Besme, Aisne, Picardie

This forest walk makes a wide loop through the forest of Saint-Gobain, revealing some curiosities such as old underground quarries or the source of the Barberousse fountain near the old buildings of the Trou-Forcy. Ideal for discovering and observing the fauna and flora of the forest, this hike is for the whole family.

This is one of the most surprising and endearing places in the Laonnois region, combining dry moorland and wet peat bogs in the same area, ‘one of the richest peat complexes in terms of plant species in the Paris Basin, and perhaps even in all the plains of Western Europe’, according to the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels (CEN) des Hauts-de-France, to put it mildly! An atypical natural environment much studied by botanist and researcher Marcel Bournérias, with numerous microclimates, where it is not uncommon for the temperature to drop to around zero degrees in the middle of summer... A number of signposts on site will help you to appreciate the incredible diversity of flora and fauna. And this marvel is only a few cubits from Laon, so get out and explore!

In the early 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, work began on upgrading Couvron Air Base to accommodate a US Air Force base. This was to be Laon-Couvron Air Base, which became fully operational in 1954. Many American servicemen and their families settled there: more than 200 of them settled in the new housing estate built on the outskirts of Laon and called "Marquette-sous-Laon", or cité Marquette. And it was because this nearby hill on the Crépy heights welcomed all these expatriates for picnics on Sundays that this site - formerly known as Mont Sérival - quite naturally received its name as a tribute to this American presence after the murder of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy at the end of 1963. They're gone now, but you can still take a stroll up this wooded hill and think about the atmosphere that must have reigned here some sixty years ago!

Departing from Crépy, a commune which had the sad privilege of hosting the "Grosse Bertha" in 1918, this great circuit takes us to discover the sandstone churches of this part of the Laonnois: Cerny, Bucy, Molinchart. After a detour in the woods of Sart-l'Abbé, the ascent of Mount Kennedy provides some beautiful escapes to the surrounding area.

One of the must-see sites in the Laonnois area (around 7 kilometres west of Laon) and easily accessible from the centre of the town, this pleasant and unusual walk will take you to a pile of sandstone blocks ‘balanced in a most curious chaos’, as mentioned in a report on the departmental inventory at the beginning of the 20th century.  It's a delight for young and old alike, and a popular spot for walkers who love to climb this fern-covered hill shaded by birch, oak and chestnut trees!

This short circuit follows for a while the Chemin des Creuttes, offering beautiful views of these ancient and astonishing troglodytic dwellings dug into the cliffs and rocky outcrops.

The path is rural, architectural or social, depending on whether it takes us from the creuttes to the grape harvesters, or from the church of Mons to that of Royaucourt, passing through Bourguignon, the village of the three Le Nain brothers, painters of the XVIIth century famous for their peasant portraits.

A little-known piece of history in Laon: the construction of a housing estate in Laon in the mid-1950s to accommodate 200 American families stationed at the nearby US Air Force base at Couvron. This housing estate, known as "Marquette-sous-Laon" or "Cité Marquette", was built in 1956. But why this name? Quite simply to pay tribute to a figure who left his mark on the history of both countries, Jacques Marquette. Born in Laon in 1637, he became a Jesuit priest and went to "New France" as a missionary, where he and his travelling companion Louis Jolliet discovered the source of the Mississippi River in 1673... And so it was that he became one of the leading figures in the young history of America, celebrated as he should be every year on 1st June - the day of his birth - with Marquette Day. So it was only natural that the authorities of the time chose this name to embody Franco-American friendship over the centuries. And it's just as natural that this tour will take you from the lower town, where the Marquette district still stands, to the upper part of Laon, where a Marquette stele is enthroned. So let's get going and follow in the footsteps of the most American of Laon's inhabitants!

ArrayYour Experience The Château de Pierrefonds is a remarkable medieval castle built in the 14th century that was dismantled in the 17th century. Napoleon III imagined this castle into reality and from the ruins arose the reinvented castle of Pierrefonds! Admire the medieval-style reconstruction adapted by Napolean’s trusted architect, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who breathed life into Naploean’s fantasy of turning this landmark to his French country home. Walk past the intricately-sculpted decors along with the quirky paintings that adorn the walls. As you stroll along the stone walkways, picture an active defense system in place: we’re talking creaking drawbridges, rakish invaders, and valiant knights on white horses! Head downstairs to the basements and lurk around the tombs that rest here. Did You Know: This castle was built in the 14th century, dismantled in the 17th century, and restored in the 19th century?

