A guide to help you find accommodation when visiting the WW1 Battlefields.

This guide is made up of places which either I, or other visitors to this site have recommended, or which I have seen advertised elsewhere. The descriptions are purely subjective, but I hope they give you an idea of what is available at each place. Obviously, I can't guarantee that all the details are up to date, so I would advise you to contact the owners direct to make bookings and confirm prices etc. Bear in mind that many of the battlefield areas are now in peaceful agricultural areas which do not necessarily have lots of hotels etc. so it is always advisable to book first, particularly during the Summer months.

I'm always interested in adding new places to this list to give the visitors to this site the best information I can, so please let me know if you find "another 'ole" which you could recommend and which isn't already listed here. I would be particularly interested to hear about accomodation in other battlefield areas such as Arras, Loos, Verdun and Gallipoli.

This list is arranged according to the name of each battlefield. Please click on the appropriate link(s) below to find accomodation of the battlefield(s) you wish to visit:

The Somme

The Ypres Salient

THE SOMME The ghost of the German front line trench, near Thiepval, is picked out in chalk between the Ancre Valley and the trees at the top of the slope which surround the Ulster Tower Memorial.

DESCRIPTION LES GALETS Mike and Julie Renshaw Route de Beaumont Auchonvillers 80560 Somme France Tel: 322 762879 Perfectly situated on the British Front Line of 1st July 1916 in front of Beaumont Hamel and just below the Hawthorn Ridge Mine Crater. This quiet and friendly guest house is run by Mike and Julie Renshaw, an English couple with an expert knowledge of the surrounding area and the Somme battlefield in general. All rooms have en-suite facilities and campers and caravanners are also welcome. A two berth and a three berth caravan are also available. Not to be missed are Julie's delicious evening meals which are available every day except Sundays. Highly Recommended. FERME DE LA VALLEE d'ANCRE 9 Rue de Beaucourt 80300 Grandcourt Somme France Tel: 22 74 81 58 Fax: 22 74 81 68 Claudine and Louis Bellengez offer Bed and Breakfast and Evening Meal, if required, in their farmhouse close to woodland and the River Ancre. They have five rooms with en-suite facilities and a sitting room with TV available for guests. Bicycles are also available for hire, for the more energetic battlefield tourers. ECHEPPEE 3 Rue de Maurepas Combles Somme France This is a large detached house which is available for rent, only five minutes from Delville Wood and the South African Memorial. The house stands in its own grounds and sleeps up to eight people. It has a large garage and off road parking for up to five cars. For further details contact: Peter Franks (in England) Tel: 01922 642805 ROSE COTTAGE Longueval Somme Rose Cottage backs onto Delville Wood and has three bedrooms which can sleep up to six people. Nightly, weekly and monthly rates and further details are available from: Jeannie Alexander (in England) Tel: 0121 430 5348 Fax: 0121 436 7401

THE YPRES SALIENT The famous Cloth Hall of Ypres which has been completely restored to its pre-war glory and which now contains an excellent WW1 Museum. The re-built St. Martins Cathedral can be seen behind the Cloth Hall. It was said that by the end of the War, the destruction of the town was so complete that a man on horseback could see from one end to the other.

DESCRIPTION THE YPRES TOURIST OFFICE Stadhuis Grote Markt 34 B-8900 Ieper Belgium Tel: 057 20 07 24 Fax: 057 21 85 89 Situated in the historic Cloth Hall in the Market Square at Ypres, this should be the first port of call for all visitors to the area. The staff are very friendly and helpful and will be happy to provide information on the cemeteries, memorials, museums etc. which exist, as well as arranging accomodation and battlefield tours etc. Incidentally, there is an excellent WW1 museum in the Cloth Hall, next to the tourist information office, which is very definitely worth a visit. THE SHELL HOLE D'Hondstraat 54 - 56 8900 Ieper Belgium Tel & Fax: 057 20 87 58 The Shell Hole is a small, but very friendly hotel, just off the Market Square in Ypres, which also has a cafe/bar and an adjoining militaria shop which sells books, uniforms, equipment, trench maps, badges and just about anything else of a military nature. The rooms all have en-suite facilities and a really excellent full English breakfast is provided to set you up for a full days "trenching". All in all The Shell Hole provides an excellent value, friendly and convenient base for exploring the Salient. I "discovered" it on my first trip to Ypres and I can't think of any reason to look elsewhere for accomodation on any future visits. OLD TOM Grote Markt 8 8900 Ieper Belgium Tel: 057 20 15 41 Fax: 057 21 91 20 Old Tom is a two star hotel with nine bedrooms which all have en-suite facilities and TV. Several rooms have a view over the historic Ypres Market Square (the Grote Markt). The Hotel also has a gastronomic restaurant and a tavern, which specialise in local dishes and beers. RABBIT HOTEL Industrielaan 19 8900 Ieper Belgium Tel: 057 21 70 00 Fax: 057 21 94 74 Situated on a modern industrial estate on the outskirts of Ypres, this popular four star hotel has 30 rooms (all en-suite). REGINA HOTEL Grote Markt 45 8900 Ieper Tel: 057 21 90 06 Fax: 057 21 90 20 The Regina is a four star hotel which looks out over the Cloth Hall and The Market Square in Ypres. It has 17 rooms, all of which have en-suite facilities. PASSCHENDAELE Nachtegaalstraat 18 8980 Passendale Belgium Tel: 032 51 77 17 38 Mr. & Mrs. Delameilleure can provide two rooms on a Bed and Breakfast basis in their modern country home in the village of Passendale (Passchendaele). English is fluently spoken.