VIMY, France To paraphrase William Shakespeare, who was writing about the Battle of Agincourt that took place not far from here, Canadians now abed will thank their lucky stars they were not here on April 9, 2007 -- at least those who can't stand crowds.

From all reports, the commemoration of the taking of Vimy Ridge by the four divisions of the Canadian Corps on Easter Monday in 1917 -- will be a tourist's nightmare. This small village in Northern France is expected to be invaded by more than 20,000 Canadians this weekend.

As coincidence would have it, the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which put Canada on the map as a nation that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the major powers, falls on the Easter weekend, just like the original battle did in 1917.

The bad news is that this usually tranquil area of Northern France is expected to be swamped by car and bus traffic and the hotels and restaurants within a 100-kilometre radius will be filled to overflowing.

The good news is that once the "tumult and the shouting" dies, Vimy and the towns and cities in the vicinity will return to their normal, bucolic existence -- at least until the usual hordes of tourist descend again during the summer months.

Every Canadian should visit Vimy Ridge at least once. The breathtaking memorial's twin towers soar high into the sky and cause a lump in the throat and a rush of national pride when first glimpsed. Built at an original cost of $1.5 million and dedicated by King Edward VIII in 1936, the monument recently underwent a $20-million facelift to repair damage done by the harsh Atlantic winters.

The Vimy Memorial towers over the Doui Plain from the top of what was known during the First World War as Hill 145. Located about 19 kilometres northeast of the city of Arras, this is the highest point on Vimy Ridge.

The inscription on the base of the monument reads, in French and English: "To the valour of their countrymen in the Great War and in memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada."

Built on approximately one square kilometre of land donated in perpetuity to Canada by the grateful people of France in 1922, the memorial honours the 3,598 Canadians killed and the 7,0000 wounded during the taking of the ridge. It also contains the inscribed names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose remains were never found.