Follow our hiking trails and historic routes to immerse yourself into the History of the First World War. www.musee-territoire-1418.com MUSÉE TERRITOIRE 14-18 < AISNE & OISE < HAUTS-DE-FRANCE PICTOGRAMS 13 WALKS WWI Interpretation Centre Interpretive centre 14-18 Military construction Military construction Quarry Quarry Military cemetery Military cemetery Remembrance village Remembrance village Memorial Memorial Memory garden Memory garden Remains Remains Museum Museum Tourist Office Tourist Office 1 THE BOIS DES LOGES ROUTE I 6-7 CRAPEAUMESNIL 2 HISTORICAL CIRCUIT I 8-9 THIESCOURT 3 THE CITÉ SAINT-GOBAIN I 10-11 THOUROTTE 4 FIRST GERMAN VILLAGE ON THE ROAD TO PARIS I 12-13 CHIRY-OURSCAMP 5 FOLLOWING THE PATHS OF THE GREAT WAR I 14-15 TRACY-LE-MONT 6 NAMPCEL AND THE GERMAN ARMY I 16-17 NAMPCEL 7 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FRENCH SOLDIERS I 18-19 VIC-SUR-AISNE 8 GENERAL MANGIN'S OBSERVATION TOWER I 20-21 FORÊT DE RETZ 9 THE CHALMONT MOUND I 22-23 OULCHY-LE-CHÂTEAU 10 THE FOUNTAIN SAINT-OUEN I 24-25 CHIVRES-VAL 11 EXPLORING THE CHEMIN DES DAMES I 26-27 AIZY-JOUY 12 THE LOST VILLAGES TOUR I 28-29 CHEMIN DES DAMES 13 THE POSTMAN’S PATH I 30-31 0 5 10 Mi BOUCONVILLE-VAUCLAIR 0 5 10 Km © www.jbcarto.com 23 THE FRONT FROM THE AISNE TO THE OISE 1914 April 16th-25th: Nivelle Offensive June: Battles of the Ru de Retz August 3rd: Germany declares on the Chemin des Dames and the Savière on the outskirts war on France. which ends in failure with very of the Forest of Retz. heavy losses (around 300,000 August 30th: The Germans French soldiers killed or June 1st: The Germans reach surge into the Oise and Aisne missing). First use of tanks Château-Thierry. departments. by the French army. June 9th: Beginning of the September 5th-9th: First Battle May 4th-5th: The French offensive Battle of the Matz to counter of the Marne, violent clashes resumed on the Chemin the 4th German offensive in the Forest of Retz. des Dames with the capture between Montdidier and of Craonne and the Plateau Noyon towards Compiègne. Mid-September: Withdrawal de Californie eastward. of the German forces to the right July 15th-July 31st: German bank of the Aisne river, beginning May 5th-6th: Fighting at the offensive known as “Frieden- of the “race to the sea”, stabilisation Laffaux mill on the Chemin sturm” (the Peace Offensive) of the front line and first trenches. des Dames. which should make it possible to cross the Marne and march September 12th-30th: First Battle End of May - end of June: on Paris. The Second Battle of the Chemin des Dames. Mutinies in the French army of the Marne begins. at Chemin des Dames and at End of September: Front line the rear (mutinies in Cœuvres). July 18th: Counter-offensive / COMDESIMAGES TOURISME © OISE set for a period of 30 months known as the Villers-Cotterêts between the Somme and October 23rd-26th: Battle of counter-offensive led by General the Chemin des Dames. La Malmaison: the Chemin Mangin over a 45-kilometres PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR HIKERS des Dames returns to the French long frontline from Soissons Hiking charter: 1915 at the end of the month. to Château-Thierry. Tank and air Marking of the trails January 8th-13th: Battle of Crouy, support are crucial. Respect nature, avoid excessive picking flowers known as the “Soissons Affair”. 1918 and pick up your rubbish Fédération Française March 21st: Beginning of the August 4th: The Château-Thierry de Randonnée Respect other users, the paths are not for one June 6th-16th: Battle German offensive in Picardy: barrier is removed. of Quennevières. battles of Noyon, Mont-Renaud person’s use only and Plémont. August 10th: Beginning of the Stay on the paths and use extreme caution 1916 final French offensive in the Oise when crossing roads The year 1916 was marked by April 6th-9th: German attack department. GR GRdP PR the Franco-British offensive from the Saint-Gobain forest Keep your dog on a lead nd Right on the Somme and the German and French withdrawal to September 2 : Liberation of offensive on Verdun, while the the South of the Ailette river. the Oise, the first department When changing route, respect the markings direction Aisne and Oise departments to return to French control. which take precedence over the route were temporarily spared. May 27th-28th: Lightning description in this booklet offensive by the Germans September 29th: The Hindenburg Change April 13th: First French gas on the Chemin des Dames, Line is crossed in the Aisne A few recommendations: of direction attack tests