Cheapest way to the Somme, and where to camp

[hillgorilla]

Hi,

After many years I am considering visiting the Somme but on foot and camping. I did the Pennine Way last year, so the odd mile or two is not an issue. Am considering camping, where would anyone say is good for camping in the area? What also is the cheapest way to get to the airport at Albert?

[centurion]

Albert is primarily used to transport Air Bus components I'm not sure that there is still a scheduled passenger service there

[mattcw]

There are a few internal passenger flights but nowt from the UK to Albert. If you want fly, Paris is pretty much your only option. By train you could get Eurostar to Lille and then on to Albert.

Matt

[Doug504]

Try,

http://www.gites-de-france-somme.com/

you'll probably find you can rent a gite, (holiday cottage), for approx the same price as camping.

Paris "Charles de Gaulle", is probably your best bet for most available flights from budget airlines, then train to Albert.

The following site provides a list of recommended campsites in the battlefield areas.

http://www.somme-battlefields.com/battlefields/somme_battlefields_partner/les_hebergements/les_campings_somme_battlefields_partner

Doug.

[Ghazala]

There is a good campsite at Authille about 5 miles from Albert. You will find in Chris Bakers Battlefield Accommodation List shown in the main list.

[BelgianExile]

The campsite at the Velodrome in Albert is pretty good - I've stayed there quite a few times. It's pretty reasonable - I think about 9 euro a night for a single pitch. It's about a 15 minute walk to the town centre, and there are a few great walks starting from there.

http://www.camping-albert.com/

[keithmroberts]

I always end up at the site mentioned in post 5, Belle Vue at Authuille. The owner has little English, but everyone gets by. It is mid way between Thiepval and la Boissele a couple of hundred yards from the Ancre . Not a good starting point for buses and there are no local shops - just a morning round from the baker's van. It's worth looking at the two sites on Google Earth, to see how they fit for the walks that you want to do. I normally have a car, so Authuille suits me perfectly.

Keith

[hillgorilla]

Thanks for your replies. Shall look into flights to CDG, and then the train.

[centurion]

May be quicker to forget about flying and as Matt suggests Eurostar to Lille and change trains there. If you're going to be lugging camping gear probably easier too

[mattcw]

Good point centurion - no baggage restrictions on Eurostar.

[davidmichaeljarvis]

What about the Municipal camp ste in Albert. Reasonably cheap, good facilities. Dave

[jscott]

Hotel Ibis at Albert is also extremely cheap for most of the year and is very well sited.

[CROONAERT]

Hotel Ibis at Albert is also extremely cheap for most of the year and is very well sited.

They tend to whinge a bit if you try and pitch a tent in one of their rooms though!

Seriously though, when I used to do the battlefields in my old back-packing and inter-rail days, the only real option on the Somme for a traveller on foot who was weighted down with several weeks worth of equipment was the velodrome at Albert as this was easily accessed on foot. The Authuille camp-site was a bit of a pain to get to and is a fair old hike with a pack on your back (never saw a bus go anywhere near and taxis were just too expensive).

Albert was OK for getting to much of the British front area without a pack though, so made a good -if very basic in those days - base (Managed to get to both the La Boisselle and Thiepval ceremonies plus walked it up to Beaumont-Hamel and did much of the 1st July 1916 front and post-July 1st areas on foot in one day - 1st July 1991 - covering some 30 - 35 miles+ .... it was a long day, setting off at dawn and returning in the dark, but was well worth the effort).

Stayed at Authuille a few times when first going over with a car as, in general, the camp site itself was better and was well based for some decent evening walks, but it was somewhere I couldn't even consider in the days before I was 'mobile'.

Dependant on exactly which 'bit' of the Somme battlefields you wish to cover, the various campsites at Peronne - a choice of two or three - are easily accessible using public transport (I usually stay at the Porte du Plaisance these days which, IMO, is the best of those available (i.e. it has a decent bar!). The areas around Peronne such as Biaches, Belloy, Villers-Carbonnel, Mont.St.Quentin and even pushing out towards Frise , Herbecourt and Dompierre or Moislains and Rancourt etc are relatively easy and extremely rewarding day walks.

Dave.