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The Ardennes from Canterbury:
Day Zero (optional)
Travel by train from London to Canterbury, met by Dr Andrew Thomson, transfer to Guest House (1 night).
90-minute personally-guided Walking Tour of Historic Canterbury. Time free for Cathedral, museums, etc.
Day One - the 16 December 1944 attack
Leave Canterbury, travelling in comfortable Citroën C8 or rental car - 7.40 a.m. British time (BST);
OR by train from London Charing Cross - 6.25 (weekdays). Arrive Ashford International Station; met by Dr Andrew Thomson - 7.55
8.10: Check-in by car at Channel Tunnel
8.50: Depart on Eurotunnel train-transporter (35 minute journey)
10.25 (French time): Arrive Calais
Drive to eastern end of Ardennes 3 hrs 45 mins + 45 mins lunch break
3.00 - 4.30: The 16 December 1944 attack - Lanzerath; traces of the Siegfried Line (German-Belgian border); the Northern Shoulder - Elsenborn Ridge & the 'Twin Villages'
5.00 - 5.30: site of Malmedy massacre. 50 mins south to Bastogne.
6.30: Check-in hotel in Bastogne
Day Two - Bastogne; Peiper & the Ambleve Valley
8.45 a.m: Leave Hotel
9.00 - 12.00: Bastogne: the northern perimeter (incl. Band of Brothers sites) - Foy, Bois Jacques, Noville; the U.S. Memorial & Museum; the road where Patton’s tanks broke through
12.30 - 1.30: Lunch at Parker's Crossroads
1.45 - 4.30: Follow Col. Peiper's advance up the Ambleve valley - a drive through Trois Ponts & La Gleize (Tiger II tank on display); back for free time in Bastogne via Houffalize (Panther tank on display)
Day Three - Luxembourg; Dinant & the Meuse
8.45: Leave Hotel - drive to Luxembourg (Bastogne is only 10 miles from the Belgian-Luxembourg border) to see the ‘Southern Shoulder’ of the Bulge - a 75 mins drive to visit the American Cemetery in Luxembourg City (incl. Patton’s grave).
Drive one hour west to see the furthest extent of ‘the Bulge’ (24 December 1944) at Celles near the River Meuse at Dinant (lunch break)
Add-ons before or after your tour
One of the key things that we offer is flexibility: we are keen to help you enhance your tour experience by offering you the chance to visit somewhere that you’ve always wanted to see (either just before or after your tour with us). And bear in mind the possibility to do this in the context of our dropping you off somewhere interesting for the next leg of your vacation (or business trip). Starting the tour in one place and finishing in another is something we do often for clients.
For more information visit our add-ons page. The following add-ons are available before, during or after our Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) tours:
A day in the county of Kent (+ a night in Canterbury), Bruges, Ghent,
Bridge at Remagen
Ask us for an individual quote
This is a private group (i.e. you & your friends), dates by arrangement. We are very happy to amend the suggested schedule to fit in visits to areas that you particularly want to see (perhaps because of family links).
Your Guide:
The Tour is escorted by Dr Andrew Thomson, Director of Dr Thomson's Tours, with a History Ph.D. from the University of Kent - his Ph.D. topic was the experiences of U.S. troops in France in 1944-45 (you can consult an abstract of the thesis on this site). He is a knowledgeable and expert guide, highly experienced in tours of this kind. See More About Us
The Ardennes from Brussels:
Day One - the 16 December 1944 attack
8.45 a.m: Meet at your hotel in Brussels
Drive to eastern end of Ardennes 2 hrs 15 mins + 30 mins break
11.30 - 1.30: The 16 December 1944 attack - Lanzerath; traces of the Siegfried Line (German-Belgian border); lunch break
from Brussels or Canterbury (by train from London), for 2 to 5 people, travelling in an air-conditioned Citroën C8
Personally-guided Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) Battlefield Tours -
a sample 3-day itinerary
These are private tours for family / friends groups of up to 5 people, offered by Dr Thomson’s Tours – see Introduction and More About Us for details about us and how
Related links:
we operate our tours. Using a minivan, the sample tour outlined here is led by Dr Andrew Thomson, direct from your hotel in Brussels (with an option to start from England).
2.00 - 2.30: the Northern Shoulder - Elsenborn Ridge & the 'Twin Villages'
3.00 - 4.15: the site of the Malmedy massacre, plus visit new museum there
5.15: Check-in to Bastogne hotel (2 nights)
Day Two - Bastogne; Peiper & the Ambleve Valley
8.45 a.m: Leave Hotel
9.00 - 12.00: Bastogne: the northern perimeter (incl. Band of Brothers sites) - Foy, Bois Jacques, Noville; the U.S. Memorial & Museum; the road where Patton’s tanks broke through
12.30 - 1.30: Lunch at Parker's Crossroads
1.45 - 4.30: Follow Col. Peiper's advance up the Ambleve valley - a drive through Trois Ponts & La Gleize (Tiger II tank on display); back for free time in Bastogne via Houffalize (Panther tank on display)
Day Three - Luxembourg; Dinant & the Meuse
8.45: Leave Hotel. Drive to Luxembourg (Bastogne is only 10 miles from the Belgian-Luxembourg border) to see the ‘Southern Shoulder’ of the Bulge - the Our Valley, and the Luxembourg Museum of Military History in Diekirch with its superb Battle of the Bulge displays (extensive). Snack lunch in Diekirch.
1.15: visit the American Cemetery in Luxembourg City (incl. Patton’s grave)
2.00: Drive one hour west to see the furthest extent of ‘the Bulge’ (24 December 1944) at Celles near the River Meuse at Dinant.
4.00 p.m: leave for drive back to Brussels - 90 minutes
Memorial to 'Easy Company':
the 'Band of Brothers'
Bois Jacques
Seigfried Line anti-tank defences
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Group of 5 |
Group of 4 |
Group of 3 |
Group of 2 |
1 night away |
£275 ($455) |
£320 ($530) |
£420 ($695) |
£580 ($960) |
2 nights away |
£425 ($705) |
£485 ($805) |
£630 ($1040) |
£850 ($1405) |
3 nights away |
£580 ($960) |
£650 ($1075) |
£850 ($1405) |
£1130 ($1865) |
4 nights away |
£735 ($1215) |
£820 ($1355) |
£1070 ($1770) |
£1415 ($2335) |
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Supplement for night in Canterbury |
£48 ($80) |
£40 ($70) |
£53 ($90) |
£40 ($70) |
Supplement for Brussels start |
£20 ($35) |
£25 ($45) |
£33 ($55) |
£50 ($85) |
Prices are PER PERSON and include: private guiding, transport by car (incl. Channel Tunnel crossing where applicable), road tolls & parking, our professional insurance, and accommodation in 3-star hotels sharing twin/double rooms with en-suite facilities (with breakfast included). Prices do NOT include: meals other than breakfast, museum entries, and personal insurance (purchase of cancellation and general travel insurance is strongly advised) |
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Snow on the Siegfried Line
Looking out over the Ardennes countryside
Panther tank near Manhay
2.00: leave for drive back to Calais - 2 hrs 45 mins + 30 minute break
6.20: Depart on Eurotunnel crossing
5.55 BST: Arrive England
Train back to London leaves Ashford International around 6.30, into London around 7.45 p.m.