Canadian National Vimy Memorial

Fun Facts

• Located in northern France, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial can be found 10 kilometers north of the town of Arras within the département of Pas-de-Calais.
• The site encompasses some 117 hectares and is the largest of eight Canadian and five Newfoundland memorial sites in France and Belgium.
• The Canadian National Vimy Memorial not only marks the site of Canada’s most significant First World War engagement, it also stands as a tribute to all Canadians who served during the First World War, particularly those killed in France whose final resting place was unknown.
• The names of the 11,285 Canadian who lost their lives in France and who had no known grave are recorded on the monument’s base.
• In 1922, the French government granted use of the land for the Memorial and battlefield site to the people of Canada “freely and for all time.”
• Some of our best gardeners are sheep! Since 2001, a herd of up to 400 sheep have been used to maintain large areas of the battlefield terrain surrounding the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. Their gentle grazing minimizes impact on this delicate resource while keeping vegetation short enough for visitors to view. This approach also reduces the overall environmental footprint of operations at the site.
• Along with Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial is one of only two National Historic Sites located outside of Canada.
• The Canadian National Vimy Memorial welcomes approximately 800,000 visitors each year.