Paths of remembrance from the Great War

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.

Photos

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

1. S
   

   The Newfoundland Memorial at Beaumont-Hamel

   2.38 km 16 m 16 m

   A memorial hike in territory that became Canadian after the First World War, in tribute to the soldiers from the island of Newfoundland who were engaged here on the day the Battle of the Somme began (1 July 1916) and of whom the vast majority were killed or wounded. A moving, well-maintained route with well-preserved remains.

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2. 2
   

   The Thiepval Memorial and the Ulster Tower

   9.04 km 82 m 84 m

   A memorial hike through iconic sites of the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916). Several military cemeteries line the route, with the Ulster Tower and the imposing Franco-British memorial adding a solemn touch.

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3. 3
   

   Lochnagar Crater from La Boisselle

   2.37 km 21 m 21 m

   A short memorial hike to visit the most impressive mine crater of the Great War, the result of an explosion that took place on 1 July 1916, the day the Battle of the Somme began. A well-maintained memorial site with numerous information panels.

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4. 4
   

   Paths of memory in the Bois des Loges

   7.46 km 21 m 21 m

   The Bois des Loges was the scene of fierce fighting at the beginning and end of the First World War. Starting from the monument that pays tribute to the soldiers who fell in the area, as well as a stele in honour of a soldier who was shot there as an example, this hike, mainly through fields, retraces the painful history of these places.

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5. 5
   

   The two cemeteries of Vignemont and the Fontaine Saint-Pierre

   4.85 km 72 m 68 m

   Starting from two moving military cemeteries, French and German, built simultaneously and side by side in 1918, a short circular route passes by a fountain in the middle of the woods.

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6. 6
   

   Les carrières de Montigny

   8.73 km 116 m 114 m

   The spectacular Montigny quarries served as barracks for French soldiers during the First World War, who left their mark in the form of sculptures and graffiti. An association, La Machemontoise, is reviving these sites and organising visits. This hike takes you on foot to these quarries, mainly through woods, while exploring the heritage of the commune.

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7. 7
   

   Paths of memory in Tracy-le-Mont

   6.92 km 57 m 58 m

   Located less than two kilometres from the front line during the First World War, the village of Tracy-le-Mont saw many soldiers passing through on their way to the front and wounded soldiers returning. This memorial hike brings those difficult years back to life and passes through moving places such as the former temporary cemetery and the national necropolis that replaced it.

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8. 8
   

   Memory trails around Autrêches

   7.04 km 124 m 129 m

   During the First World War, the front line divided the commune of Autrèches in two! This memorial hike recounts the lives of the combatants on both sides as well as those of the inhabitants during those four difficult years.

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9. 9
   

   Paths of remembrance for those shot at Vingré

   5.43 km 64 m 64 m

   In December 1914, six French soldiers were shot as an example in the village of Vingré. This memorial hike retraces these events from the beginning of the First World War. The route is first marked by a transcription of the last letter written by these unfortunate men and by the sober monument that pays tribute to them. We pass by the Broken Cross, then the ruins of the Farm and the quarries of Confrécourt, all of which bear witness to the unprecedented violence of this war.

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10. 10
    

    The hillsides of the Aisne and the Guésot quarries

    10.23 km 103 m 96 m

    Starting from the village of Fontenoy, climb up to the plateau between fields and woods. The start of the descent is marked by the passage to the Guésot quarries, which served as barracks for French troops during the First World War. The end of the hike takes place in the Aisne valley and along the edge of ponds.

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11. 11
    

    A walk through Soissons through the ages

    7.36 km 21 m 25 m

    With a history stretching back two thousand years, the city of Soissons boasts a wide variety of architecture: Gallo-Roman ruins, Gothic abbeys and churches, Renaissance and Louis XIII pavilions, Art Deco buildings, and more. This urban hike invites you to discover this rich heritage! There are also several memorials in this city, which was on the front lines of the First World War.

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12. 12
    

    The villages of Chavignon and Vaudesson

    14.52 km 159 m 164 m

    A bucolic walk through fields, meadows and woods. A few rare remains and street names recall the tragic history of the two villages you pass through, their destruction during the First World War and their reconstruction. Route designed and maintained by the Val de l'Aisne Community of Municipalities.

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13. 13
    

    The Fort and Cemetery of La Malmaison

    13.02 km 219 m 215 m

    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.

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14. 14
    

    Craonne and the California Plateau

    12.17 km 141 m 144 m

    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.

