Northeast France HiddenExploring the Western Front and beyond in Meuse, Aisne, Somme and Pas-de-Calais INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION "For this tour, we trace the Western Front with one Discover four of the best eye on history and the other on pure holiday pleasure" From battlefields to beautiful countryside, splendid architecture and great food, the northeast has it all In Pas-de-Calais (Hauts-de- France), the now-obsolete mining industry has yielded to fresh, Visiting Meuse, Aisne, Somme passionate, knowledgeable tour futuristic projects such as the new and Pas-de-Calais – four diverse, guides to tech-driven interactive Louvre-Lens museum. fascinating and very welcoming displays, each demands our time Aisne (Hauts-de-France) has départements in France’s northeast and attention. architectural beauties to rival any in corner that served as grisly, Western In terms of Remembrance, the France, from Art Deco gems in Saint- Front theatres of war from 1914 to 2018 centenary of the Armistice Quentin to Laon’s medieval streets 1918 – means so much more than may have attracted huge numbers and Gothic cathedral; and paying your respects to brave of visitors, but the moral obligation in the Somme, just take a stroll soldiers from all sides (and many to remember the lost continues at around Amiens’s lively Saint-Leu innocent French residents) killed, impeccably-maintained, intimate quarter on a warm summer’s wounded or missing during the cemeteries and colossal, landscape- evening or witness the cathedral’s Great War. redefining memorials. astonishing light show for a truly Verdun in Meuse (Grand Est) However, beyond the battlefields life-enhancing experience. and Somme (Hauts-de-France) and memorials, life today in this For this, our south-to-north are household names for visitors part of France goes on with a spring tour of the towns, villages, because of the battles that took in its step. Just as, post-World War landscapes, museums and key place here, and there are many One, the forests were replanted – on war sites of the four départements, stories to honour. soil scorched and scarred by endless we trace the Western Front with one Museums play a key role in each shelling and artillery fire – so the eye on history and the other on pure département, offering humbling regions also move forward with Clockwise from top left: A spectacular aerial holiday pleasures: slow tourism, view from the belfry in Arras; Amiens Cathedral glimpses into the endurance of their rich cultural, culinary and celebrates its 800th anniversary this year; war green escapes, city break ideas, fun the human spirit in the face of tourist offerings. artefacts displayed at the impressive Caverne du activities, superb gastronomy and atrocity and destruction. From Visit Meuse in summertime, Dragon in Aisne; one of many Art Deco details to art and history galore, plus great be spotted in Saint-Quentin; enjoy a stylish stay M HARMEL; R LE BIDEAU; HORIZON BLEU; S CAMBON; LA PEYLOUSE; H BALESSE BLEU; S CAMBON; LA PEYLOUSE; HORIZON M HARMEL; R LE BIDEAU; small, personal collections of when golden wheatfields and bright places to stay. © at the Belle-Époque Manoir de la Peylouse near wartime memorabilia to behemoth, yellow mirabelle plums are all Béthune, Pas-de-Calais; the American First World For the true Francophile, the IMAGES IMAGES state-of-the-art historials, and from sunshine and regrowth. War cemetery at Belleau in Aisne rewards are rich and many... 2 3 MEUSE MEUSE The magic of Meuse As a starting point, the town of Bar-le-Duc is hard to beat. Providing a majestic step back to the 16th century, this quaint, quiet and easy- on-the-eye former capital of the Monument américain aux morts Duchy of Bar has some of the most de Pennsylvanie in Varennes-en- beautifully preserved Renaissance Argonne (built in 1927). The Argonne architecture in France. In its upper Museum in Varennes currently has town, look up at the pediments an excellent collection of World and gargoyles peering down onto War One 3D images on display the rue des Ducs de Bar, then head (seven hours’ worth!), while the to the stunning place Saint-Pierre town’s clock tower is notable, too. to admire the Gothic style and Meuse is a true gem for lovers of Clockwise from above: The peace Here, King Louis XVI and Marie and tranquillity of the open road in Renaissance details of Saint-Étienne the French countryside, and getting Meuse make for a delightful driving Antoinette were nabbed in June 1791 church. Inside, spot two major around by car is a delight – you are experience; art-spotting in the Vent by Revolutionaries after fleeing Paris. sculptural works by Ligier Richier more likely to see a tractor than a des Forêts; the Fort de Douaumont; A must-see close by is the – Lorraine’s greatest Renaissance car on most of the country roads. the area's emblematic poppies; the