Refine your search for walks in Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames walks
Craonne and the California Plateau
Visorando Member
7.56 mi
+463 ft
-472 ft
3h 55
Moderate
Departure from Bouconville-Vauclair (Aisne)
On one of the sites of the ill-fated Chemin des Dames offensive of April 1917, this route is mainly through forest but with clear passages offering superb views that give an understanding of how perilous the operation was. The route through the site of the former village of Craonne, which was razed to the ground under a barrage of artillery fire, is particularly moving. The remains of Vauclair Abbey provide a beautiful heritage-filled end to the walk.
The Fort and Cemetery of La Malmaison
8.09 mi
+719 ft
-705 ft
4h 20
Moderate
Departure from Aizy-Jouy (Aisne)
Between fields and woods, a hike in the western sector of the ill-fated Chemin des Dames offensive of April 1917. Several memorial sites invite reflection on the absurdity of the massacres that wars cause.
Paths of remembrance from the Great War
168.59 mi
+9,327 ft
-9,308 ft
27 days
Moderate
Departure from Beaumont-Hamel (Somme)
This list includes several hikes that pay tribute to soldiers of all nationalities who fought in the First World War. More than a century later, certain remnants still bear witness to the appalling conditions in which they lived. In the list, these hikes are classified according to the front line, from north to south and then from west to east.
Walks near Chemin des Dames
Bouconville-Laon
14.32 mi
+669 ft
-663 ft
7h 10
Difficult
Departure from Bouconville-Vauclair (Aisne)
The twenty-fifth stage from the Jura to Hauts-de-France via the Francigena. After passing through the village of Neuville-sur-Ailette, you enter the Domaine du Lac d’Ailette. From every angle, this expanse soothes with the serenity it exudes. Then, the further you go, the more clearly you can make out the silhouette of “the crowned city”, visible for miles around. You arrive in Laon, the departmental capital, with its “airy” cathedral and its numerous openings in the towers, its Templar chapel and its church with the Dutch name Sint Martinus kerk. You will also discover the imposing former episcopal palace as well as the fortifications with their strange leaning tower.