Canadian National Vimy Memorial
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
5
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Monday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Friday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
11:59 PM - 12:00 AM
About
Canada's most impressive tribute overseas to those Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the First World War is the majestic and inspiring Canadian National Vimy Memorial which overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge, about ten kilometers north of Arras. The Memorial does more than mark the site of the engagement that Canadians were to remember with more pride than any other operation of the First World War.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Emilie B56 contributionsTop welcome and majestic memorialMagnificent memorial, so imposing and majestic It is better to start the visit with the museum part. The welcome given by Canadian students is warm. The visit to the trenches and underground is also carried out by Canadian students. (Tickets to be reserved in the museum section) Note that everything is free: parking, memorial, activity book for children, museum, guided tour of the trenches. This is so rare that it should be noted! Don't forget to visit the cemeteries: so poignant to see all these lives given for the freedom of FranceVisited April 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 25, 2024
- Sue WigginsRugby, United Kingdom487 contributionsMagnificent memorialWe visited with our history group whilst staying in Arras to visit the SOMME memorials and cemeteries. This is a magnificent monument erected to the memory of those brave young Canadians who died on the SOMME. I personally found it very moving. The architecture is amazing and so fitting as a memorial.Visited May 2024Traveled with friendsWritten May 10, 2024
- Laurel MCalgary, Canada855 contributionsStop at the Visitor Centre first and take a free guided tour of the grounds.There is no charge to visit here and we were given timed tickets to take a guided tour. Katie was our guide and showed us the hills where the communication trenches were and how they led to the front line. Only with a guide can you go into the ‘subway’. All very interesting. As we approached No Mans Land she pointed out the huge crater made by artillery. It’s now a peaceful grazing place full of sheep! Just beyond that is the German trench. The information panels inside the museum are very well done. There is also information on the building of the Vimy Memorial. You can walk to the Memorial or it’s a short 3 minute drive. Stunning to see. This is such an important place for Canadians as it was after the taking of Vimy Ridge that Canada was recognized on the world stage as separate from Great Britain. What a shame our current government removed the image from our passports.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 18, 2024
- Beanie DShrewsbury, United Kingdom98 contributionsWell worth visiting.We stopped by the Vimy Memorial as we were passing through and I’m so glad we did. The the visitor centre is really well set out with interactive information points and we were met with such a warm welcome from the friendly staff. We took the opportunity to join a free guided tour of the tunnel with Sophie, who was a fount of knowledge and made a real effort to engage with the group. The memorial itself is truly beautiful, and is a stark reminder of the loss of life during the war, which makes visiting the trenches and preserved battleground particularly impactful. If you are in the area, or even if not, it is well worth visiting.Visited July 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten July 4, 2024
- enilec59Cambrai, France138 contributionsSuperb siteVery nice site: The trenches, the tunnel, the craters, the memorial, the sheep, a beautiful walk rich in emotion, ... and especially a great Canadian welcome. 🇨🇦 Thanks to Charlotte for the visit, my boys loved it. 🥰 I was amazed that no one left a tip (which unfortunately was my case, not one piece on me 😅)Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 26, 2024
- Janice SPrince Edward County, Canada41 contributionsHonouring 6600 young Canadian men killed in the WW1 in France.Awe inspiring monument that makes one proud to be Canadian. The names of over 6500 Canadiana war dead from WW1 in France are chiseled onto the base of the monument which is meant to represent the friendship between Canada and France. Built on the actual Vimy Ridge, it is quite impressive to look out over the French Country side and see the battlefields. Loved the Beavers at the base of the flag pole.Visited January 2025Traveled with familyWritten January 25, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
1,428 reviews
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165
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Evelyn M
Amersham, UK113 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
Really interesting museum as it gives you the candian perspective of ww1. the memorial was very impressive, towering above the surrounding areas. the memorial is a short walk from the museum and car park. the museum details how the canadians helped to keep the germans away from the strategic point which is the hill the memorial is built on. theres also the opportunity to take a guided tour around the underground tunnel system and the above ground trench system. i really recommend that people do this as the guides have some awesome facts that you cant find in the museum.
all in all a morning well spent!
all in all a morning well spent!
