Via Francigena circuit in Laon

All that remains of this abbey of Cistercian nuns, established in 1651 on the site of a medieval leprosarium, is the 12th-century chapel, the entrance portal and the facade and roofs of the fine building constructed in the 17th century, the abbey having been badly damaged by Allied bombing in 1944. It is now home to the Office Public de l'Habitat de l'Aisne (OPAL), and the chapel is listed as a Historic Monument.

The building you see today is in fact the second church of Saint-Marcel, the original having probably been destroyed during the Revolution. Built between 1900 and 1902, it welcomed its first parishioners in 1907.It should have been extended towards the choir, but this project never came to fruition...

Formerly known as the ‘grimpette de la gare’ or ‘escalier de la gare’, this path was laid out after the railway station was built in 1857, so as to be in strict perspective with the station itself.You'll need a bit of courage to tackle just under 300 steps in one go (all the same!), but the panorama is well worth it once you get to the top! So here's a tip: look at the colours as you walk, it'll make the climb a little easier!In 2021, following a vote on the participatory budget sponsored by the town of Laon, the project to paint the 300 or so steps of the famous station staircase, linking the lower and upper towns, was chosen. The work was undertaken by volunteers from the Cap'No youth team, in collaboration with professional teams. It remains one of the most popular climbs these days, whatever the season...

Laon's town councillors decided to build this building in 1831 on the site of the remains of the former royal castle. Its construction was completed in the 1850s. The former Town Hall is just a stone's throw away, in the rue Sérurier (you can still see its monumental entrance porch).

This 13th-century pedestrian gateway gave access to the Chenizelles district, the Louis IV d'Outremer tower and the Saint-Vincent tank. Its name probably comes from the many canals - or “chenils” in french - that drained the water nearby. If you look up, you can still see the site of its portcullis...

Second in dignity in the Prémontrés order, the abbey church was built in the 12th century. The façade depicts Saint-Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar. Saint-Martin Abbey was a flourishing and powerful abbey until the French Revolution. Note that access to the interior of the church is limited (it is only open in the afternoons in summer: take the opportunity to admire its two recumbent figures at the entrance and its famous "hidden" nativity scene), but you can visit the cloister and the former conventual buildings adjoining it to the north (the latter house the Suzanne-Martinet municipal media library - check out its breathtaking staircase!).

The Porte de Soissons closed one of the main entrances to the west of the medieval town. Built around 1200, and despite its deterioration, it remains a fine example of medieval military architecture. Just below it is Laon's "Tower of Pisa", the Tour de Dame Eve, a corner and flanking tower of the medieval rampart. A landslide of its base due to the clay soil gives it its distinctive appearance...

Dating back to 1847, this was one of the offices used to collect ‘octrois’, taxes on goods for local consumption (drinks, livestock, firewood, etc.). ‘Granted by the king to the municipalities, these highly controversial taxes were the main source of revenue for the towns until they were abolished by the Vichy regime in 1943.

Local tradition attributes the founding of the church to Saint Clotilde in the 5th century AD. One of the church bells, recast in 1894, bore an inscription dating from the year 1000, attesting to the age of the building.The church has undergone restoration work, particularly on its 14th-century roof, and is listed as a historic monument, with nine protected objects inside. It is worth noting that frequent events (particularly concerts) are held there throughout the year.