Loop of the Great War Museum

On the riverside, the City Hall is a building that attracts the eye.Its monumental facade, as we see it today, is the result of a work campaign carried out around 1900. Before, the city hall was smaller, though located roughly at the same place. In 1710, it was situated in the shade of the castle of the Counts of Champagne. After successive restorations, the city hall delivered in 1833 was then facing the North of the city, near the place Henri Moissan. Today, this building is the northern wing of the city hall. The destruction of the castle of the Counts of Champagne (between the 20th of August 1888 and the 31st of December 1890), allowed the municipality to extend the city hall: Auguste Boudinaud is in charge of the works in 1892. In 1895, the municipal council adopt the project’s completion: the construction of a central building thus takes place, and the original building of the city hall (left/North wing) is renovated. The city hall’s inauguration took place on the 4th of March 1900. The main facade was moved to the West (as we know it today), and a public garden was created in 1902 to further highlight it. Must see: the monumental façade of the city hall is worth seeing (balcony, staircase, columns, clock, and small bell tower). The city’s coat of arm crowns the clock (sculptor: Devêche). But there is more to discover! Enter the building to see the main staircase, as well as a stained-glass showcased at the exhibition of 1900: it represents the Count of Champagne giving Meaux its first Communal Charter in 1179. The scene takes inspiration from a book published in 1865 by Antoine-Etienne Carro counting the history of Meaux and its surroundings. The artist who worked on the stained-glassed added the portraits of the craftsmen who built the city hall, including the portrait of the architect, Boudinaud.

The Episcopal City, Jewel of the Heritage of Meaux.Come to Meaux and take a stroll through history, from the Cathedral to the Palace of Bishops, past the Old Chapterhouse and the magnificent Bossuet Garden -- it’s a fascinating pastime! In the Middle Ages, the Episcopal district of Meaux extended from the Cathedral to the ramparts or ancient city walls. As indicated by the name, the Episcopal district was reserved for the Bishop, the chapter of the cathedral canons and their lay or ecclesiastical entourage. The Episcopal city, in its present condition, remains largely unchanged since the 18th century. The variety of architectural styles, dating back to different historical periods, form a prominent part of the city’s architectural heritage. The Episcopal City of Meaux retained its religious function par excellence until the French Revolution, as an ecclesiastical city adjoining the lay city. In the 19th century, the Episcopal Palace of Meaux was disputed between the lay power and the Church. Finally, the Law of 1905, on the separation of Church and State, completed the transfer of this historical heritage into the hands of the State. Today and since 1927, the former palace of the bishops houses the Bossuet museum.

A discovery tour around the Brie de Meaux AOP is waiting for you.Reconstructions and dramatizations will help you learn more about the history of this famous cheese. You'll discover the different stages in its production, from milk harvesting to cellar maturing. Then you'll learn about the current challenges facing Brie de Meaux PDO, proudly represented by its Confrérie. Brie and local events are on offer all year round! Workshops, tastings, exhibitions - there's something for everyone! Booklets in English, Dutch, German, Spanish and Italian are available free of charge to accompany your visit to the Maison du Brie de Meaux. To round off your visit, we offer guided tastings on Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 4pm, with online booking.

The former bishops' palace, located at the center of the Cité Episcopale's remarkable architectural ensemble, has been home to the Bossuet Museum since 1927.Inaugurated in 1926, the Bossuet Museum presents the city's historical collections, assembled in the 19th century. Today, the museum's collection comprises over 5,500 objects of all kinds, all linked to the history of the region. A rich iconographic collection evoking Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, bishop of Meaux, completes the collection. The generosity of eminent scientists has enabled the painting collections to grow considerably: the bequest of Henri Moissan's son, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1906, includes works by Jean-François Millet, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, Paul-Désiré Trouillebert and Paul Saïn, of whom he was a friend. Since 1983, thanks to Jean-Pierre and Annie Changeux, the museum's collections have been regularly enriched with 17th and 18th century paintings by Jacques Blanchard, Sébastien Bourdon, Mathieu le Nain, François Verdier, Carle Van Loo, Jean Restout and Claude Vignon. The episcopal palace provides an exceptional historical setting for the presentation of the furniture and art collections of the bishops of Meaux. The medieval rooms on the first floor host temporary exhibitions.

