Château-Thierry and Champagne vines
On the banks of the Marne, Château-Thierry saw the birth of Jean de La Fontaine, whose childhood home can be visited. But it is also an unexpected gateway to Champagne: nearly 10% of the vineyard lies in the Aisne. A tasting with a winemaker in the Marne valley, between Charly and Chézy, makes for a sparkling date, to be extended with lunch overlooking the UNESCO-listed slopes.
Chemin des Dames and Saint-Gobain forest
North of Soissons, the Chemin des Dames, a key site of 1917 memory, follows a ridge from which the view stretches to the horizon. The Dragon’s Cave, a museum set in a former quarry, tells the lives of soldiers underground. Nearby, the Saint-Gobain state forest, a green cathedral, hides abbeys and ponds. You walk slowly, you speak of important things.
Thiérache and fortified churches
To the east, the Thiérache spreads its rolling hedgerows where some sixty fortified churches, built in brick in the 16th century, raise their stocky towers against invasions. Vervins, Plomion or Parfondeval, listed among the most beautiful villages, offer lovely stops. On Lyad, Aisne residents share their favourite villages: it is up to you to find someone to push the door of one.
Date ideas
- Château-Thierry
- Marne Valley
- Champagne Vineyards
- Hautvillers
- Chemin des Dames
- Saint-Gobain
- Thiérache