Enjoy a day full of fun and excitement at Park Asterix ! The Ancient Gauls can't wait to welcome you with a whole host of fun activities for guests of all ages. Fun and adventures are guaranteed. ENJOY A FUN AND EXCITING DAY OUT AT PARC ASTERIX! THIS DAY TICKET FOR PARC ASTERIX IS VALID FOR ANY DAY YOU WISH DURING THE WHOLE SEASON (SUBJECT TO THE OPENING DAYS).​ The Ancient Gauls are waiting to welcome you into their amazing world, with an array of fun rides and attractions for all ages. Asterix and his famous friends promise a day filled with laughter and adventures in this fantastic theme park! Young and old alike will enjoy discovering the world of Asterix, the most famous French comic-book hero. You will have a chance to explore the six themed areas of the park: Gaul, The Roman Empire, Greece, The Vikings, Egypt and Travel Through Time. You're bound to love the fun rides, including the famous "Menhir Express", "Zeus' Thunder" and the "Big Splash".

As if it were the Baie de Somme... Its 241 hectares, 60% of which are covered by water, offer visitors a patchwork of amazing landscapes located in the immediate vicinity of the Marne: ponds, reed beds, meadows and groves provide shelter and food for more than 225 species of birds, some of which are endangered in the region, and which are undoubtedly the most remarkable wealth of the reserve ... Exceptional for the fauna and flora it shelters, it is part of the Natura 2000 site "Les Boucles de la Marne". Not so long ago, the Grand-Voyeux Regional Nature Reserve was still a quarry, where conveyors extracted sand and gravel with a crunch of grains. Excavated in the 1970s, the cavities were gradually transformed into waterholes, quickly colonised by reeds and birds, thus allowing nature to take over. The Maison du Grand-Voyeux is open to the public two days a week, with the aim of helping visitors discover the Grand-Voyeux while preserving biodiversity and the balance of the ecosystems. A discovery trail and observatories allow visitors to discover the incredible landscapes of the site and the multitude of bird species that have found refuge there. Nature activities, workshops and thematic conferences are also organised regularly and free of charge (see programme online at www.maisondugrandvoyeux.fr). Managed by the Agence des espaces verts (AEV) of the Île-de-France Region since 1999, it was classified as a Regional Nature Reserve in 2012. A partner of the AEV, the Association pour la Valorisation des Espaces Naturels du Grand Voyeux is responsible for the scientific monitoring of the site and for certain activities.

VISIT CHANTILLY AND DISCOVER THE CHATEAU, PARK, AND STABLES THANKS TO THIS TICKET! VISIT CHANTILLY AND DISCOVER THE CHATEAU, PARK, AND STABLES THANKS TO THIS TICKET! Enjoy a visit to the Chantilly chateau. Listed as a hsitoric monument since 1988, visitors can learn all the secrets of the site. Equipped with an audio guide, explore the galleries of paintings and admire the 550 works on show thanks to the Duke of Aumale at the Conde museum. You will also have a chance to visit the appartments and see the decor. Visitors will also have access to the 115 hectare park and private gardens. Created by Andre Le Notre in the 17th century, the French gardens have many statues, fountains, and water mirrors. Discover the Hameau with its 5 small houses, as well as the English gardens with swans and aquatic birds. You might even see the park's kangaroos! Finally, you will be able to visit the stables, which date back to the 18th century, and access the horse museum.

The Domaine de Chantilly, one of the jewels in the crown of France's cultural heritage, which houses the intact treasures of a 19th century prince, Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale. The Domaine included the Castle and the park, the Horse Museum, Stables and Racetrack. 3 unique sites for an exceptional destination. Less than 30 minutes from Roissy, the Domaine de Chantilly, a jewel of French heritage, opens its doors to private and professional event organisers wishing to combine a prestigious setting, history, art and nature. Organise your evening at the largest princely estate in France.

An essential collection on the 1914-18 war. With a collection of nearly 70,000 objects and documents recounting daily and military life during the 1914-18 war, the Musée de la Grande Guerre (Great War Museum), which opened its doors on 11 November 2011 on the grounds of the First Battle of the Marne in Meaux, is Europe's largest museum on the First World War. Covering an area of 3,000 m², it features one of the richest and most diverse collections on the 1914-18 war in an attractive and innovative setting. The Musée de la Grande Guerre (Great War Museum) is the ideal place for a family visit. A veritable treasure trove of educational resources throughout the collection: see, hear, touch and handle.... A fun tour for visitors aged 5 and over: projections of archive images, reconstructions of trenches, a video space where 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 the conflict zones ... Several audio tours are available free of charge on your mobile phone or tablet, ask at the information desk for instructions.

A discovery tour around the Brie de Meaux AOP is waiting for you. Historical reenactments and tableaux will allow you discover more about the history of this famous cheese. You will discover the different steps in its making, from the milk harvest to the maturing in cellars. You will then learn about the current stakes for the Brie de Meaux AOP which is proudly represented by its Brotherhood. To top off this discovery, a tasting will be offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 am and at 04:00 pm by reservation. * We provide free booklets in English, Dutch, German, Spanish and Italian to accompany you on your visit to the Maison du Brie de Meaux.

