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The Wellington Quarry

Twenty metres beneath the streets of Arras, the Wellington Quarry offers visitors a moving insight into the history of the First World War.

From November 1916, British forces prepared the Spring Offensive of 1917 by connecting the city's former chalk quarries. This remarkable underground network was excavated by New Zealand tunnellers and converted into barracks capable of accommodating up to 24,000 soldiers.

The visit begins with a descent of 20 metres in a glass lift. Accompanied by a guide and using an audio guide, visitors explore the underground galleries, discover their strategic importance and learn about the daily lives of the soldiers. Named Wellington by the New Zealand engineers, the quarry preserves the memory of the thousands of men who waited here just behind the front line before taking part in the Battle of Arras.

The tour concludes by following the soldiers' route back to the surface before a film recounts the events of the Battle of Arras on 9 April 1917.

Practical information

Railway Station - Wellington Tunnels, Arras
Accessible for self-propelled wheelchairs, Accessible for wheelchairs with assistance
Bank/credit card, Cheque, Chèques Vacances, Cash
English, French
Rue Delétoille, 62000 ARRAS
03 21 51 26 95
contact@arraspaysdartois.com
http://carrierewellington.com

Location

See also

Cap Nord découverte

La Brasserie de Foncquevillers

Musée PICOT

Les écuries des charmes

Office de Tourisme Arras Pays d'Artois

Aux Arches de Jéricho

La Cathédrale et l'Abbaye Saint-Vaast

Clays Shooting