The best traffic-free bike rides around Avaux

This memorial stone, located on the Plateau de Californie above the old Craonne, commemorates the fierce fighting of April-May 1917 during the Nivelle Offensive. It stands on the spot where the French army suffered heavy losses in the battle against the German defenses. The stone also pays tribute to the destroyed village of Craonne, which was not rebuilt after the war. The site is closely linked to the famous “Chanson de Craonne”, the pacifist song of the French soldiers

On the eastern edge of the Chemin des Dames plateau lies the Ferme d’Hurtebise, a place that played a crucial role during both the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War. In 1814, it was the scene of the Battle of Craonne, and exactly a century later it again became a strategic junction in the struggle between French and German troops. From September 1914 onwards, fierce fighting took place here. The farm overlooked the Ailette and Aisne valleys, making it a fiercely contested observation post. French units, including Zouaves and the 12th and 49th Infantry Regiments, tried to hold or retake the farm, often with heavy losses. The family that owned the farm sheltered in the cellar for days while the building was under fire. After months of fighting and bombardment, the farm was reduced to ruins, crisscrossed by trenches. Today the site is a symbol of resistance and sacrifice, and is part of the Chemin des Dames memorial landscape.

very interesting audio tour

Children's games, benches and trash cans

Today there is a beautiful resting place at the foot of the vineyards.

The Prieuré Saint-Marcoul de Corbeny is a former Benedictine monastery located in Corbeny, in the Aisne department. It was founded at the beginning of the 10th century and played an important role in the religious and political history of the region. The monastery was founded by Charles III the Simple, who granted asylum to monks from Nanteuil in Normandy during the Norman invasions. These monks brought with them the relics of Saint Marcoul, which were known for their healing powers. The relics attracted pilgrims, including kings of France who came to Corbeny after their coronation in Reims to receive the healing power of the relics. The monastery was closed in 1790 during the French Revolution. Despite its closure, the Prieuré Saint-Marcoul remains an important historical and cultural monument in the region.

Church of Saint-Quentin de Corbeny, in Romanesque style and rebuilt after the war of 1914-1918. It preserves the relics of Saint Marcoul. This church is usually always open (during the day). This was something that someone spontaneously told me when I crossed the village.

Église Saint-Crépin-et-Saint-Crépinien is a church in Bouconville-Vauclair, dedicated to Saints Crépin and Crépinien, the patron saints of shoemakers. The church was built in the 13th century in Gothic style and has a square tower with a pointed arch portal. The church has been a historical monument since 1920 and contains some interesting works of art, such as a 16th-century wooden altarpiece, a 12th-century stone baptismal font and a 15th-century painted stained glass window.