The Canadian Road of RemembranceFrom Vimy to Juno, via Dieppe

The Canadian Route of Remembrance

Follow in the footsteps of Canadian soldiers...

From the trenches of the First World War to the Dieppe Raid and the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, the Route du Souvenir pays tribute to the 500,000 Canadian soldiers who fought twice in the 20th century to bring Freedom to the French people.

The 400-kilometre route passes through Vimy, Beaumont-Hamel, Dieppe, Juno Beach and the military cemeteries… emotional places that pay tribute to those generations who sacrificed their lives for Freedom.

In the Hauts-de-France region

Start your journey at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. This dazzling white structure stands on the site where Canadian troops won the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. A little extra: discover the underground with Canadian students!

To enhance your visit to the Hauts-de-France region, visit the Newfoundland Memorial at Beaumont-Hamel. Atop a hill stands a bronze caribou, emblem of the Royal Newfounfland Regiment. You’ll then rise above a maze of trenches… breathtaking!

Other options for visits in the Hauts-de-France region: the Wellington Quarry in Arras, the Chemins de la Mémoire, the Ring of Memory, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, the CWGC Experience interpretation center.

The Dieppe region

We then head for Dieppe, a beautiful seaside town where the drama of the Raid of August 19, 1942 unfolded. A memorial is dedicated to this event, which served as a lesson for the 1944 landings.

You can also immerse yourself in the history of this raid by visiting the Cimetière des Canadiens des Vertus, in Hautot-sur-Mer, or the beaches of Puys and Pourville (Blue Beach & Green Beach), which you can admire on a boat trip.

Head for Calvados!

Last stop Courseulles-sur-Mer, where the Juno Beach Centre and Park await you, as well as a visit to the many remains of the Atlantic Wall. The Museum houses a magnificent collection of archives, objects and films paying tribute to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives in the Second World War.

You can round off your stay with a visit to the first house liberated during D-Day, the Maison des Canadiens at Bernières-sur-Mer (booking required), and the Reviers-Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, just a few minutes from Juno Beach.

Testimonial

For my part, one thing is certain: the days of remembrance on November 11 and June 6 will no longer have the same meaning. It’s one thing to remember that so many men and women gave their lives for freedom, and to give a dollar at the grocery store for a poppy in early November. It’s quite another to be where it happened and to hear the stories read.

Diane Audet, Canadian

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