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MICHELIN ILLUSTRATED GUIDES 
II^aI fO THE BATTLEFIELDS (1914-1918) 




SOISSONS 



BEFORE AND DURING THE WAR 




HICHELIN & Ci» —I CLERMONT 
MICHEUK TYRE C" L"i - «ii, Fulhiim Road, 
MICHELIN TIRE Co _ MILLTOWN, N 



AND 

KDON, S. W 
|., U. S. A. 



Ii3K 




OfotttcU UttttJcrattg ffiihracg 



lltt)aca, UStm ^orh 



BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE 

JACOB H. SCHIFF 

ENDOWMENT FOR THE PROMOTION 

OF STUDIES IN 

HUMAN CIVILIZATION 

1918 





Date Due 




M i i '/ j"0 


n iQqn 






1 MMi^a 








"T"TO 








































































































































































Key to Arbitrary Signs 



ISiii^ Comfortable hotels, with modern, 
or modernised installation. 
ish Well-manaeed hotels. 
[CC] Central Heating 
[l] Electric Light. 
[B] Bath-room. 
[WC] Modem W. C's. 
® i- 09 Telephone Number. 

[ 'Accommodation for auto- 
Shed [30] \ mobiles, and the number 
Shelter [201 / °'^ ^^^^ which can be 
V put up. • 



COMPBESSEO AIR 



' Depdt for * bou- 
Ifeill^ <l'air Mi- 
I chelin * for infla- 
.. tioD of tsrrei. 



f1^ Repair shop. 
Agl Manufacturer s' agent. 
[20] Garage and number of can it 
will hold. ^ 

[U] IhBpection pit. 
[Ej PetroKgasoline) can be obtained 
here. 
[E"] Accumulators can be recharged 
here. 



HOTELS 



iSldSI de U Croix d'Or, 25-27, rut Salnl-Chrlilophe, [CCJ [L] [B] [WC] Shelter [20] 
lU]®t,09. 
fljLB du Lion Rouge, /. rue de la Gars and 2, rue JesCharlins (near place A la 
RipubUque), [CC] [L] [B] [WC] Shed [30] [Ul. 



MOTOR-AGENTS 



*r^ STOCK MICHELIN {COmPRESSEO AIR) Auto - Garace Soinonnaia 
(L. Reaee), //, rue da Feuillants. Agl for : de Dion, Renault, Philoi, [20] 
[U] [E] ©70. ' 

— STOCK MICHELIN {COH/IPRESSED AIR) Papol, 96, baaleoard Jeanne. 

iArc. Agtfor.: Peugeot, Berliet, Brasier. [10] [Ul [E] [E"] ® 4-14. 

— Ch. L, Beck, Engineer (Garage Modeme), 55, aoenue de la Care. [80] [U] 

[E][E"]. 

— Faivre, 7, rue du College and 8, rue du Gineral-Pille. Agl for : Peugeot, [25] 
■, tE][E"]. 



17he abooe information dates from ^XCarcfi ht. J9I9, and matf no longer 
be exact when it meets the reqders eye. 'Courisis are therefore recommended to consult 
the latest edition of the * JlXichelin Guide to France '* iEnglisH or French}, befoie 
setting out on the tour described in this volume. 




THE MICHELIN TOURING OFFICES 
at: 99, ^ouleoard Pereire, PARtS and 
8U Fttlham %oad, Chelsea, LONDON, 
S. W, 3., will be pleased to furnish motorists 
with advice and information, free of charge. 
= Special itineraries free, on request. = 




lou don t know 

what a 

Good Road Map 

is, if you haven't used the 

Michelin Map 




HE tourist finds his way 
about easily in town, 
if he has a plan giving 
the names of the streets. 

He gets about with the same ease 
and certainty on the road, if he has 
a Michelin map, because it gives 
all the road numbers on the milestones 
and road-signs. 



ivf- 



The Michelin Wheel" 

BEST of all detachable wheels 
because the least complicated 




Elegant ' 

It embellishes even the finest coachwork. 



Simple 



It is detachable at the hub and fixed by six 
bolts only. 



Strong 



The only wheel which held out on all fronts 
during the War. 



Practical 



Can be replaced in 3 minutes by anybody 
and cleaned' still quicker, 

It prolongs the life of tyres by cooling them. 



AND THE CHEAPEST 



IN MEMORY 
OF THE MICHELIN WORKMEN AND EMPLOYEES 
WHO DIED GLORIOUSLY FOR THEIR COUNTRY 



Cornell University Library 
DC 801.S65S68 1919 



Solssons before and during the war. 




3 1924 028 193 906 



SOISSONS 



BEFORE AND DURING THE WAR 



PUBLISHED BY 
MICHELIN &■ 0», CLERMONT-FERRAND (France). 



Copyright 1919 by Michelin & C". 

