AYETTE & VILLERS-POL MUSEUMS & LOCAL EXPERTS INFO

[MERLINV12]

Hi,

Has anyone visited the AYETTE & VILLERS-POL areas of France ??

Are there any museums in these areas, remaining trenches, or maybe some private collections ?? - (Googled but no results)

Has anyone made contact with any local, "experts", "historians", "historical societies" ?? - (Googled but no results).

Any B&B, Hotel recommendations ??

Any info welcomed.

THANKS,

Michael.

[MERLINV12]

9 years and no replies, never got to France, but planning to this year, so repeating the post .

 

Has anyone visited the AYETTE & VILLERS-POL areas of France ??

 

Are there any museums in these areas, remaining trenches, or maybe some private collections ?? - (Googled but no results)

 

Has anyone made contact with any local, "experts", "historians", "historical societies" ?? - (Googled but no results).

 

Any B&B, Hotel recommendations ??

 

Any info welcomed.

 

THANKS,

 

Michael.

[Michelle Young]

Not sure when you are going, but I'm looking at a visit to the Bavay area in April. Will feed back on what accommodation I find. No trenches near there as far as  I know.

Michelle 

[MERLINV12]

Michelle,

 

Bavay is 12Km East of Villers-POL, so reasonably close, but 80Km from Ayette.

 

So any info on Bavay/Villers-Pol area would be appreciated.

 

Michael.

[Michelle Young]

So are you after somewhere between the two to use as a base? Museum wise, there is the Maison Forestiere at Ors (Wilfred Owen spent his last night there) in the Forest L'Eveque which isn't far from the Mormal Forest, so certainly manageable from Villers-Pol. 

[MERLINV12]

Michelle,

 

Never visited sites before so a bit of a novice, not sure whether to stay in both Ayette & Villers-Pol areas, or one base between the two, but anything you can provide for VP area would be appreciated.

 

You may be able to help me with another subject, if I wanted to visit an exact spot, how would I go about finding the landowner to obtain permission, I am guessing maybe go to the local Mairie ??

 

Michael.

Edited 29 January , 2020 by MERLINV12

[Michelle Young]

Hmm that's a tricky one. Is it a field? TBH with one or two exceptions. I've never had much joy with the local Mairies. Certainly correspondence wise they seem very poor. You could try asking at a local cafe if there is one, once on the spot, or turning up at the place and asking permission. 

Michelle 

[Michelle Young]

Cambrai might not be a bad bet for accommodation, I stayed in a fabulous bed and breakfast in November. Le 1880. 

[MERLINV12]

Michelle,

 

Some are fields, a spinney, a wood etc, my big handicap is that I speak no French (no choice but to do German when I was at school), so maybe the asking the locals may be a problem.

 

Thanks for the B&B recommendation, will check it out.

 

Michael.

[Michelle Young]

A lot of woods are reserved for shooting, so depending on the time of year you want to visit, you may not be able to gain access even if you have permission. You can try emailing the Mairies, you never know, you might have better luck than I have had! Just thought of another B&B at Doignies, not far from Cambrai; Come une Reve.

Michelle 

[MERLINV12]

Thanks for all your help

[Michelle Young]

I have booked accommodation south of Bavay for our Easter visit. If you would like to send me the information about the Villers-Pol area, I can do a bit of a recce for you.

Michelle