Written April 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
irawine
Benicia, CA635 contributions
May 2023
I found Vimy Ridge Memorial Park to be moving and informative. The grounds are peppered with shell holes from World War 1 it is an amazing site. There is a small museum, restored trenches, and an opportunity to explore the underground tunnels with a guide. The guides here are university students from Canada, who, quite simply are great ambassadors for Canada. They are extremely personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. I strongly recommend a visit to Vimy Ridge.
Written June 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Louise d
Den Bosch, The Netherlands63 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Very interesting and impressive. We first visited the visitor center, which is decorated as a small museum and where students from Canada work. It is striking that the visit is free, including a tour of the underground tunnels and an explanation of the tranches above ground. You can then walk across the grounds, where you can still clearly recognize all the shell impacts and old tranches, to the monument and cemetery. Once you reach the monument you will understand why this hill was so important.

Written December 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David
Oxford, UK1,919 contributions
Mar 2023 • Business
The memorial is very impressive. The museum currently has an exhibit showing some of the other options that were considered - it's clear why this very striking and inspirational design was selected.
I was fortunate to be able to visit some of the subterranean areas of the site with some friends. Very interesting.
All round, a good trip. You are looked after by guides who are all student volunteers doing a semester away from their university back home in Canada.
I was fortunate to be able to visit some of the subterranean areas of the site with some friends. Very interesting.
All round, a good trip. You are looked after by guides who are all student volunteers doing a semester away from their university back home in Canada.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hearthstone1
Toronto, Canada148 contributions
Oct 2022
A moving and surreal experience for these proud Canadians. We arrived by private transfer at 10am and were amongst the first visitors. A bus of school children had arrived and were learning about the site at the Visitors Ctr. so we decided to walk to the monument first. The starkness of the grounds is breathtaking and beautiful and very emotional. The French are a grateful nation for the sacrifices made by so many Canadians during WW1. To witness the memorial in person is to begin to understand that sacrifice.
Written October 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alec P
3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Friendly and attentive staff/guides who are young Canadian students.
The tour offered in English was excellent (and free). It conveyed both the sacrifce and the success of the Vimy Ridge battle without any sense of triumphalism. Seeing the trenches and tunnels gave an insight into how it might have been.
Highly recommended.
The tour offered in English was excellent (and free). It conveyed both the sacrifce and the success of the Vimy Ridge battle without any sense of triumphalism. Seeing the trenches and tunnels gave an insight into how it might have been.
Highly recommended.
Written August 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
msmeganchristinab
Langley37 contributions
Mar 2023
My family travelled from British Columbia, Canada, to Arras because we wanted to see the Vimy memorial. We flew to Paris and took the train to Arras. We thought we would be able to get a taxi to Vimy Ridge from Arras but the local taxis refused to take us there. We tried calling and flagging cabs down but everybody said no, they could not take us. What a terrible disappointment for my family after traveling from so far away. We were absolutely crushed.
Written April 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris D
New Westminster, Canada3,366 contributions
Aug 2022
The history and background of this memorial is well-known, and I need not repeat it here. However, to read about it is one thing, to actually walk where all those young Canadians lived their last breath is something else again. Similar to Juno Beach, one gets that feeling that many souls remain here, with their work unfinished. May I suggest you do as I did: walk amongst them, then go back to Canada and do your best to ensure that another generation of young men need not join them.
And, do see the info center a short distance away. The tunnels are especially eerie.
And, do see the info center a short distance away. The tunnels are especially eerie.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tigertribal
Craigavon, UK1,054 contributions
Jul 2023
Wartime tunnels, trenches, craters & unexploded ordnance still litter the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of safety.
Hill 145 was the highest point in the whole area. The strategic value of Vimy Ridge made it a prize possession & from the Allies point of view the German occupation of the Ridge was a major threat to any advance in the Somme region in 1917. Therefore, the decision was to give the task to the Canadians.
Pyramids visable from the memorial are coal slags.
University students arrive for 3 months from Canada to act as guides.
Commemorates 11,169 soldiers.
