Must see sites

Close by the norman church are the "Remarkable gardens". The Four Seasons garden celebrates the grace of roses, hardy plants and light grasses. Study the perspectives at the entrance to the English Garden and test your knowledge in its range of rare shrubs. See the Romantic and Wilder Gardens with their streams, waterfalls designed by Varé, and a vast collection of viburnum and geraniums... Blessed is such a prodigious nature !

Godin dreamt of an ideal society and embodied this in the “Palais social”, a project on the scale of a classless Versailles. Built in the 19th century in Guise, this housing estate with a difference offered accommodation that was exceptional for its time, as well as allotments, a theatre, schools, a washroom, swimming-pool and several pavilions… Godin left no stone unturned as he strove to ensure that his workers had everything they needed.

Phone : +33 3 23 61 35 36 / mail : accueil@familistere.com

Soissons abbey is a treasure that houses other treasures… Standing tall above the erstwhile capital of France, it is one of the Middle Age’s richest abbeys. Pause to admire its superb façade, followed by the refectory and the cloister. Venture inside and learn about the techniques that were used to build the Gothic vaulted ceilings !

Phone : +33 3 23 53 17 37 / mail : officedetourisme@agglo-soissonnais.com

On the Chemin des Dames, the Dragon’s Lair, a former limestone quarry located nearly 50 feet below ground, offers a poignant insight into the lives of soldiers during the Great War. Through sound, image and archive documents, visitors discover far below the front line what daily life must have been like for the troops.

Phone : +33 3 23 25 14 18 / mail : caverne@aisne.fr

Saint-Quentin is a city of art and history, offering amazing alchemy, such is the diversity of its heritage. Take this opportunity to enjoy a tour full of mystery and emotion. Explore the labyrinth of galleries that run nearly 30 feet beneath the rue Saint-André... a remarkable site whose original purpose remains an enigma. Back above ground, clim the steps to the basilica and enjoy an unforgettable panoramix tour, over 100 feet above street level. 

Phone :  + 33 3 23 67 05 00 / mail : tourisme@saint-quentin.fr

Through is city gates, enter Laon's majestic old town, the jewel on the hilltop. One thousand enthraling years of history await you from the depths of the underground passages with their many legends to the vertiginous cathedral rooftops, via the fortifications of the medieval town.

Phone : + 33 3 23 20 28 62 / mail : info@tourisme-paysdelaon.com

From high on its rocky spur, the ruined castle of Coucy is massive. Let guides tell you the history of this impressive historic monument ! Medieval fairs, historic reconstruction, sound and light shows… Don’t miss the many events that regularly revive the life of the castle.

Phone : + 33 3 23 52 71 28 / mail : coucy@monuments-nationaux.fr

“A leafy hollow with its gurgling stream” (English trans. of poem by Arthur Rimbaud). The hillside village of Condé-en-Brie is a peaceful haven on the Champagne Tourist Route, just perfect for nature lovers.

Dating from Gallo-Roman times, the village of traditional houses has a population of 600 and is home to a real gem, the “château of Condé, a princely residence”. This listed building belongs to the Pasté de Rochefort family who live in it, maintain it and open it to the public. Throughout the year it is used for receptions, functions and weddings and tourists may also tour the château and its grounds.

Phone : +33 3 23 82 42 25 / mail : contact@chateaudeconde.fr