Meet at the Citizen M Hotel, Charles De Gaulle Airport Paris and onward travel to our hotel in Chateau Thierry – onroute we visit the American Monument on Hill 204 where its superb engraved map provides contest for the Blucher Offensive and battles of Marne 1918.  That evening Mike Sheil will give a talk about the American entry into war before a group evening meal.  Overnight Chateau Thierry

 A morning study of the battle for Belleau Wood including the advance into the wood, visits to a number of associated sites and the nearby ABMC and German Cemeteries, after lunch, we look at one of the great what if’s of the war, the Battle of Chateau Thierry and the unmanned bridge spanning the town. We end the day by studying the Rock of the Marne a true symbol of  American resistance in 1918 before continuing onto Reims. Overnight Reims

Seizing the moment – We begin the day by studying General Mangins counter-offensive and the battle of Soissons, among the sites visited are the crossing of the Ourcq, the Crossing of the Vesle at Fismes and a visit to a unique local museum covering the history of the area and its important river crossing through both wars. Overnight Reims

A full days study of the Battle of Tardennois in July 1918, here we follow the 51st Highland and 62nd West Riding Divisions along the Ardre Valley alongside French and Italian troops. A fascinating episode in the Great war set among the Champagne vineyards to the west of Reims. We end the day visiting a local Champagne grower and sample a tasting in the heart of the Battlefields. Overnight Reims

Starting with a visit to Le Main de Massiges a preserved/restored stretch of the French front line and open aired museum, we then head to Blanc Mont to consider the brilliant 2nd Division action across this ground. We will also visit the ossuary at Naverin before ending at Fort Pompelle, a well preserved citadel containing a fascinating military museum. Finally, back to Reims we make a tour of the cellars and tasting at a major Champagne House with a Great War connection before a final group meal. Overnight Reims 

Return to Paris CdeG Airport for onward travel  
ADDITIONAL DETAILS TO NOTE
Travel Insurance
Traveler is responsible for securing own travel insurance.
Flight – We strongly encourage scheduling arrival the day before the tour leaves to avoid any risk of a delayed flight.  

Clive Harris – 
Raised in Hertfordshire, Clive developed a lifelong fascination with history. He spent seven years with the Royal Corps of Signals, serving operationally overseas  in Cyprus, Germany and France before taking a permenant staff in the Signals Wing of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On leaving the army he joined his local Constabulary, serving 11 years in their Force Operations Room as a specialist communications officer and control room manager. In 1998, he began working as a speaker, writer, researcher and battlefield guide and since then has guided groups to the Somme, Ypres, Arras, Mons, Cambrai, The Hindenburg Line, Verdun, and Gallipoli for the Great War, as well as Normandy, Arnhem, The Italian Campaign, and of course the London Blitz for the Second World War. Clive is a Badged Member of the Guild of Battlefield Guides (No33),and a member of the British Commission for Military History and after obtaining a Masters in Great War Studies is currently preparing his PhD.
Michael St Maur Sheil – 
Is the award-winning curator of the Fields of Battle, Lands of Peace 1914-1918. After studying Geography at Oxford, in the early 1970s Mike began his career as a photojournalist covering “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. Here he became associated with the New York picture agency, Black Star, and over thirty years later he is still in the fortunate position of being paid to do what he loves doing — taking photographs. Mike has visited over 60 countries around the world, working for a wide range of clients such as ABC-TV, BBC, Anti-Slavery International, British Red Cross, European Commission, National Geographic, New York Times, Shell, Time and Time Life.