Battlefield 1 Roadtrip

Published on Aug. 23, 2020 by Matt van Vuuren

Battlefield 1 is one of the best video games ever made based on World War 1 with the game maps based on real world settings. Join me on this road trip through northern France at Château de Chantilly (Ballroom Blitz), Amiens, Soissons, the Somme 1916 Museum and the Museum of the Great War.

Tips & Advice

Why: Battlefield 1 pilgrimage, for true fans
When: Spring, Summer & Fall
Accommodation: Airbnb ($47 OFF), stay in Amiens or Peronne
Best attraction: Château de Chantilly
Recorded with 4K Camera: OSMO Pocket for just $299 USD

World War 1 was one of the most horrific events in human history, more than 60 million soldiers fought in "the war to end all wars", it ended nothing, yet it changed the world forever. This road trip was one of the most unique experiences in my life, since I learned so much playing the Battlefield 1 video game and to see everything in real life was quite eye-opening.

Places

1. Château de Chantilly
Known as Ballroom Blitz in Battlefield 1, perhaps my second favorite map after Sinai Desert
2. Rue de la Dodane (Amiens)
Rue de la Dodane is a street in Amiens that mostly resembles the map in Battlefield 1.
3. Cathédrale Notre-Dame Amiens
The gorgeous church as seen on the map of Amiens in Battlefield 1.
4. Somme 1916 Museum
One of the most complete collections of WW1, includes weapons, armor, artillery, helmuts and scale models.
5. Lochnagar Mine Crater
30-metre-deep, 100-metre-wide bowl that was created by the explosion of a large mine placed below German trenches just two minutes before the launch of the very first offensive of the Battle of the Somme.
6. Mont Saint-Quentin Australian War Memorial
Stop by the Australian WW1 Memorial near Saint-Quentin to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.

7. Museum of the Great War
Largest WW1 museum located in Péronne with a massive collection including propaganda and newspapers from war time. You will recognize many weapons from Battlefield 1.
8. Saint-Chamond Tank
The most iconic exhibit at the Museum of the Great War; the Saint-Chamond tank which you'll recognize from Battlefield 1.
9. Hôtel Le Carlton
During your 2-day roadtrip through the Battlefield 1 maps, stay at this hotel for their large murals of Amiens in each hotel room.

Battlefield 1 is the fifteenth installment in the Battlefield series made by EA DICE, a Swedish game developer, selling over 15 million copies. The best part, the multiplayer battles of 2 opposing teams with a total of 64 simultaneous players fighting over control. I can highly recommend you taking this trip, especially now during COVID-19 pandemic since you can easily do this road trip by yourself while social distancing allowing you to explore every World War 1 sight.

Château de Chantilly in France AKA Ballroom Blitz from Battlefield 1 videogame

The Somme 1916 Museum even had a horse complete with weaponry at the entrance, exactly as portrayed in the Battlefield 1 video game. The highlight of this road trip was Ballroom Blitz (Château de Chantilly) one of the most beautiful castles I've ever seen. Funny fact, this castle was also featured in the James Bond Movie: A View to A Kill (1985), just a 40-minute drive north of Paris.

The devastating nature of this terrible conflict was witnessed throughout the war along the Western Front, with huge armies dug into the muddy fields of France and set-piece advances involving hundreds of thousands of men bringing huge loss of life, often for little gain. Today, visitors to the French World War One battlefields can experience recreations in museums, explore the surviving trench works and visit memorials and cemeteries to those who died.

Quartier Saint-Leu in Amiens

It took me hours to find the most resembling street to the Battlefield 1 map of Amiens; Rue de la Dodane near the Quartier Saint-Leu in Amiens. The Notre-Dame cathedral of Amiens was absolutely the highlight in Amiens, kept in pristine condition and luckily survived both world wars without damage.

My video is solely based on the Battlefield 1 video game and isn’t meant as a World War 1 history documentation. This is my first 4K video on YouTube and serves as an example of what is yet to come on the Reformatt Show. In addition to this article, also check out the incredible Netflix series: Age of Tanks, which features all the Battlefield 1 tanks and how they were used in the First World War.

Saint-Chamond Tank at Museum of the Great War in Péronne, France

I consider this road trip a pilgrimage for any Battlefield 1 lover. I must have played Battlefield 1 with my friends every Friday night for the past 3 years. I am currentrly considering organizing an Airbnb Experience, once a year in northern France, this will allow you to join my private organized tour group for 2 days through the Battlefield 1 real life maps. If you are interested, reply to the YouTube video in the comments section and I will reach out to you.

If you want to learn more about Battlefield 1 and its incredible map designs, check out this EA link. Also, YouTuber Flakfire did a great series on the Real-Life Battlefield 1 maps on the north-eastern part of France, namely Fort de Vaux and Verdun Heights.

Somme 1916 Museum in Albert, France (Battlefield 1)

To summarize, the most famous World War 1 battlefields in northern France are the Somme battlefields, Verdun and Pozieres. Other popular sites tend to include Louvemont, the Lochnagar Crater and the Ulster Memorial Tower.