Discover the city of Reims with the City Pass: unlimited transportation and free access to cultural and leisure activities! DISCOVER THE CITY OF REIMS WITH THE CITY PASS: UNLIMITED TRANSPORTATION AND FREE ACCESS TO CULTURAL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES! This pass offers you access to 18 tourist services for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Discover the list of free sites below with the Reims City Pass. You will notably be able receive: * Entry to the Tau Palace (recognised by UNSECO) * A guided visit in Reims Cathedral (recognisd by UNSECO) * A circuit of the city by bus with an audioguide * Reductions to visit the champagne caves and vineyard caves * Lots of other activites and reductions! You will be able to use the CITURA public transport (all bus and tramway lines in Reims included) without limit during your chosen time period. You will also be able to receive shopping discounts and discounts for different shows, trips and excursions in the surrounding vineyards. You will also be able to discover the largest wine cave of the whole region at a reduced price!

Experience an original tour lasting 2 hrs. 30 mins aboard a vintage Citroën car. Take advantage of this activity to discover the must-see sites of Reims in an original way and visit a cellar to taste some excellent champagne! TAKE A TRIP INTO THE PAST ABOARD A VINTAGE 2CV, THE ICONIC FRENCH AUTOMOBILE. Accompanied by your driver-guide, set off for a 2-hr-30-min ride through the town and country. Sit back and take in the major historical sites of Reims. From the car, you’ll be able to admire fine examples of the city’s rich heritage including the Reims Cathedral and Tau Palace, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Abbey of Saint-Remi, a registered historic monument, also lays on the tour circuit.  Your driver will then head out of town on the winding country roads that lead into the heart of the Champagne wine region. Take advantage of a visit to a local cellar to taste some excellent champagne! Make the most of this original trip to discover the “City of Kings” and Champagne Country!  

Enjoy a unique trip aboard an iconic 2CV vintage car to discover the best of Reims and the nearby countryside. It’s also the occasion to visit a cellar in the Champagne wine region and taste some of the excellent champagne! IN THE COMPANY OF YOUR DRIVER-GUIDE, SET OFF ON AN ORIGINAL 3-HR-30-MIN RIDE. ENJOY THIS FUN TOUR TO DISCOVER ESSENTIAL REIMS AND THE FAMOUS VINEYARDS OF CHAMPAGNE COUNTRY. From the car, you’ll be able to admire fine examples of the city’s rich heritage including the Reims Cathedral and Tau Palace, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Abbey of Saint-Remi, a registered historic monument, also lays on the tour circuit.  Your driver will then take you to meet a local winemaker, where you will visit the winery and cellar before tasting some of the champagne produced on-site! Make the most of this original trip to discover the “City of Kings” and the Champagne wine region! 

Situated in the valley of Clignon and Ourcq at the bottom of the Orxois, the town of Crouy sur Ourq offers its green and quiet surroundings. Moors and forest form the setting for the town's heritage gathered arround the church Saint-Cyr and Saint Julitte. The fortress which watched over the village since the 15th century has mostly been destroyed except the Donjon de Houssoy witness to the medieval past. It's summit offers a panoramic view over village and surroundings.

Built around 1390, this keep is a monumental reminder of Crouy-sur-Ourcq's medieval heritage. Nestling at the bottom of the valley and built at the height of the 100 Years' War, it is the finest jewel in the crown of the Ourcq Valley. To delimit their vast territory, the Counts of Valois built defensive fortresses, often ostentatiously to show off their power and wealth. On the border with the lands of the Counts of Champagne, it was strategic to build this keep on the banks of the River Ourcq from the end of the 14th century. You can discover this keep, the only one in northern Seine-et-Marne and listed as a Historic Monument in 1962, during the European Heritage Days, or take a look at it from the outside during a walk in Crouy-sur-Ourcq.

The military cemetery and war memorial were erected in memory of the French soldiers who died fighting for the capture of Etrépilly on 7 September 1914 during the Battle of the Ourcq (6-9 September 1914). The Battle of the Ourcq (or Battle of Multien) was part of the large-scale operation that was the First Battle of the Marne. This French counter-offensive halted the Germans' advance and forced them to retreat further north. In the Ourcq region, and more specifically on the Multien plateau, the communes of Etrépilly, Douy-la-Ramée, Marcilly, Puisieux, Vincy-Manoeuvre and Trocy-en-Multien were the scene of fierce fighting. A hiking trail will allow you to walk in the footsteps of the "poilus" [literally, "the hairy ones" - a term of endearment for the French infantry of World War I] and wander through the landscapes that were, almost 100 years, a huge battlefield.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste church from the XIV - XVIth century - Listed as a Historic Monument.