All rights of translallon, aJaplalion or reproduclion (in pari or whole) 
reseroed in all countries. ' ' ' i 



SOISSONS 

ORIGIN AND CHIEF HISTORICAL EVENTS 

Soissons derives its name from the Suessiones, a Belgian tribe who 
inhabited that part of the country during tlie Gallic period. At that 
time the City, then known as Noviodunum, was situated about two 
and a half miles north-west of the Aisne on the Pommiers Plateau. 
After Csesar's conquest of the country, the city was rebuilt on the 
banks of the Aisne, under the name of Augusta Suessionum. Of the 
Gallo-Roman epoch, only a small portion of the city ramparts (p. 32) 
remains, but excavations have brought to light the site of a large 
theatre (p. 51), and at the Mail, the foundations of what were luxu- 
rious villas. The greater part of the objects unearthed are in the 
Museum (p. 41), with the exception of the famous group « Le Niobide 
et son Pedagogue », now in the Louvre. 

Christianity was first preached in Soissons at the end of the 3rd 
century, by two shoemakers, the brothers Crispin and Crispinian, 
who suffered martyrdom there. 

Soissons played an important part throughout the whole of the 
Prankish Monarchy. It was at its gates that in 486, Clovis won a 
decisive victory over the last Roman Count, Syagrius, thus causing 
the downfall of Roman domination in Gaul. It was after this vic- 
tory that the famous episode of the Soissons Vase occurred. 

The Prankish King lived for a long time in the city, and at his death 
in 511, Soissons became the capital of the kingdom of one of his sons, 
Clolaire I, who ultimately became sole king of the Pranks. Later, 
Soissons once more became a separate kingdom under Chilperic, 
and again-, under Clolaire II (561-613). During this period, the ri- 
valry of Brunehaui and Frddigonde gave rise to sanguinary episodes 
in Soissons and the surrounding country. 

In the 8th century, Soissons witnessed the fall of the Merovingian 
dynasty. In 752, Pepin-le-Bref was proclaimed King by an assembly 
of nobles in the monastery of Saint-M6dard (p. 61). 

In the same abbey, in 833, the emperor Louis-le-Dibonnaire, was 
deposed and imprisoned by his rebel sons, after they had forced him 
to make a public confession in the church of the monastery. 

In 923, under the walls of Soissons, Charles-le-Simple fought a 
battle with his rival Robert, Duke of the Pranks. In this battle, 
Charles was taken prisoner and lost his throne, which passed to the 
powerful House of Prance, whence sprang the Capetian dynasty. 

Throughout the Middle-Ages, religious life was intensely active 
at Soissons. At that time, the City comprised six large monasteries, in 
addition to the Cathedral and several churches or coUegiates. It 
was none the less a lay fief with the rank of county, which in 1131 
obtained a communal charter under Louis-le-Gros, and on the ac- 
cession of Francis I, became definitely part of the crown lands. 

Situated on the main roads of invasion, Soissons has always been 
one of the advance posts which protect Paris. For this reason, it 
has suffered numerous sieges, most of them disastrous, owing to the 
unfavourable situation of the city, which lies in a plain surrounded 
by hills. It was taken and pillaged in 1414 by the troops of Charles 
VI, in 1544 by Charles-Quint, and in 1567 by the Protestants. In 
1814, during the French campaign, it was conquered by the Russians 
and Prussians, whilst in 1815, after "Waterloo, it had to re-open its 
gates to the Allies. 

In 1870, a German Army of 20 000 men laid siege to Soissons on 
September 11. The garrison of 5 000 soldiers which held the tQwn 



refused to surrender, and attempted several unsuccessful sorties. 
Posted on the surrounding heights, the German artillery violently 
bombarded the town, setting fire to some of the suburbs, the hospital, 
and part of the military commissariat established in the old Abbey 
of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes. A breach was finally made in the fortifi- 
cations, and on October 16, after a siege of thirty-seven days, the city 
was forced to surrender. 

During the late war, Soissons was twice occupied by the Germans : 
in 1914, from September 2 to 13, and in 1918, from May 29 to August 
2, after the surprise attack at the Chemin-des-Dames (See pp. 4 & 7). 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY 

Soissons, sub-prefecture of the Aisne, was formerly fortified, but 
was dismantled after the Franco-German war of 1870. Before the 
late War, its population numbered 14 458. 

The city proper remained confined within the narrow limits of its 
ancient walls. It is bounded on the east by the River Aisne, on the 
south by the small stream Crise, on the west by the Boulevard Jeanne 
d'Arc which follows the line of the old ramparts, and on the north by 
the rue Saint-L6ger, near which may be seen (close to the tennis court) 
part of the remains of the old fortifications {See plan, p. 12). 

Beyond, lie the faubourgs : to the west and south, the modern fau- 
bourgs of Saint-Christophe, Crise, and Rheims ; to the east, on the 
right bank of the Aisne, the old faubourgs : Saint- Waast (named 
after the Bishop who converted Clovis to Christianity), and Saint- 
M6dard (after the Bishop who was buried there during the Merovin- 
gian epoch). 

