Notice to visitors to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Site

Important Visitor Information

The monument at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France is almost 70 years old. The passage of time, wear and tear and harsh weather conditions have led to the monument's deterioration, despite regular upkeep over the years. Its restoration requires more than routine maintenance. The rehabilitation plan for Vimy Memorial is part of the Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project, directed by Canada's Department of Veterans Affairs in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.

The 13 Canadian First World War battlefield memorials are accordingly undergoing repair and restoration work, which started in the fall of 2001 and has already been completed in many cases. The rehabilitation and restoration of the Vimy Memorial started in December 2004 and is slated for completion in 2006. Furthermore, as the Memorial has been designated a national historic site of Canada, the work will also respect the historical and cultural integrity of the original monument design by the artist and architect, Walter S. Allward.

Starting in January 2005, the monument itself will therefore become inaccessible for public safety reasons. However, the rest of the Memorial site will continue to operate normally, including the guided tours, and visitors are therefore invited to focus on the subways or tunnels and restored trenches.

Moreover, while the monument is inaccessible, there will be guided tours of the two Canadian cemeteries on the site. Alternate experiences may also be offered to visitors from 2005 to 2006.

Restoration updates will be provided on this site as they become available.

Contact Information at Vimy, in France:
Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada
62580 VIMY, FRANCE
03 21 50 68 68
Fax: 03 21 58 58 34
E-mail: Vimy.Memorial@vac-acc.gc.ca

Canada's 13 First World War memorials were erected to honour and remember the achievements and sacrifices of Canadians and Newfoundlanders during the Great War. In May, 2001, the Government of Canada announced a major $30 million restoration project to repair, restore, and rehabilitate Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.

Eight of these memorials stand on notable Canadian battlefields: Vimy Ridge, Bourlon Wood, Courcelette, Dury, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), Le Quesnel, Passchendaele and St. Julien. The other five memorials mark places of historical significance to the then-separate Dominion of Newfoundland: Beaumont-Hamel, Gueudecourt, Monchy-le-Preux, Masnières, and Courtrai. Collectively, they are symbolic of the Canadians and Newfoundlanders who gave their lives during the First World War, and are physical reminders that their sacrifices and victories must never be forgotten.

The repair work required to rehabilitate these memorial sites, now an average of 75 years old, is beyond the scope of routine maintenance. The program of work is being carried out in collaboration with Public Works and Government Services Canada, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and other specialists, consultants and military historians. The project work began formally in the fall of 2001 and is expected to be complete in 2006. The work is separated into 4 project areas, with the Vimy Monument Restoration being the main priority.