Palluel's main asset is the natural wealth that surrounds it. The lush green setting of its pond is an invitation to relax. Explore the narrow streets of the village and look for the boundary stones scattered around the foot of some of the buildings that once demarcated the village. Enter the cemetery to admire this 17th-century sandstone cross, the pride of the village. For a complete break from it all, Ecoland is a restaurant with a panoramic terrace overlooking the lake, and offers a wide choice of eco-friendly accommodation.

Built in 1920, this necropolis gathers together in one place the individual tombs dug right on the battlegrounds of the Meaux region in the aftermath of the First Battle of the Marne. Nearly 990 soldiers killed in 1914 are buried together here. 940 of them are still unknown. They have been buried together in 4 ossuaries. Half of the 341 individual graves are those of French soldiers killed between June and July 1918 during the Second Battle of the Marne in the north of the Seine-et-Marne department. Most of the men buried in the ossuaries are soldiers and officers from infantry troops, Zouaves regiments, and Moroccan and Algerian infantry regiments involved in the First Battle of the Marne. Many of the soldiers from mainland France who took part in the the Battle of the Marne, such as the men from Charles Péguy's regiment, the 276th Infantry Regiment, came from that region. Those of them who could be identified were then generally buried in a civil grave, in their village cemetery.

This historical landmark was the theater of violent battles between 6 and 9 September 1914. This important position, which had been taken by German general Von Kluck – who had installed his general staff there – had to be reconquered. After the First Battle of the Marne, Monseigneur Marbeau, bishop of Meaux, expressed his wish that the town of Meaux be spared and decided to build a commemorative monument on the very spot where the German advance was halted. This religious and patriotic monument was inaugurated in 1924 and was the site of numerous pilgrimages to celebrate the "Miracle of the Marne". The granite and cast-iron building depicts the Virgin Mary with the inscription "Thou shalt go no further".

On the road that connects the villages of Barcy and Varreddes, and in the immediate vicinity of the national necropolis in Chambry, a small cemetery houses the remains of German soldiers who fell during the 1914 Battle of the Marne. Built in 1924, this cemetery houses around 1030 bodies in a small area. This is because 998 of those soldiers (985 of whom are still unidentified) are buried in a mass grave. What's more, two to four German soldiers are buried under each of the crosses that line the cemetery. Military cemeteries are national territories. In the aftermath of the Great War, it was therefore important not to give up too much territory to the Germans.

As if it were the Baie de Somme... Its 241 hectares, 60% of which are covered by water, offer visitors a patchwork of amazing landscapes located in the immediate vicinity of the Marne: ponds, reed beds, meadows and groves provide shelter and food for more than 225 species of birds, some of which are endangered in the region, and which are undoubtedly the most remarkable wealth of the reserve ... Exceptional for the fauna and flora it shelters, it is part of the Natura 2000 site "Les Boucles de la Marne". Not so long ago, the Grand-Voyeux Regional Nature Reserve was still a quarry, where conveyors extracted sand and gravel with a crunch of grains. Excavated in the 1970s, the cavities were gradually transformed into waterholes, quickly colonised by reeds and birds, thus allowing nature to take over. The Maison du Grand-Voyeux is open to the public two days a week, with the aim of helping visitors discover the Grand-Voyeux while preserving biodiversity and the balance of the ecosystems. A discovery trail and observatories allow visitors to discover the incredible landscapes of the site and the multitude of bird species that have found refuge there. Nature activities, workshops and thematic conferences are also organised regularly and free of charge (see programme online at www.maisondugrandvoyeux.fr). Managed by the Agence des espaces verts (AEV) of the Île-de-France Region since 1999, it was classified as a Regional Nature Reserve in 2012. A partner of the AEV, the Association pour la Valorisation des Espaces Naturels du Grand Voyeux is responsible for the scientific monitoring of the site and for certain activities.

The Domaine de Chantilly, one of the jewels in the crown of France's cultural heritage, which houses the intact treasures of a 19th century prince, Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale. The Domaine included the Castle and the park, the Horse Museum, Stables and Racetrack. 3 unique sites for an exceptional destination. Less than 30 minutes from Roissy, the Domaine de Chantilly, a jewel of French heritage, opens its doors to private and professional event organisers wishing to combine a prestigious setting, history, art and nature. Organise your evening at the largest princely estate in France.

What could be more Far West than to come and eat Tex'N at the Étangs du Moulin restaurant! An environment we...

Located in a small village close to Laon, Camille's restaurant offers free parking and a...

Chez Jeannot is located in Etouvelles, and will be your stop on the road Laon - Soissons. A restaurant with...

Located on the medieval town's shopping street, this cosy Parisian bistro is a must!...

Home-made cuisine using fresh produce by a former butcher. Estaminet and brewery menus...

Our air-conditioned restaurant "Le Grill Winchester" welcomes you every day for lunch and dinner...

The Upper Town's rock/pop/metal concert bar with a warm ambience! A wide choice of beers ...