March 29th, 2011
Vimy Ridge Memorial
On our way back from Normandy we stopped near Arras at the Canadian memorial at Vimy ridge. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and Neuville-Saint-Vaast. The site is one of the few places on the former Western Front where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state. The total area of the site is 250 acres (100 ha), much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site’s rough terrain and unearthed unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators. Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.
The site was founded to principally honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but also contains a number of other memorials. These include memorials dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, Lions Club International and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins.
More info at: Canadian National Vimy Memorial
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