battle of the somme, battle line, bed and breakfast, auchonvillers, somme, france

In France:                           03.22.76.23.66
From U.S.A.:            01133.3.22.76.23.66
From England:            00333.22.76.23.66
Other Countries:     Look up your country's
                                    overseas telephone call code,
                                    plus 33.3.22.76.23.66
                                    If you have a problem, email us
                                    so we can help you reach us.

Avril's Email Address: avril@avrilwilliams.com
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A new feature, this will take you to this page in German. However, the additional pages
are still in English, until our volunteer interpreter has the time to complete more pages.
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Ocean Villas

Tea Rooms

Situated in the heart of the Somme, on the Poppy Trail

1km from the Newfoundland Memorial

Open every day from 9am to 5pm

                                                  Continental and English breakfasts
                                             served from 9am to 11am

                                               Hot and cold food available all day

(Try our speciality – ‘Homemade Soup’)

Packed lunches available to be ordered
and picked up at your convenience

Special rates and menus for large groups
(to be booked in advance)

WW1 trench open daily from 12pm to 4pm

Tours of cellar (used during WW1 by British troops) by Avril Williams

For more information and bookings, please contact

Avril or Mark

Avril Williams’ Guest House and Tea Rooms,

10 rue Delattre, 80560 Auchonvillers, Somme France

Tel/fax + 33 (0)3 22 76 23 66

tearooms@avrilwilliams.com

avril@avrilwilliams.com

We have of pictures to show you and they will slowly be loading
as you read about our Guest House and the Ocean Villas Tea Rooms.

The expanded Ocean Villas Tea Rooms is open and it is beautiful with the new glassed serving area.
It is open and available for large and small groups as well. To verify the hours it will be open during
your visit, or if you just want take out sandwich, have an afternoon tea or to feed a bus load of people,
you can contact the Tea Rooms planner to insure your wishes are met.

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At the north end of the July 1st, 1916, Somme Battle Field, this Guest
House will become one of your best memories of visiting this World War
One region of France. You will be staying with Avril Williams and her family
in a farm compound that is slowly being restored and changed as required to
meet Avril's dream of providing the guest with a Guest House that is like
visiting your best friend. You will quickly feel at home and enjoy mingling with
a vast assortment of visitors. Some will be just like yourself, others will be
characters in their own right, authors, artists and 'old coots' with vast battlefield
knowledge.

Khaki Chums at Avril Williams B&B
Photograph by Peter Cattrell - Available at Avril's B&B

    Your fellow guests will be from all over the world, with most being from
England, Australia and the United States.   Avril's Guest House features an original
pre-WW1 basement, that was used by the French and by the English as a
First-Aid Station.

    Your guided visit, by Avril, will be a highlight of your visit.   Learn about the
British soldier that was probably a guest in Avril's basement the night before
'he was shot at dawn.'

    Located below the farm house that was rebuilt in 1923 after being destroyed
during World War One. The Guest House has an original trench in its back
yard and they have been restored and maintained by archeological volunteers.

     avriltr.jpg (17825 bytes)

       The entrance to the basement                  At the bottom of the trench, they
        which was used as a shelter                     bound it paved with bricks from
        and First-Aid station.                                the destroyed village.

        More Trench Information.

      Click on address - http://www.avrilwilliams.com/trench1.htm
               This location has lots of pictures and it will load slowly!

Avril has excavated an old well head, that had been covered over and
and found in her front yard when it caved in. It is believed, that the well
might lead into World War One tunnels or into the very old underground
systems that the people of the village used to hide from attacking tribes hundreds
of years ago. At the last excavation, the shaft was found to be blocked with
a large chalk block at a depth of 8 meters. Perhaps, this last dig will pull
that block and see what is underneath. The water level in this are is
close to a hundred meters underground, so the well could be that deep.
Perhaps the collapsing dugout research will lead to the well.

One very pleasant surprise will be, the large breakfast available each
morning. It starts about 8:00 am, if you are up and the wonderful French
bread has been delivered. The meals are based upon English cooking and
one should not leave the table feeling empty. However, it is often quite hard
to leave the discussion after eating.

                                         The old dining area is still
                                           used once in a while.

Avril provides tea service daily in her Tea rooms. Rooms and Tea or meals,
come with a vast knowledge of the Somme and Arras regions of France. No charge!!

Recommendations
From Previous Guests

Recommended Day Trips
One Australian Memorial

A Wall of Remembrance to preserve the memory not just of
those who died during the Great War, but also of those who
survived beyond the Armistice of 1918.

Those who died during the conflict and those who
died in the short or long years afterwards.

Recommended Day Trips
One Australian Memorial

Avril is available for personal tours of the Somme Battle Fields.
Avril will tailor your special tour to your extra-special interests. Please
let Avril know that you would like to book a tour when you make your
reservations. However, if you cannot, if she has available time, you
can still get your tour.

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Avril's Email Updates

Joining Avril's Update Email Mailing List is very easy
and then you will receive periodic updates from Avril
concerning the new and exciting changes at the
Avril William Guest House and Tea Rooms.

Just fill in your name and email address and click
on join. You will receive a verification email, when you
follow through, you will automatically receive the
updates from Avril.

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www.fortsiclin.com                           Fort Seclin Military Museum, Seclin, France
www.ww1.org                                   Battery Corporal Willis S. Cole Military Museum
www.b-17combatcrewmen.org          B-17 Combat Crewman & Wingmen
www.36rcm.com                               The Squadron Of Deception - 36th Bombardment SQ. (RCM)"
www.miakia.org                               A site dedicated to working with MIA (Missing In Action) families of the U.S.
www.kiamia.org                               A site dedicated to working with KIA (Killed In Action) families of the U.S.