Wellington Tunnels
20 metres below the pavements of Arras, discover the Wellington tunnels, a site immersed in memory and emotion. In November 1916, the British started preparing for the 1917 spring offensive. Their stroke of genius: to have the New Zealand tunnellers connect up the town’s chalk extraction tunnels to create a real network of underground barracks large enough to accommodate up to 24,000 soldiers.
After a 20-metre descent in a glass-fronted lift, the audio guided and escorted visit plunges the visitor into the site’s atmosphere. A strategic location as well as a living space, the Quarry, named Wellington by the New Zealand sappers, preserves the memory of those thousands of soldiers quartered underground just a few metres from the front, before launching themselves onto the field of battle on 9th April 1917 at 5.30 in the morning, in a surprise attack on the German positions.
Through the projection of a film, coming to the surface in the soldiers’ footsteps bring the shock of battle to life.
Opening Hours:
Every day: From 10.00am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 6.00pm.
Guided and audioguided tours. The visit lasts 1 hour.
17 people maximum per visit. Regular departures.
Wear warm clothes.
Site accessible to persons of reduced mobility.
Closed on 25th December, 1st January, and for 3 weeks after the Christmas Holidays