Aisne: Chemin des Dames, Laon's Hilltop, and Fortified Churches
Aisne saw some of the fiercest fighting of World War I. The Chemin des Dames ridge, scene of a disastrous French offensive in 1917 that led to widespread mutinies, runs through the department. The Caverne du Dragon (Dragon's Lair), a quarry used as an underground barracks by both sides, is now a museum. Laon, the prefecture, sits on an isolated hilltop with a cathedral whose towers once featured life-sized stone oxen.
Saint-Quentin, the largest town, was an important textile centre. Soissons has medieval ruins and was repeatedly fought over throughout French history. Chateau-Thierry is the birthplace of Jean de La Fontaine, author of the Fables. The department has about 526,000 residents. The Thiérache, in the north, has fortified churches built to withstand the raids and invasions that plagued this border region for centuries.
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Aisne saw some of the fiercest fighting of World War I. The Chemin des Dames ridge, scene of a disastrous French offensive in 1917 that led to widespread mutinies, runs through the department. The Caverne du Dragon (Dragon's Lair), a quarry used as an underground barracks by both sides, is now a museum. Laon, the prefecture, sits on an isolated hilltop with a cathedral whose towers once featured life-sized stone oxen.
Saint-Quentin, the largest town, was an important textile centre. Soissons has medieval ruins and was repeatedly fought over throughout French history. Chateau-Thierry is the birthplace of Jean de La Fontaine, author of the Fables. The department has about 526,000 residents. The Thiérache, in the north, has fortified churches built to withstand the raids and invasions that plagued this border region for centuries.
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