Arras Ride 5

Last night we had a lovely evening with out hosts. In our broken French and their broken English they were able to tell us about a "must see" World War I memorial to the battle of Vimy Ridge. So we revised out last day's ride to include this new destination. It only added about 5 KM to the total distance and we were assured it was worth the effort. 

The original ride already incorporated some highlighted towns laid out on our place mat at Saturday's dinner stop. You never know where you might find points of interest outside of the traditional guide books. We do have one of those as well. 

Mont Saint Eloi has some special significance with respect to the Battle of Vimy Ridge. 

So we headed for the town and Abbaye.

Which is a mere remain of its former self. It was an Abbey perched atop of one of the only hills around. The climb was around 10% but was worth the effort. 

Only the front facade is still standing. 

The bicycle sculpture was added later. 

With this funky memorial to all the cyclists who have endured the climb to reach this place. 

Seeing one ruin is very much like any other ruin, but its history is what draws the crowds. 

In this case this high structure set upon the highest hill in the surrounding area provided a "bird's eye" view of the surrounding battlefield. 

In the days before satellites and drones commanding the high ground provided a significant advantage for the opposing army. 

So during WWI owning this ground provided the allied army with a commanding view of Vimy ridge.  

So what remains is not the story, but the sacrifice that was made toward the victorious battle. 

Organized battlefield tours visit this site to further understand the significance of Abbaye de Mont-Saint-Eloi during WWI. The Abbey predates the Great War and was originally founded in the 7th century. 

Kim standing outside where the inside once stood. 

But our true destination is the "Parc Et Memorial Canadien" 

The visitor center was a modern building at the entry to this hallowed ground. Owned and operated by the Canadian government it tells the story of those who fought and died here in April, 1917. The Canadian forces divided into four assault units defeated the opposing German army in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. 

A Canadian field doctor, James Mc Crae, composed this infamous poem "In Flander Fields" in memory of a fellow soldier who had died the previous day. 

The visitors center has many displays about Canadian soldiers who fought in both WWI and WWII. 

The most interesting was the film on the actual battle for Vimy Ridge. The number of casualties was staggering but the Canadians were victorious in pushing back the Germans. This battle resulted in the greatest number of Canadians killed in one day in their history.  

Since this is Canadian sovereign territory they fly the Canadian flag. The facility is manned by students attending various universities throughout Canada who spend their semester abroad as docents. Great gig and good way to practice their French. 

The actual battlefield as evidenced by the mounds used to hide behind. They also have some recreated trenches fortified with cement sand bags which are more permanent and substantial than those built during the war. The term "trench warfare" does not do justice to the extreme hardship and suffering experienced by the WWI soldiers.  

The perimeter of the former battlefields are secured with electric fences (seemed like the warning would be enough) and signs indicating that "Undetonated explosives" might be lurking under any misstep. 

The impressive memorial sits on high ground and is visible from a long way off. 

Since time was short we opted for the long view and did not need the extra stair climbing exercise. 

The expansive cemeteries awaken the emotions of the cost of wars. The numbers are sobering. 

We have been to Arlington National Cemetery and appreciate the scale of military cemeteries but it is hard to imagine that this number of soldiers could have all died on a single day.  

Although we did not walk among these graves the film showed the vast number of "unknowns" that were buried without a formal designation. 

On our way back home we were ready for a coffee break. It was a cloudy and cool day (good for riding) ...

But indoor seating was greatly appreciated. I scouted this place but knew that outdoor seating was not required. 

The coffee was local, the pastry was purchased yesterday, and the Starbuck's napkin was in my pack from Colorado. 

Although we were heading home we decided to take a slight detour to Avesnes Le Comte for a loaf of fresh bread.  

As we entered town I glanced at my watch to check the time. Most everything closes as 13:30 (1:30) so I had just a few minutes to make it before closing. Having missed by a few minutes the other day I wanted to prevent a repeat. So I left Kim in the dust and "trucked" down main street arriving with just three minutes to spare. Made my selection and Kim pulled up in time to pay the nice lady. We were out the door and so was she - closing time is closing time.