Visiting the Thiépval Memorial - Telegraph Anthony Peregrine, France expert, replies The nearest station to Thiépval is in Albert. Take the Eurostar from St Pancras to Lille. There, you change stations, from Lille Europe to Lille Flandres - it's one stop by Metro Line 2, or an easy few minutes" walk - for the onward train to Albert. The full London-Albert trip takes from four hours, and costs from £96 return with Rail Europe (0844 848 4070; raileurope.co.uk). Once in Albert, you have two options. The first is to book a hotel in town. I'd recommend the Hotel de la Basilique (0033 322 750471; hoteldelabasilique.fr, 5 rue Gambetta). It is 200 yards from the station, practical and welcoming, with single rooms at £62 a night. There is no bus service from Albert to Thiépval. The Tourism Office at 9 rue Gambetta organises tours of Thiépval, the Lochnagar Crater and Beaumont-Hamel. But they cost £150 for a three-hour tour with guide, £71 for a two-hour tour without guide - contact the office before your visit (0033 322 751642). If you wish to see only Thiépval, it is cheaper to order a taxi: round-trip with time spent at Thiépval - £25-£34 (Radio Taxi Albertin; 0033 322 744740). The second choice is to contact Avril Williams, an Englishwoman who owns a b & b at Auchonvillers, four miles from Thiépval, six from Albert. She is a one-woman ambassadress on behalf of Great War memories. In exceptional circumstances, she will collect travellers from Albert station and drive them to her guest-house. If time allows, she will also accompany them to Thiépval. She has assured Telegraph Travel that she will do so in Mr Hawker's case. A b & b single costs £42, with dinner, including wine, about £17 (0033 322 762366; avrilwilliams.eu). Ask the experts Our Q&A service allows you can pick the brains of our experts at home and abroad. Email your query to asktheexperts@telegraph.co.uk or click on the image above to find out more. We won't be able to answer them all, but we will do our best. About Anthony Peregrine One of the most knowledgeable writers on France, Anthony has lived near Montpellier for many years.