I agree that that memorial is one of the best I have ever seen -- mixing the names of the dead from every country that participated puts things in perspective.

AA, the title of your first link made me very apprehensive about the outcome. Very, very moving, nothing replaces first hand accounts. I'll be reading the second link tonight. Thank you for linking them. I may well take you up on your kind offer of help.

So, by "impetus" I didn't intend it to mean the only reason for this trip, but it is the main objective. If we only had a week we would only see WWI sites, but more time will allow us to "tack on" WWII, and points further West on the coast.

AA, In terms of timing, I would think three nights in Ypres and two near Albert (or Arras or Amiens) would allow you to attend the Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate, to visit Vancouver Corner, the museum in Passchendaele, Essex Farm Cemetery (where our John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields, plus Tyne Cot, and Langemark Cemeteries. You could easily see Vimy on your drive south to the Somme, where you can then see Beaumont-Hamel, plus many other memorials on the Somme. Theipval is particularly moving. Perfect! Just the info I was looking for, the timing in each location.

kerouac, those photos are so haunting. NotreDame de Lorette is going onto our ever-expanding list, thank you for highlighting it.

macross, please let me know how the tour goes, if you like it, could you post the contact info? I've read about this guide on a few sites,
Guided Tours in the Ypres Salient Did you do a TR?

pal and bilbo, will have a good look at Verdun and the German trenches. I'm starting to think we might have to add some more time to this trip!

Anyone who stayed in Reims have any suggestions for accommodation? We're firmly in the 2* or 3* camp. No frills, but clean and ensuite and walkable.

Bayeux it is then, it looks charming!

Thanks to all who chimed in, I feel a plan is coming together!

(St. Cirq, if we were later in the year, you might just have two more for Thanksgiving!)

Have not been to Arras but Amiens was a neat town with a very famous cathedral.

We did the tour with Patrick yesterday. He was excellent. Flanders Fields Battlefield Tours, guided tours of the Western Front We had a sunny day and he took us many places but his knowledge of the area is firsthand as his family has lived here for years. The roads are very narrow so careful if driving.

Thank you macross, I’ve bookmarked the tour.

How many nights are you there? How many in the Somme area?

This is who we toured two weeks back.
Patrick is an excellent guide. My wife and I are former soldiers, and 2 of my daughters were with us. He kept everyone's interest, and brought the battlefield to life with pictures. Highly recommend his services.

Macross- Did you go to the small private museum above a pub? Looking through my pictures, they had a stone with James Joyce's poem, 'Trees'. It seemed so random. Anyone aware of the connection to WW1?

Reims, I tend to use booking.com but also check out B&B as well as hotels as the breakfasts are often better value. I prefer Epernay to Reims but if it is your first time then Reims would be my recommendation.

He took us to that pub, so interesting about the brothers. Are you sure it wasn't Joyce Kilmer?