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HOTEL ST CLAUDE
PERONNE, SOMME


 

The hotel St Claude has recently undergone a complete refurbishment under the supervision of the hotel's owners, Michele and Carole Delmotte (seen standing in front of their hotel with receptionist Marina).

The St Claude, which now comes under the Best Western 'umbrella', dates back to the Great War.  The age of the building is reflected in the unusual way the rooms are arranged on three floors with corridors which seem to run this way and that! The rooms come in a mixture of sizes and all have been completely refurbished with new carpets, fixtures, furniture and fittings. The photos we've taken reflect the varying room sizes.

There are several restaurants in and around Peronne, including the hotel's own restaurant, though some of our clients have commented that service at the hotel restaurant can on occasions be slow. 

Peronne plays host to France's principal museum to the Great War, the Historial Museum (below) where exhibits are on show with translations in English. Click here for a look at the museum's website

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Why not include a personal conducted tour?

We can easily arrange for an independent English-speaking guide to collect you at your hotel and take you (or join you in your vehicle) on a one or two-day tour of either the Somme or Ypres battlefields This will be a truly personal service and as such you will not be joining a group comprising other persons. This option costs a lot more when compared with joining a fixed-itinerary ‘public’ tour, but is by far and away the best way to see the battlefield, especially bearing in mind this may be your one occasion to make the visit you are have in mind.  A personal tour is also better suited for the quiet exploration and reflection of past events, without the possible distraction of others making up your group - and the need for the tour leader to stick to a fixed time schedule!    

The tour we will arrange can easily focus on areas of specific interest to you, such as battlefields where soldiers from any particular country or regiment fought and died (especially helpful for those seeking to explore battlefields where Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians etc saw action).  This service is included in the total cost you will pay, thus making your battlefield visit a seamless experience with everything arranged by us in advance.


 
Map showing location of hotel


 

Peronne
1914-1918

 


Top to bottom: The Town Square (review of German garrison), Peronne under German occupation WW1 (Hotel St Claude marked with arrow!) and the Church.


and the church now

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External hotel views

Front

Rear
(photo taken from entrance to WW1 Historial Museum)

The bedrooms

Because the hotel is an old building the bedrooms come in different shapes and sizes.  All have recently (November 2005) been completely refurbished.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peronne

Occupied by the Germans in August 1914, the town was almost entirely destroyed in the course of the war. As a centre of major military and logistical activity, especially during the Battle of the Somme, Péronne was bombarded by the French artillery for five months but remained in German hands until March 1917 and was reoccupied in March 1918. The bullet holes still visible in what remains of Church of St. Jean testifies to the violence of the fighting.

At the time of their retreat in 1917, the Germans had mockingly left a huge wooden panel on the ruins of the town hall with the inscription "Nicht ärgern, nur wundern" [No anger, just amazement]. This panel is now on view in Room 2 at the Historial.

On 31 August 1918, the Australians finally managed to encircle the fortified hill of Mont Saint Quentin, and the town was liberated for good (well until 1940...).