Carrière Wellington

Underground quarries that sheltered soldiers before the Battle of Arras (1917). Worked from the Middle Ages to the 18th century to build the town, these chalk quarries were fitted out by New Zealand tunnellers of the British Army. On 9 April 1917, 24,000 men emerged from the tunnels beneath Arras to take the German lines by surprise.

Open to the public since 2008, the site is visited underground on a guided and audio-guided tour. The route explains the British plan of attack and the daily life of the soldiers in the days before the assault. Above ground, a memorial wall honours the regiments involved and the New Zealand tunnellers.

For groups : Groups book their visit by phone or e-mail, Monday to Sunday; the tour of the tunnels is led by a professional guide, and a tour of the battlefields through three cemeteries can complement it. Parking is free and accessible to coaches, and the whole site is accessible to people with reduced mobility. A 100-seat picnic room, the Thompson room, can be booked for lunch.

Carrière Wellington – Rue du Temple, 62000 Arras

On request – preferential group rate (please contact us)