LOUDONVILLE — The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum in Loudonville has announced plans for an exciting opportunity to tour the Western Front of the First World War.
The war, which saw over 70 million soldiers clash, was underscored by the horrific combination of new technologies and outdated tactics. An estimated 9 million soldiers and 7 million civilians perished in the conflict and set the stage for a second world war only twenty years later.
The Western Front, along the border of France and Belgium, saw some of the heaviest action in the war.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War, the museum partnered with Central European Tours for the opportunity to visit some of the most legendary and influential battlefields in Europe including the Somme, Flanders Fields, and Verdun. The 11-day tour includes airfare, transportation and lodging starting for only $5,490.
“We wanted to make this as affordable as possible,” said Kenny Libben, curator of the museum. It won’t all be battlefields and memorials, though, continued Libben. “We want travelers to have fun and explore the culture of France and Belgium as well.”
So travelers will visit a number of cultural and historic sites in Paris and Brussels, in addition to having most afternoons and evenings free to explore on their own.
The trip is scheduled for June 4 to 14 of this summer but additional dates may be added pending interest.
“We need at least seven people to sign up,” Libben said. “But if there is enough interest we have the option of scheduling additional trips for those that can’t do the planned dates.”
More information on the trip, including an itinerary is available at www.crfmuseum.com/ww1. Interested persons can also contact the museum at 419-994-4050 or info@crfmuseum.com. The deadline to register is April 1, 2018.
If successful, the museum hopes to plan more trips in the future. Any person or groups interested in help planning a trip to Europe are encouraged to contact the museum, which can help with arrangements.