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15. 15
    

    The Clairière de l'Armistice and Mont du Tremble

    20.07 km 109 m 105 m

    A memorial hike starting from a town steeped in history and in a forest that is equally steeped in history. The route alternates between forest paths (mostly), trails, including the one that allows you to "climb" Mont du Tremble, paths along the Aisne river and urban sections rich in heritage.

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16. 16
    

    The Mangin Tower and the Guards' Grave

    9.12 km 157 m 153 m

    The Retz Forest was the scene of intense fighting during the two battles of the Marne, in September 1914 and during the summer of 1918. Numerous monuments retrace this history, and this hike offers the opportunity to discover several of them, including a replica of a tall observation tower and a moving military cemetery. Starting from a pretty village with a charmingly simple church, the route is mainly through forest.

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17. 17
    

    The Van Vollenhoven monument and the Château-Fée hill

    10.48 km 91 m 84 m

    The Retz Forest was the scene of intense fighting during the two battles of the Marne, in September 1914 and during the summer of 1918. Numerous monuments retrace this history, and this hike, which starts at the foot of the ruins of Longpont Abbey, passes by a memorial built in 1938. Beech and pine forests, with beautiful fern undergrowth, await you on this mainly forest trail.

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18. 18
    

    The Ghosts of Butte Chalmon

    13.56 km 131 m 133 m

    Near the Ourcq Valley, on a hillock in the middle of fields, stands a monument commissioned to celebrate the victory of the Second Battle of the Marne but which, instead of glorifying the victors, pays tribute to those who died or went missing in the Great War. This work by sculptor Paul Landowski is the main destination of this memorial hike. Three beautiful churches, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, complete the picture.

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19. 19
    

    The Charles Péguy Memorial

    16.30 km 122 m 129 m

    A memorial hike, covering the sites where the Battle of Ourcq was launched on 5 September 1914 and where the poet Charles Péguy was killed in action. The route mostly follows cultivated plains, offering the chance to spot hares and deer.

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20. 20
    

    The Moroccan Brigade Trail

    7.59 km 100 m 101 m

    Designed and developed by the municipality of Chauconin-Neufmontiers, this route pays tribute to the Moroccan soldiers who fought on the very spot where they were engaged in the early days of the Battle of Ourcq, from 5 September 1914, on the western front of the Battle of the Marne. A short memorial hike, mostly in woodland with extensive views over the cultivated plain dotted with a few witness mounds.

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21. 21
    

    The battlefields of the Ourcq

    17.41 km 112 m 112 m

    This route takes in places of remembrance that were the scene of fierce fighting during the Battle of Ourcq from 5 to 10 September 1914, at the start of the Battle of the Marne. The hike is mostly on cultivated plains, with a few sections in woodland.

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22. 22
    

    The Champfleury Farm and the banks of the Thérouanne

    13.82 km 77 m 77 m

    A hike on both banks of the River Thérouanne, in places where fierce fighting took place during the Battle of Ourcq (September 1914). A rich heritage along the way: mills, farmhouses, a castle, a chapel, a church, etc.

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23. 23
    

    The Butte de Doue and the Forest of Choqueuse

    17.05 km 64 m 61 m

    The Butte de Doue rises above the Plateau Briard and offers extensive views. With its 13th-century church, it is the central feature of this hike, which also includes a route through cultivated plains and along streams and a circular loop through the forest. There are many possible variations.

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24. 24
    

    The Saint-Gond Marshes

    8.71 km 38 m 34 m

    This hike allows you to explore a natural environment that is generally difficult to access, thanks to a well-maintained path between wet meadows and some beautiful viewpoints. A "nature" hike where the former Abbey of Saint-Gond adds a touch of heritage.

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25. 25
    

    The Crête des Éparges

    8.03 km 175 m 174 m

    A memorial hike on a site where very deadly battles took place between February and April 1915, considered by some historians to be a prelude to the Battle of Verdun (nearby), which was triggered a year later. Several monuments and numerous remains mark the route, including impressive craters left by huge explosions.

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26. 26
    

    The tour of Roc du Taurupt via Haut de Chaumont

    10.44 km 291 m 291 m

    A hike at the foot of the highest point in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, in a mainly forest setting, far from the crowds and the beaten track. A moving visit to the graves of German soldiers from the First World War.

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27. E
    

    Tête des Faux and Duchesne Cemetery from Col du Calvaire

    7.25 km 160 m 164 m

    A memorial hike to a small peak that was the scene of violent clashes in 1914-1915, traces of which are still visible on the ground. Along the way, you will pass the very moving Duchesne Cemetery located in the middle of the forest.

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