Famtrip to Northern France Dunkerque and Cambrai Wartime Memories
April, 5-7 2018
Three great reasons to visit 3 Eldorado Spring 2019, a four months festival in Lille! Northern France After Lille was European capital of Culture in 2004, every three years, the city welcomes a four month long festival 1 Dunkirk movie: British visitors to Dunkerque which brings millions of visitors to the city. In spring were up 176% in July and 532% in August 2017! 2019, the theme of the festival is Elodrado. The festival The town of Dunkerque welcomed the film crew, and offers the same successful recipe: grand opening parade, you’ll have your own ‘Dynamo’ experience as you performances in the streets, streets transformatiuons and find out the secrets of the film. exhibitions… All attractions and hotels in the town recorded And, also, The World Design Organization (WDO) has increased visitor numbers, with sites associated with named Lille Metropole, as the World Design Capital® 2020, the Dunkirk story and film – such as the Musée for the effective use of design to drive economic, social, Dunkerque 1940 – seeing particularly strong growth, cultural, and environmental development. and, equally, unconnected attractions recording Lille Metropole is the first French city to be honoured with significant rises. this prestigious biennial designation.
2 Centenary of the Battle of Cambrai: Nineteen years ago, the Mark IV British tank ‘Deborah’ was unearthed close to the village of Flesquières in northern France. After being displayed for 17 years in a barn in the village, Deborah has now been moved to her new home as the centrepiece of the ‘Cambrai Tank 1917’ museum, due to be inaugurated on November 25, 2017.
Lille Festive Capital NORD TOURISM 3 rue du Palais Rihour - 59089 Lille cédex France Contact: Delphine Bartier E-mail: [email protected] Mobile + 33 674 19 39 45
Real France, Real Close ! Office: + 33 320 57 50 12 Day 1
09.00am – Coach departure from London 12.00am – Crossing with DFDS Seaways 03.30pm – Arrive in Dunkerque Welcome to Dunkirk tourist office and experience a Dynamo tour recounting the Dunkirk evacuation. Go back in time to 1939-1945. From the beaches of Dunkirk to the massacre at la ‘Plaine au Bois’, museums and historic sites evoke a major episode in the history of WWII. A panoramic tour will allow you to discover the war and its effects on the city.
Visit to the Museum Dunkerque 1940 Operation Dynamo Located in the Bastion 32 bunkers, this museum tells the incredible story of Operation Dynamo, when over 338 000 allied soldiers were evacuated from the beaches ahead of the advancing German invaders. The museum houses a rich collection of weapons, uniforms, models, photos and maps of the military operations. A film using dramatic period footage, lasting approximately 15 minutes, gives an excellent overall view of the events of May-June 1940.
Evening and Dinner in Dunkirk.
Day 2
Visit to the exhibition ‘l’envers du décor’ Exhibition dedicated to the filming of Dunkirk. Visit to the Princess Elizabeth – one of the famed ‘Little ships’ that is now a restaurant. Lunch in Dunkirk
La plaine aux bois, Esquelbecq Site of the mass murder of 80 soldiers in a barn by Waffen SS. This memorial site recalls the shameful massacre of 80 British soldiers on 28 May 1940. Day 3 You will see a reconstruction of the barn where the soldiers were taken to and where they were Guided Tour of Lille killed, a belvedere grave as well as a viewpoint to commemorate various war operations. Cambrai Tank 1917 museum The Cambrai Tank 1917 museum is due to be 03.00pm visit to la Piscine Museum of art and inaugurated on November 25, 2017, to mark the 100th industry in Roubaix. An Art Deco swimming- anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai. Overlooking the pool transformed into a museum. site of the battle, the centrepiece of the museum is the British tank ‘Deborah’ which was uncovered in 1998, 06.00-09.00pm Workshop with regional partners. by a local hotelkeeper, after years of research. The new Presentation of Lille’s upcoming events. Drinks centre tells the story of the battle and the tank, and its and dinner during the workshop. crew, of whom four are buried in the nearby Flesquieres Hill military cemetery. Lunch in Cambrai 02.00pm Driving back to Dunkerque or Calais