recommended route
The Memory Cycle Route
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La véloroute de la mémoirePhoto: Somme Tourisme Archivé, Crédit : Nicolas Bryant via Somme Tourisme
This route allows you to connect two major cities in northern France: Amiens and Arras. The route follows local and departmental roads and lets you discover several key sites of the First World War such as the Australian memorial at Villers-Bretonneux and the Franco-British memorial at Thiepval.
In the Somme, from Amiens to Corbie, the cycle route runs along the Somme River and then follows the Ancre valley from Corbie to Miraumont passing through Albert.
The Memory Cycle Route (No. 32) can be taken in either direction and allows you to join two major cities in northern France.
- Starting from Amiens from the cathedral, reach the Perret tower, the station and descend towards the Somme then follow the valley eastwards to Corbie, then climb the Ancre following the marked route to Miraumont, then follow the marked route through Pas-de-Calais to Dainville, a town located at the entrance of Arras.
- Starting from Arras by joining Dainville, cross the Pas-en-Artois region to reach Miraumont and descend the Ancre towards Albert, then Corbie, then Amiens, with an optional junction on the Somme cycle route to Saint-Valery / Le Crotoy.
The Battles of the Somme:
- The Battle of the Somme 1914: until early 1915, French soldiers fought German soldiers in the Ancre valley on the front line. Bretons were very present in the Albert sector.
- The Battle of the Somme 1916: for four and a half months, from July 1 to November 19, 1916, more than twenty nationalities fought in the Ancre Valley. In 1916 in the Albert sector, soldiers of the Commonwealth armies (Great Britain, Canada, Newfoundland, South Africa, Australia, India…) faced German trenches (the French were located more to the east and south in the Somme valley). The town of Albert was in British hands while Bapaume and Péronne were in German hands. Throughout 1916, the Battle of the Somme caused 1.2 million casualties from all nations combined.
- The Battle of the Somme 1918: the town of Albert was retaken by the Germans while Amiens was held by French and British soldiers. To protect Amiens, Australian troops neutralized the German offensive and liberated Villers-Bretonneux on April 25, 1918. Ultimately, the front line that stretched from the North Sea to the Vosges moved only a few kilometers… More than 400 military cemeteries are scattered around Albert and Villers-Bretonneux.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
Emergency number: 112
Tips and suggestions
To go further in our territory, visit our destination website
Public transport
The Memory Cycle Route runs along the Amiens-Lille SNCF line. One way by bike, return by train, it's that simple!
Feeling tired? The cycle route connects you to every station along the way. More info at www.sncf.com
Directions
Consider carpoolingCoordinates
Equipment
Before setting off:
- Make sure the bike is in perfect mechanical condition, including the tires and brakes
- Ensure the bike is properly adjusted to your body shape
- Wearing a helmet is highly recommended
- Take a repair kit with you
- Remember that traffic laws apply to cyclists at all times
- Never ride more than two abreast and move into a single file when traffic conditions require it
- Respect other road users as you would like them to respect you
- Choose a route suited to your physical abilities
- Inform people close to you of your route
- Check the weather conditions
- A first aid kit is not essential but can be very useful
- Know and keep emergency contact numbers handy
- Respect the environment by not throwing food packaging on the roadside
- If you need to return at dusk, make sure you can see and be seen
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
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