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SOMMEVALLEI Fietsers Op Het Front OVER DE GRENS SOMMEVALLEI Fietsers op het front De Somme is geen onbekende rivier voor Belgische vakantiegangers. Vooral haar brede monding is populair als dicht-bij-huis-bestemming. Maar ook dieper landinwaarts verbergt de vallei mooie plaatjes waar het heerlijk fietsen is. Al hangt er ook een donkere geschiedenis over het land. › SAMENSTELLING GUNTER HAUSPIE 102 | Grinta! ij de Somme werd er tijdens de Eerste dien werd er nauwelijks vooruitgang geboekt. Onze drie routes voeren je langs de meest Wereldoorlog hard strijd geleverd. Toch werd er elke dag meer bloed vergoten. bezienswaardige sites. Zoals vaak in BVooral in de driehoek Péronne- Pas tegen de winter staakten de geallieerden oorlogsgebied vormen ze een onwezenlijk Albert-Bapaume werd in 1916 maandenlang de aanval. De Slag aan de Somme contrast met de landschappelijk schoonheid op leven en dood gevochten. Door het ge- had nauwelijks terreinwinst opgeleverd, van zo’n regio. Want net als in Ieper, bied liep de frontlijn van de stellingenoorlog maar de menselijke tol was waanzinnig Verdun of de Vogezen wisten die generaals waarin het conflict in 1915 verzand geraakt hoog. Meer dan één miljoen soldaten waren uit de Eerste Wereldoorlog hun streken wel was, na de blitzkrieg van de Duitsers in gesneuveld, op minder dan vijf maanden tijd: uit te kiezen. Fraai fietsen dus; al zijn we augustus en september van 1914. Tegen 420.000 Britten, 200.000 Fransen en 450.000 verdomd blij dat we geen eeuw vroeger als Fietsers op de zomer van 1916 besloten Fransen en Duitsers. weerbare man bij de Somme strijd moesten Britten bij de Somme de Duitse linies aan te leveren. vallen om zo een doorbraak in het front te forceren. Blijvende littekens Het hoeft niet te verbazen dat zo’n oorlogs- Meer info razernij vandaag nog steeds littekens nalaat. www.somme14-18.com Bloedige 1 juli Er zijn de indrukwekkende memorialen, Op deze site vind je ook verwijzingen naar Op 1 juli 1916 lieten de geallieerden onder de zoals in Rancourt, Thiepval of Longueval. herdenkingen van de Slag aan de Somme in Duitse loopgraven mijnen ontploffen. Daarna Er zijn de tientallen begraafplaatsen en de de loop van 2016. het front liepen meer dan honderdduizend geallieerde vele monumenten op dorpspleinen of langs soldaten op de Duitse stellingen af. Hun de weg. Maar er zijn ook de strategische verweer was sterker dan verwacht, zodat locaties, zoals de belvédères van Frise Onze routes vooral Britten die eerste dag onwaarschijnlijke of Vaux, en de sites met loopgraven of Het vertrekpunt is telkens de Boulevard verliezen leden. Meer dan 60.000 soldaten mijn kraters die bewaard bleven. Het zijn des Anglais in Péronne. Er is parkeerplaats. lieten er het leven of raakten gewond. Het evenveel herinneringen aan de waanzin die Péronne ligt op 180 kilometer van Brussel was tot dan de meest dodelijke oorlogsdag uit hier in 1916 woedde en die vele honderd- of twee uur rijden. Bekijk en download onze de Britse geschiedenis. Ook in de weken na- duizenden jonge mensenlevens verwoestte. routes via www.grinta.be. Beaumont-Hamel A2 Rancourt A1 Bouchavesnes-Bergen Frankrijk Cléry-sur- Somme Frise Péronne Vaux Chipilly De Somme route 1 route 2 route 3 A1 De Somme > A29 Grinta! | 103 OVER DE GRENS | ROUTE 1 NIET TE MISSEN KM 17 > BELVÉDÈRE DE VAUX Een korte steile helling voert naar dit uitzichtpunt. Je hebt een prachtig uitzicht op de moerasbossen en vijvers van de Haute-Somme. Het hoeft geen uitleg dat het bezetten van dit soort plekken van strategisch belang was tijdens de oorlog. KM 36 > CHIPILLY Vele oorlogsmonumenten onderweg, maar dit monument bij de kerk van Chipilly is één van de mooiste en zeker meest ontroerende. Een Brits soldaat omhelst er zijn gewonde paard op het slagveld. 68 KM VERTREK EN AANKOMST > Boulevard des Anglais in Péronne BEWEGWIJZERING > geen ONDERGROND > overal asfalt, meestal rustige landwegen KM 48 > P’TIT TRAIN DE LA HAUTE SOMME Deze korte spoorlijn van 7 km werd in 1916 aangelegd om Franse en Britse troepen aan het front te bevoorraden. Dagelijks werd 1.500 ton materiaal en munitie aangevoerd. Nu is de site Vol door een klein treinmuseum. de vallei eze korte route kabbelt langs immers door het hart van het Dbeide oevers van de Somme. Somme-front. Dat betekent niet dat het onderweg biljartvlak blijft. Links en rechts klim WATERS EN BOSSEN KM 68 > L’HISTORIAL DE PÉRONNE je wel eens, zodat je ook langs dit Overigens is dit ook puur In het kasteel van Péronne is het belangrijkste traject mooie vergezichten krijgt. Dat landschappelijk een erg interes- museum over de Eerste Wereldoorlog in de zorgt mee voor veel variatie op deze sante tocht. De mens benutte de Somme-regio gevestigd. De opstelling licht het beperkte afstand. kronkelende loop van de Somme grote verhaal van de oorlog toe en focust daarna door de eeuwen in zijn voor- op het front bij de Somme. OORLOGSSITES deel. Overal werden er dammen Door in de vallei te blijven, mis je gebouwd, zodat delen werden wel de grote oorlogsherdenkingssites omgevormd tot viskweekvijvers. op het uitgestrekte plateau richting Nog steeds is het er een vissers- Bapaume en Albert. Maar dat wordt paradijs. Evenwijdig met de ruim gecompenseerd. Ook bij de oorspronkelijke bedding werd het Somme vloeide veel te veel bloed. Somme-kanaal uitgegraven voor Monumenten, herdenkingssites en de scheepvaart. De hele vallei is strategische plaatsen genoeg onder- nog steeds dichtbebost. Kortom, weg voor de liefhebbers. Je fietst er heerlijk fietsen. Bekijk de route via www.grinta.be 104 | Grinta! .
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