around Willerval

A part of the Vimy Ridge site that must absolutely be visited in its entirety.

Super memorial of Arras. It's worth the detour.

One of the two splendid memorials of Arras.

A memorial that should not be missed

Splendid memorial. It is worth the detour, to the point of meeting many Canadians.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9-12, 1917) This is one of the most famous battles for Canadians during the First World War. Vimy Ridge was a strategic position fortified by the Germans since 1914. In April 1917, the four Canadian divisions, united for the first time, attacked to retake it. - 💥 The bombardments that created the shell holes Before the assault For several weeks, Allied artillery (mainly British and Canadian) bombarded the German positions to weaken the defenses, cut the barbed wire, and destroy the enemy trenches. It is estimated that more than a million shells were fired in preparation for the attack. During the attack On April 9, 1917, the Canadian infantry advanced under a creeping barrage, that is, artillery fire that advanced just ahead of the soldiers to protect their advance. Result These intense bombardments literally riddled the ridge with craters. Each shell exploding in the ground dug a hole of varying width (depending on the caliber, often between 1 and 5 meters in diameter). 🏞 After the War Why are the shell holes still there? After 1918, it was decided to preserve certain areas as they were, particularly around the future memorial, to demonstrate the scale of the fighting. The land was therefore not leveled or cultivated, unlike other areas of the front, which reverted to agricultural fields. A Landscape for Remembrance The shell craters, reconstructed trenches, and replanted trees (each tree represents a killed Canadian soldier) create a living memorial park, keeping the scars of the conflict visible for future generations.

Before the Canadians captured Vimy Ridge from the Germans in April 1917, other soldiers had already set foot there but were unable to hold their ground due to a lack of reinforcements and sufficient artillery support. These "forerunners" were the Moroccan Zouaves and riflemen, wearing red chechias and baggy trousers, accompanied in the Moroccan Division by Foreign Legion volunteers from 52 countries. To the men of the Moroccan Division who set out to assault Vimy Ridge On the morning of May 9, 1915, they broke through the German lines, crossed Folie Wood, and reached Vimy Ridge. To track their advance and adjust artillery fire, squares of white cloth were sewn to their backs, making them prime targets for the Germans on their flank. Furthermore, the artillery was running low on ammunition, and reinforcements were not forthcoming: the order to withdraw came in the evening. The Moroccan soldiers were forced to abandon the conquered ground at the cost of heavy losses. The riflemen of the Moroccan Division were among the approximately 820,000 men mobilized in French colonies or protectorates during the First World War, including 636,000 sent to France as soldiers or laborers. Of the 449,000 engaged in combat, the majority came from Algeria (150,000), and the rest from sub-Saharan Africa (135,000), Indochina (43,000), Tunisia (39,000), and Morocco (34,000). 70,000 of them would perish on French soil. Plaques affixed to the monument pay tribute to other French army fighters from Greece, Sudan and Czechoslovakia.

The 3rd Canadian Division Memorial in Neuville-Saint-Vaast commemorates the soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Division who fought and gave their lives during the First World War. This memorial is located near the famous Vimy Ridge and pays tribute to the courage and sacrifice of these troops.