ARRAS

The twin heights of Notre Dame de Lorette and Vimy Ridge dominate the landscape south of Lens, one synonymous with French losses during the Battle of Artois in 1915, the other forever associated with the heroic deeds of the Canadian Corps who stormed the heights on the opening day of the Arras Offensive. One can't help but be humbled by the sight of 20,000 French crosses laid out symmetrically across the heights, representing just a fraction of the so-called 'Mud Men of Artois' who fell here in 1915.

 

Most tourists, however, come to see the awe-inspiring Canadian Monument on top of Vimy Ridge, arguably the most impressive on the Front. While the vast craters and preserved trenches paint a vivid picture of the events of April 1917, east of Vimy the small rural villages and farming communities witnessed the brunt of the Arras Offensive which accounted for more casualties per day than any other WWI battle.