Staying in the Somme

Albert is the best-located town to use as a base for the Somme battlefields.  However, it has to be said that it’s not the greatest place to stay in other respects.  It’s a small place and although there are now a few more hotels than a few years ago, there is not a great deal of choice for accommodation or for places to eat out.

If you do want to stay in Albert then the best hotel near the town is the Best Western Hotel Royal Picardie on the west side of town (the D4929 road leading out towards the D929). There is also a modern ibis hotel located on the northeast side, on the D929 heading toward Bapaume.  I have stayed at both, and they are perfectly fine, but unless you want to eat at the hotel restaurant (or at MacDonalds next to the ibis!) you’ll need to either walk into the centre of Albert (a good 20 minute walk) or drive somewhere each night to eat.

Two hotels are more central to the town – the Hotel de la Basilique and the Hotel de la Paix. There are some other options as well, but not a great deal of choice.



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In terms of restaurants, there are a few to choose from in Albert, but nothing like the selection you can find in Ypres.

Self-Catering

There are quite a number of options here, as a number of specialist self-catering (and bed and breakfast) bases are available, many run by Brits who have settled in the area due to their own interest in the Great War. Sites like Airbnb and HomeAway can offer a useful way to search the available options.

Holiday lets around the worldIf staying in self-catering accommodation, then there are several supermarkets – a small Simply store on the main square where there is ample parking and a market.  There is also an Intermarche, and a Super U (this also has a petrol station which is usually one of the cheaper places in the area for fuel).

 

Amiens or Arras

Because Albert although very central has some limitations as a base, it’s possible to stay in either Arras or Amiens instead and drive each day to the Somme battlefields.  Both are much larger towns; Arras is probably the more attractive and is about a 40 minute drive from the centre to the main Somme battlefields area.

From Amiens it is a similar distance but the drive takes 5-10 minutes longer. Both Amiens and Arras have a much greater choice of hotels and also restaurants.  Arras has some Great War attractions in its own right that are worth visiting – see the Arras page for more information.

Peronne

Another possible base is Peronne – located to the south-east of the battlefields and about a 25 minute drive away from the main battlefield area.  Like Albert it a small town with limited hotels, but there are some good restaurants and a bustling local market on Saturdays.