July 13, 2015 – Drive 373 mi, 7 hours, 50 minutes
Having arrive in Ypres too late to see many of the areas sights we spent a few hours in the morning exploring the city and its WW1 memorials and museums. The Menin Gate (main gate) Iconic British war memorial, inscribed with 54,896 names, & site for a daily Last Post ceremony. In Flanders Fields Museum and Boerenhol Café were a collection of WW1 memorabilia presented as how soldiers lived during the war 1418.
Departing Ypres, heading Southeast, our first stops were two key WW1 memorials; Sanctuary Wood Museum and Hill 60.
On the road again traveling Southwest just North of the French border our next stop was for some famed Chimay Abby beer at their brewpub/museum Hostel Poteaupré Espace Chimay. The historic village of Verdun and its massive WW1 memorial Douaumont Ossuary was our next stop. The French town of Colmar was were our overnight stop was booked. A longer then expected drive found us arriving in darkness with a sky full of explosions and flashes or colors. A fitting tribute to our WW1 adventures as this was the start of the Bastille Day festivities.