Hill 145 was the highest point in the whole area. The strategic value of Vimy Ridge made it a prize possession & from the Allies point of view the German occupation of the Ridge was a major threat to any advance in the Somme region in 1917. Therefore, the decision was to give the task to the Canadians.
Pyramids visable from the memorial are coal slags.
University students arrive for 3 months from Canada to act as guides.
Commemorates 11,169 soldiers.
Written July 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dilbertfan
Surrey, UK446 contributions
Oct 2021
The site comprises a museum staffed by young and helpful Canadians doing a 2-month stint, and a remarkable memorial about 1km away, which you can just glimpse if you drive along the A26 (the "motorway of the English"!). The staff will happily chat to you and share their knowledge in either French or English.
A section of the museum is dedicated to the memory of the four Canadian regiments who successfully re-took the Vimy ridge near Verdun, the history of the (beautiful) memorial, and the colouring of old black and white photos and film taken at the time.
The whole area is impeccably kept, and includes outside reproduction trenches among very real shell craters which have grassed over.
The entrance is free, as is the plentiful parking.
A section of the museum is dedicated to the memory of the four Canadian regiments who successfully re-took the Vimy ridge near Verdun, the history of the (beautiful) memorial, and the colouring of old black and white photos and film taken at the time.
The whole area is impeccably kept, and includes outside reproduction trenches among very real shell craters which have grassed over.
The entrance is free, as is the plentiful parking.
Written November 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the monument lit by floodlights after sunset and is accessible after sunset?
Written November 13, 2024
Is the monument lit by floodlights after sunset and is accessible after sunset?
Written November 13, 2024
Yes there is a gift shop, the staff are very helpful, it is well laid out and some nice gifts at reasonable prices, toilets are inside the gift shop so very accessable, when we went there we were there for about four hours, You can just turn up, but
take a camera for those unforgettable moments, there are tours that can be booked, you will not be sorry. It is amazing experience
Written February 13, 2020
Do I need to book tours in advance in October, or should we just show up?
Written April 29, 2019
There are no reservations required. However, if you are travelling with a large group, I would suggest getting in contact with the site to let them know. The email address can be found on Veterans Affairs Canada's website under "Overseas Memorial / Vimy" section.
Written April 29, 2019
We're visiting June 2019, do we need tickets to the museum because of the 75 anniversary of D Day?
Written February 25, 2019
I wouldn't think you'd need a reservation. As others have pointed out, the Vimy Memorial is for a different war — the Great War of 1914-1918. The memorial and grounds are well worth a visit, even if you don't get to the Museum. There are also terrific guided tours of the tunnels, free thanks to the Government of Canada.
Written February 27, 2019
What is currently the best way to get from the Arras train station to the Vimy Visitor's center?
Written January 1, 2019
We rented a car at the train station. It was cheap and convenient!
Written January 1, 2019
We will be staying in Arras, and then taking the train from Arras after visiting the Vimy memorial. Is there luggage storage at the Arras station, or somewhere nearby? Or is there luggage storage at Vimy? We will have two large backpacks.
Written October 31, 2018
Im sure they will look after your bags at Vimy after checking them first
Written November 1, 2018
jonleckenby
Retford, United Kingdom
Hi. A friend and I are coming over in a week's time, and would like to visit the tunnels at the Vimy memorial. Do we need to pre-book a visit? many thanks
Jon Leckenby
Written August 2, 2018
We didn’t pre book when we went in May. I’m unsure if you are able to pre book, look on line to see as it will be busy this time of year.
Written August 3, 2018
We plan to take the train from Paris to Arras and on to Vimy.
Can someone tell me the train station to use in Paris from Le Pecq area where our Viking ship is docked and if train tickets need to be purchased in advance?
Thanks...Rob
Written June 8, 2018
Hello! I believe the best way to Arras/Vimy is through Gare du Nord. I took a quick look on the google maps system that seemed to confirm. I would purchase and reserve tickets for the Gare Du Nord -> Arras train in both directions. However, getting from Le Pecq to Gare Du Nord should only need day tickets as you are on the metro region transit at that point. RER gets you there...Google Maps is a great way to figure out which lines/stations are best at a given time.
All the Best!
Written June 8, 2018
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