Albert, France Hotels, Vacations, Tourism

The church at ALBERT , 40km south of Arras and 30km northeast of Amiens – now, with the rest of the town, completely rebuilt – was one of the minor landmarks of World War I. Its tall tower was hit by German bombing early on in the campaign, leaving the statue of the Madonna on top leaning at a precarious angle. The British, entrenched over three years in the region, came to know it as the "Leaning Virgin". Army superstition had it that when she fell the war would end, a myth inspiring frequent hopeful pot shots by disgruntled troops. Before embarking on a visit of the region's battle sites and war … more »