The Gallo-roman sections of the ramparts are characterized by an alternation of brick chains and layers of small materials. These ruins demarcate the northern side of a castrum built in the South of the conurbation at the end of the 3rd century.In all likelihood, it was used by inhabitants as a shelter at the times of barbarian invasions. The Crossbowman Tower is an example of the network of defensive towers constructed in the 15th century to reinforce the city’s fortifications. From 1563, it was ceded to the crossbowmen company, who could practice crossbow shooting outside the city’s walls. The ramparts extend over 250m along the Jean Rose boulevard, next to the Bossuet garden. Erected at the end of the 3rd century, they have been reworked and extended several times since the Middle Ages, notably during the 14th and 15th centuries through the construction of circular defensive towers, at varying distances. Our good plan: It is possible to overlook the Remparts by accessing the Remparts garden from the bottom of the Bossuet garden (Saturdays and Sundays, from May to September from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

Meaux’s war memorial was inaugurated on 24 May 1903, following the 1870 Franco-Prussian war.This column, surmounted by the Winged Victory, originally paid tribute to the children of the Meaux district who died during this conflict. At the base of the sculpture, a lion stands guard, gazing eastwards towards the “Blue line of the Vosges.” It commemorates the work of sculptor Bartholdi, as well as the resistance of Belfort under the command of Colonel Denfert-Rochereau against the Prussian armies. After the Great War, the monument was extended. The names of peoples who died during 19th century conflicts are written on the other faces of the pedestal. In 1923-1924, Meaux had the wall surrounding its monument built, featuring the Adrian helmet on the pillars of the gate. The names of the children of Meaux who died for their country in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 appear on plaques fixed to the wall.

An essential collection on the 1914-18 war.With a collection of almost 70,000 objects and documents tracing the daily and military life of the 14-18 war, the Musée de la Grande Guerre, which opened its doors on November 11, 2011 on the site of the First Battle of the Marne in Meaux, is Europe's largest museum on the First World War. Over 4,000 m², it presents one of the richest and most diversified collections on the First World War, in an attractive and innovative scenography. The Musée de la Grande Guerre is the ideal place for a family visit. A veritable educational treasure trove through the collection: see, hear, touch, handle.... A playful itinerary accessible to visitors aged 5 and over: projections of archive images, trench reconstructions, a video space in which visitors are immersed among the soldiers in the trenches or on the battlefield, games to discover the composition of uniforms, the sounds of war, the geographical evolution of conflict zones... Several audio tours are available free of charge on your cell phone or tablet; ask for instructions at reception. Since November 2024, come and discover an installation never seen before in France: an open-air trench. This new space in the museum grounds offers a unique immersive experience accessible to all, not to be missed. Transport yourself to the heart of the trenches of the First World War. At once educational, accessible and didactic, this trench is a unique device where you are the actor in the discovery. Complementing the permanent exhibition and the museum's collections, this scenography gives an insight into what man can experience, at the heart of tragedy, whatever his camp or nationality.

The Meaux region is crossed by the Ourcq canal and the Marne river. These two watercourses offer wonderful landscapes with a rich wildlife and lush vegetation. You will be able to enjoy the calm through your walks or while on a guided tour.The Ourcq canal, which is approximatively 100km long, passes through nine cities of the urban community from Varreddes to Trilbardou. The canal have been considered a place of relaxation and leisure for a long time. The towpath is perfect for a family stroll ; the setting being sometimes urban, sometimes green. You can take advantage of the layout to practice roller or hiking. We advise you visit the elevatory factory of Trilbardou, which is open on appointment, in order to better understand the history of the Ourcq canal.