Trenches on Vimy RidgeRestored First World War trenches on the Vimy Ridge battlefield, showing preserved terrain from the 1917 battle.
©Trenches on Vimy Ridge|Sarah Roynette / Lens Tourisme
At the Heart of Conflict:The Battles of Artois
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The Battles of Artois: France’s Forgotten Front in WW1

Northern France’s Artois region played a decisive role during the early years of the First World War. Today, its peaceful hills and memorial landscapes still carry the weight of a brutal past. From Aix-Noulette to Bullecourt, cemeteries and monuments mark the path of the Western Front — silent witnesses to the French offensives that defined 1914–1915.

Three major battles took place here, now largely forgotten, but at the time among the most violent campaigns of the war.

Getting there

What Were the Battles of Artois?

After the front lines solidified at the end of 1914, the French army launched a series of offensives to reclaim lost ground. Their primary targets were two strategic hills: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and Vimy Ridge. These heights overlooked the mining basin of Lens and offered a commanding view of enemy lines.

Occupied by German forces from October 1914, the Artois high ground became the focus of repeated French attacks in an effort to break the deadlock on the Western Front.

The Artois Offensives: 1914 to 1915

Impressive fights

The First Battle of Artois (December 1914)

The Second Battle of Artois (May–June 1915)

The Third Battle of Artois (September–October 1915)

A premature and poorly prepared attempt by French forces to retake ground near Lorette Ridge. It resulted in heavy losses and no significant territorial gain.

This major offensive led by General Joffre saw the French regain control of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and part of Neuville-Saint-Vaast. However, progress was limited, and German defenses held fast on Vimy Ridge.

Also known as the Loos-Artois Offensive, this multi-pronged Franco-British assault included attacks on Loos, Souchez, and Givenchy-en-Gohelle. The French deployed massive artillery barrages and wave assaults — but despite their scale, gains were minimal and casualties devastating.

In just 10 months, hundreds of thousands of shells were fired. Some 35,000 men were killed or wounded in five days during the push to retake Souchez and Givenchy in September 1915. The high cost of these offensives led to Lorette Hill being nicknamed “the hill of 100,000 dead.”

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Ablain-Saint-Nazaire in ruinsHistoric photograph of the destroyed village of Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, emblematic of the devastation in Artois during WW1.
©Ablain-Saint-Nazaire in ruins|Edouard Bissy Spa 6 D 1103 1

    Artois: An International Battlefield

    The hills of Artois saw soldiers from across the globe — French infantry, British troops, colonial units from Africa and Asia. The Moroccan Division launched attacks on Vimy Ridge in 1915. In 1917, the Canadian Corps would capture that same ridge during the Battle of Vimy.

    Modern memorials across Artois — from the Canadian National Vimy Memorial to the Ring of Remembrance — testify to this international effort.

    “The world’s history was shaped, in part, right here — in the hills of Artois.”

    German cemetery at Maison Blanche with blockhouseThe Maison Blanche German military cemetery in Artois, with visible blockhouse remains from the frontline.
    ©German cemetery at Maison Blanche with blockhouse|Sarah Roynette
    Dud Corner CemeteryDud Corner Cemetery near Loos-en-Gohelle, a resting place for British soldiers lost in the Artois battles.
    ©Dud Corner Cemetery|A.S. Douchin
    German cemetery at Maison Blanche with blockhouseThe Maison Blanche German military cemetery in Artois, with visible blockhouse remains from the frontline.
    ©German cemetery at Maison Blanche with blockhouse|Sarah Roynette
    Dud Corner CemeteryDud Corner Cemetery near Loos-en-Gohelle, a resting place for British soldiers lost in the Artois battles.
    ©Dud Corner Cemetery|A.S. Douchin

      Places to Visit Today

      Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Memorial

      This French national cemetery is the largest in the country, with over 40,000 graves. The lantern tower, the basilica, and the Ring of Remembrance pay tribute to soldiers of all nationalities who died in the region.

      Lorette Ridge and Trenches

      Visitors can explore reconstructed trenches and remnants of bunkers, offering a glimpse into the harsh conditions endured during the Artois offensives.

      Souchez and Maison Blanche

      The village of Souchez was almost entirely destroyed during the war and rebuilt stone by stone. The Maison Blanche German Cemetery nearby is a powerful site of reflection, facing the former front.

      Dud Corner Cemetery

      This CWGC cemetery commemorates British troops who fought at Loos and the Artois sector — notably during the Third Battle of Artois.

      Remembering the Fallen: Memory Tourism in Artois

      While not as well-known as the Somme or Verdun, the Battles of Artois were among the bloodiest chapters of WW1. Today, the region welcomes remembrance tourism, inviting visitors to walk in the footsteps of soldiers and reflect on the cost of freedom.

      Artois is not just a place of ruins and silence — it is a living landscape of memory, shaped by history and sustained by those who remember.

      Panorama of Vimy Ridge battlefield with grazing sheepPanorama of Vimy Ridge battlefield with grazing sheep
      ©Panorama of Vimy Ridge battlefield with grazing sheep|Pauline Roches
      Vimy Memorial Park, National Historic Site of CanadaPanoramic view of the Canadian National Historic Site at Vimy, surrounded by pine trees planted in memory of the fallen.
      ©Vimy Memorial Park, National Historic Site of Canada|Samuel Dhote

        Visitor Information

        • Region: Pas-de-Calais, northern France
        • Access: By car from Lens, Arras or Béthune; battelfield trails are marked
        • Open sites: All major memorials and cemeteries are free to access year-round
        • Suggested stops:
          • Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Memorial
          • The Ring of Remembrance
          • Canadian National Vimy Memorial
          • Maison Blanche Cemetery
          • Souchez museum and trench trail
        Frequently Asked Questions