at Quennevières. capture of Soissons, Fère- department by Anglo-American Choose a hiking trail that suits your abilities en-Tardenois and pocket formed forces. Wrong 1917 between the Ourcq and the Wear clothes and shoes suitable for walking th direction February-March: German Marne as far as Château-Thierry. November 9 : Proclamation Make sure you have enough food and water retreat to the Hindenburg Line of the Weimar Republic and for the longest hiking trails to shorten the front May 31st: First engagement of abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. (Alberich operation). French light tanks (Renault FT 17) towards Chaudun. Captain d’Avout November 11th: Armistice Other hikes in the area: April 6th: The United States commanded the last cavalry signed in the clearing of In the Oise department: https://www.oisetourisme.com/pied [in French] enters the war alongside France charge of the French army between Rethondes in the Forest In the Aisne department: www.randonner.fr [in French] and its allies. Chaudun and Berzy-le-Sec. of Compiègne. 45 1 THE BOIS DES LOGES ROUTE CRAPEAUMESNIL 6 km Bois des Loges memorial Level : Easy 1h45 43 m 3.7 mi P area, Crapeaumesnil Thanks to the historical 1 The route starts in front of the memorial. Take the path panels installed along parallel to the edge of the “Bois des Loges”. the 6 km (3.7 mi) walk, discover the history of 2 At the junction of the two trails, take the right hand lane the “Bois des Loges” in the direction of the “Bois des Loges”. during the gruelling period of trench warfare 3 When you meet the road, follow it in the direction of Canny- from 1914 to 1917. sur-Matz. 4 Before entering the village of Canny-sur-Matz, turn left on the path leading to the woods. 5 Arriving at the “Bois de Canny”, turn left and follow the edge. 6 At the junction with the road, cross it with caution and rejoin the opposite path. Continue until you reach the “Bois de l'Eperon” crossroads. COLL. D. GUÉNAFF D. COLL. © 7 Continue in the same direction to the village of Fresnières. Ruined church of Crapeaumesnil, 1915 8 When you reach the main road, called ”la Grande Rue”, turn left and continue until you reach the crossroads with the From September 1914, the D142 departmental road. French and German armies 9 At the crossroads, turn right and follow the D142 for 200 m tried to overtake each other (220 yd). At the cemetery, take the path on your left. towards the north-west where 0 0,5 1Mi the front line was not yet set. 10 Back on the path you started on, turn right to reach the 0 0,5 1Km 100 m This was the beginning memorial area. © 80 m www.jbcarto.com 60 m of the “Race to the Sea”. 40 m 20 m 0 m Between Beuvraignes and 0 Km 1 Km 2 Km 3 Km 4 Km 5 Km 6 Km 7 Km 8 Km Fresnières, some deadly Shelter with the bust of Kaiser Wilhelm II watching over german soldiers,1915 fighting took place until the Germans captured Crapeaumesnil. Not far away from the village, the “Bois des Loges” was strongly occupied by the French in October 1914. In fact, they blocked the access to Compiègne and Paris. This position remained unchanged until the German retreat in March 1917. COLL. D. GUÉNAFF D. COLL. CCPS CCPS © © Memorial © An Infantryman’s Silhouette 67 2 HISTORICAL CIRCUIT THIESCOURT 8,5 km Church square, Level : Medium 2h10 137 m 5.3 mi P Thiescourt Discover the Thiescourt 1 The walk starts at the church of Thiescourt. Go around the forest, known as Picardy’s building and take the path on the right between the new and Little Switzerland. The the old civil cemeteries. After walking along the pastures, 8.5 km (5.3 mi) walk unveils turn right to go down towards a small road. Cross the trail a multitude of historical and take the path opposite to cross the brook knows as “de remains and remarkable la Broyette”. Continue on the path until you reach the road. treasures, including former stone quarries 2 Turn left and follow the verge along the D82 departmental that served as a refuge road to the “Croix du Tilleul” crossroads. At the crossroads, for soldiers on both sides. turn onto the stone path on the right. 3 In mid-September 1914, the At the end of the path, turn left towards the massif and front was set at Thiescourt. continue in the same direction on the north side of the forest The village would be divided to reach the top of the “Bois de Loermont” hill. in two parts for almost 30 months. Gradually, the villagers in the 4 Cross the road in order to meet a path 30 m (33 yd) further French part were evacuated, on the left that leads to the hamlet of “L'Ecouvillon”.