Private tour in Lille Carl O
5.0
(17) reviews
8 hours
1
8 hours
1
Carl O.
5.0
Guide rating
147
Reviews
Tours delivered
18 hrs
Avg. response time
After working 15 years for a multinational cy. I decided that it was time for a career change! Sharing my passion for European history combined with my local knowledge, is just what I like to do for travellers. After I managed a hotel for a decade, I took 2 years of training to become a tour guide. Now, when I give tours, I am happy like a dog in a butcher's shop. Even the COVID-19 slowdown doesn't make me regret my career shift. For these tours I own a people carrier that can sit 8 people. When travellers go for one of my guided bike tours, then my van becomes our support vehicle for the ride. When we are cruising, then I am the happiest butcher's dog in town ! I find it fascinating to see how the 2nd industrial revolution changed the world in so many more ways than how we manufacture and mass produce goods. The mechanisation triggered a fundamental social and political change. The progress in science was spectacular. Along with all the above, new weapons became available to the armies of ambitious emperors with ideas of conquering. To make your journey to Europe both an entertaining and interesting experience, that is my mission. Sharing local knowledge combined with historic information, gives travellers a unique understanding of "my" corner of Europe ! The location where I pick you up doesn't necesserily have to be the location where I drop you off after the tour. I can meet you in Brussels and drop you off in Bruges, or meet you in Bruges and drop you off at the Lille Europe station where you can catch a 1 h train to Paris or 90' to London. Smart travellers make good use of my van, it has room for luggage. Don't hesitate to use my local knowledge to improve your travel plan. guide license in Belgium ; TOERISME VLAANDEREN guide license in France ; Somme Battlefield Partner transport license VVB 1609 No restrictions
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Carl O.
As we take you along the old front line, an arc-shaped course, called the Salient, the topography, the relics, the monuments, the memorials and cemeteries tell us the story of so many lives lost for so little gains. More than telling you what you can find in any good history-book, I'll tell you the stories of the local people, the soldiers in the trenches, the officers facing situations they were not trained for, the medics who had to cure wounds they had never seen before, how one learned to survive the gas attacks and other new weapons. . . Empires were dismantled. The course of European history changed, and also the history of the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, China and many other countries took a new direction. The world became a different place.
Our family of 8 ages 20 to 82 experienced a wonderful customized tour by Carl. We told him beforehand certain things we wanted to see and do. Most importantly visiting 2 specific cemeteries. He provided a very knowledgeable and interesting tour for the day catering to our specific interests. Also, he included some points of interest that we had been previously unaware of. He was friendly and well organized. We had a very enjoyable and enlightening day. Thank you Carl.
Carl is a fantastic guide and ensured our trip was a huge success. He adapted the tour to enable us to visit a relative's grave and was very flexible in adjusting the itinerary to suit our preferences and interests. All in all a very special day with a knowledgeable and skilled guide. Thank you!
Carl was an amazingly knowledgeable and accommodating tour guide. On the spur of the moment, he was able to adjust the plans for our day to enable me to locate the tomb of an ancestor who died for France in the Great War as well as the dressing station/hospital where my ancestor breathed his last. I will always treasure those memories. We also learned more than we ever knew about the First World War. Being able to spend time in the trenches, in the cemeteries, at the memorials in both Belgium and France was an experience valuable beyond measure. We couldn’t have done any of this without him!
We are Canadian tourists who have been through France many times but never the north. We were looking for an experience that connected us with the WW1 history and Carl delivered. He adapted our itinerary on the spot to include some particular interests and his knowledge of both the Canadian action and general warfare strategy and history is impressive. Carl is an articulate and charming storyteller and we could not have wished for more. It was a pleasure meeting and engaging with him. A very enjoyable and comfortable day that included staying for the Last Post ceremony in Ypres. Would highly recommend a day with Carl for anyone looking for both the historical facts as well thoughtful insight into this fascinating region and time period.
We had a great day! Carl was extremely knowleable on the details in the battlefields but he was also bringing light to events centuries before and after WW1.
Our tour with Carl was great. He took us to our desired location and others. So knowledgeable about the history. Thoroughly enjoyed and wouldn’t hesitate booking Carl again.
Among other points of interest we visit : - Essex Farm Cemetery and Aid Station, - Langemark German military cemetery, - Vancouver Corner, - Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial, - Passchendaele, - Polygon Wood, - Hill 60 and The Caterpillar Crater - Messines Ridge * Should you want to stay late to attend the 20:00 h LAST POST service at the Menin Gate Memorial, there is no extra cost for this extra service, but you will not be be back in Lille before 21:15 h. This tour starts at - & brings you back to the Lille-Europe railway station. F. Y. I. : *The travel time from London St. -Pancras to Lille-Europe takes as little as 1 hour 32 minutes on the fastest services. *The travel time from Brussels or Paris to Lille-Europe takes 1 hour.
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I own and drive a Mercedes Benz Vito Tourer van. The van sits 8 people, has leather seats and a/c front and rear. Transport license 1609 .
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8 hours
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8 hours
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a 20% deposit!
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