Romagne 14-18 museum, where mirabelle plum is a juicy Meuse icon; in artist – one of which is Transi de toast or to accompany foie gras. former courthouse that now Bar-le-Duc, redcurrant jam is prepared Dutchman Jean-Paul de Vries has René de Chalon, a striking skeletal En route from Bar-le-Duc to houses exhibitions, or the amazing Remembrance in Meuse by hand using a goose feather to gathered an eclectic collection representation of a tormented soul Saint-Mihiel (about 35km), make a Benedictine library upstairs in the In September 1914, with Meuse in remove the pips; the town is brimming of war artefacts, including many dating from 1547. stop at Vent des Forêts, an outdoor former Abbey. Of its 8,780 volumes, the front line, German forces pushed with eye-catching architectural detail weapons from the local area, which from the Renaissance period The juicy, yellow mirabelle plum contemporary art hub in the forest 74 are manuscripts dating from the 20km beyond French defences near he first visited on holiday as a is an iconic fruit in Meuse and you with trails of varying lengths. It is ninth to the 16th centuries. Saint-Mihiel to form what became child. The collection depicts daily can find it in umpteen guises – in perfect for those with an appetite The town is also a handy base for known as the Saint-Mihiel salient life for a soldier in an area that desserts, jam, liqueur... Another for combining a walk with wide- outdoors pursuits – kayak along the (‘bulge’ or land that juts out). Monument, 377m up on the Butte witnessed vicious and prolonged fruity delight to sample in Bar-le- eyed wonder. Meuse river from here or at nearby This scene of fierce fighting is de Montsec). fighting. The charming café next Duc is the luxurious confiture de Once in Saint-Mihiel, enjoy more Lake Madine, or ride a hired bike today marked by remaining trenches, Among many other door offers pause for reflection and groseilles, made lovingly by hand spectacular Ligier Richier works, along the new EuroVelo 19 route. If dug and inhabited by both sides. commemorative sites in this part refreshment. Leaving Argonne and (the redcurrant seeds are removed including The Entombment, a set you have a flat, the tourist office can Franco-US forces finally liberated of Meuse are the Meuse-Argonne heading southeast, you reach the MICHEL PETIT; GUILLAUME RAMON; JAN VETTER, FOTOWORX.DE; GIL GIUGLIO VETTER, FOTOWORX.DE; RAMON; JAN GUILLAUME MICHEL PETIT; using a goose feather!). This ‘fruit of 13 characters cut in limestone help – they have an ‘accueil cycliste’ it in September 1918 (lost US American Cemetery; the battle- Verdun battlefield, scene of © caviar’, favoured by Alfred blocks in Saint-Étienne church. service and will pump up your tyres troops are commemorated at the scarred hill at Butte de Vauquois the longest battle of all, from IMAGES IMAGES Hitchcock himself, can be used on Elsewhere, don’t miss the splendid for free! immaculate Montsec American (a village razed in 1915); and the February to December 1916. For 4 5 EYEBROW AISNE and see a 155mm gun turret, pay tribute to these tragic ‘ghost A sparkling adventure in Aisne barracks, historical films, villages’. If visiting the area photographs and use detailed in summer, try to catch Des multimedia guides. Over 600 Flammes à la lumière. This full- Germans are buried here. cast light and sound spectacular Finally, witness the sacrifice of has over 300 actors and is run French communities during the war by the Connaissance de la Meuse at one of nine ‘destroyed villages’. Association. The narrative follows Places such as Beaumont- life from the trenches to post- en-Verdunois, Fleury-devant- war and its themes of hope and Douaumont and Haumont-près- reconciliation chime nicely with Samogneux were obliterated modern day Verdun. Translation by shelling and lost forever. headsets are available. Plaques and memorial chapels www.tourisme-meuse.com Eat and sleep... From top: American troops are commemorated at the moving and immaculately-maintained Montsec Memorial; a detail from the superb Ligier Richier sculpture inside the Saint-Étienne church in Saint-Mihiel an all-round perspective, visit a Aisne produces 10 per cent of all champagne – enjoy tastings, tours and vineyard visits at producers such as Météyer clutch of four sites locally. First, the brilliantly-conceived Verdun Leaving Meuse and heading west, depictions of oxen, whose efforts Mississippi River Valley in the US. Memorial museum offers a concise then north, on the A4/A26 you reach in lugging the limestone up the hill Around 45km north of Laon is historical background to the war; the historic town of Laon, one of the for the cathedral’s construction are Saint-Quentin, whose resurrection a replica (noises and all) of the 1916 Enjoy a pampered stay at the stunning Château des Monthairons Aisne département’s showstoppers, honoured.