Before the War, Soissons was an important provision centre for 
Paris (corn and haricot beans). In its suburbs were numerous indus- 
trial concerns : boiler manufactories, mechanical workshops and va- 
rious factories, distilleries, sugar-refineries, etc... 




SOISSONS 
IN THE 16th 
CBNTITRY. 



Model (1560) heft m the CatJiedrol. Inside the baltlemented 
wHU, m eollegiates or abbeys were growped around the Cathedrat 



FIRST GERMAN OCCUPATION 




'ice occupied by the Germans (1914 & 1918), Soissons was two and a half years in the front line 



THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN 1»14 

After the battle of Charleroi, despite the vigorous and determined 
counter-offensive launched from Guise to Saint-Quentin on August 29- 
30, the Franco-British Armies continued their retreat southwards. 

During the evening of August 31, the Valabregue group of reserve 
divisions holding the Vauxaillon-Latfaux-Vaudesson sector, and 
acting as flank-guard to the French 5th Army, remained as a cover- 
ing force to the north-east of Soissons. It was not, however, intended 
to defend the town, and the only object in resisting the enemy at this 
point was to cover the French retirement and ensure the safe passage 
of the Aisne. Soissons thus became momentarily of primary im- 
portance. Large detachments of enemy cavalry wedged themselves 
between the British and French Armies, and advancing from Noyon 
towards Soissons, became a formidable menace to the French retire- 
ment across the Aisne. 

During the night of August 31, a cavalry division was ordered to 
proceed with all despatch from Craonne to Soissons. Next morning 
a portion of this division took up a position north of the town, in the 
neighbourhood of Cuffies, with orders to hold it so long as the reserve 
divisions east of the town had not crossed the Aisne. The remainder 
halted on the Bellcu Hills, with a view to guarding the river on either 
side of the town. At about 10 a. m., the enemy came within sight 
of Soissons and was brought to a standstill for two hours by French 
cavalry and cyclist scouts. Early in the afternoon, the rearguard 
of the holding force being informed that the French army had suc- 
ceeded in crossing the Aisne, retired in an orderly manner towards 
Septmonls and Buzancy. 

On September 2, the Germans occupied the town, but though they 
levied heavy requisitions, did not commit any act of pillage or van- 
dalism. 



THE FIGHT FOR SOISSONS 




DEAD HOKSES 
BELONGING TO 
PHLANS, IN THE 
PLACE DE 
L'HOTEL-DE-VILLE 

IN 1914. 



THE GERMAN EVACUATION 

Alter the victory of the Marne, the French 6th Army on the Ourcq, 
keeping toucli with the British on the right, advanced towards the 
Aisne. On September 11, tlie townspeople showed signs of uneasiness. 
The 45th Division, which formed the right wing of General Mau- 
noury's Army, was marching up the Ourcq and Saviere valleys 
against Soissons, having crushed the enemy's attempted resistance 
at Chaudun. 

On the following day, African troops, assisted by the fire of British 
artillery stationed at Buzancy, entered the town. As the bridges 
had been blown up by the retreating enemy, the night had to be spent 
in the construction of foot-bridges, the work being carried out under 
fire from the German heavy artillery. 

On September 13, the Zouaves and Tirailleurs, under the command 
of General Quiquandon, attacked Hill 132, which dominates Soissons 
on the immediate north, but were unable to eject the strong enemy 
detachments there. Repeated attacks on September 14, 17, 23 and 
30 were not more fortunate. The Germans could not be dislodged 
from these hills which, on account of their many deep quarries and 
horizontal shafts, formed natural fortresses, and gave them a vantage 
ground for the indiscriminate bombardment of Soissons. 

These bombardments will be dealt with further on. They aimed almost 
exclusively at the destruction of the town, and as they served no military 
purpose, they need not be included in this account of the military operations. 

FRENCH EFFORTS TO FREE SOISSONS 

The destructive bombardment of the town continuing, the French 
High Command decided, at the beginning of January 1915, to make 
another attempt to free Soissons. 

On January 8, a battalion of Chasseurs and one of Moroccan Sharp- 
shooters, supported by men of the 55th Division, attacked and 
succeeded in gaining the top of the north-east hill, thus obtaining 
a footing on Spur 132 (see map., p. 53). 

On the 12th, the Germans attacked violently in front of Crouy 
and Hill 132, at a time when the Aisne floods had carried away the foot- 
bridges, and threatened to cut the French communications, which 
at the time depended solely on the Saint-Waast bridge. 

Alter a fierce struggle which lasted till nightfall, the French lost 
the line, along the hills north of the town. A division of the 7th 



b SOISSONS CLEARED OF THE ENEMY 

Corps was thrown into the battle, and by a brilliant attack recaptur- 
ed part of ridge 132. However, as the communications with the left 
bank of the Aisne were becoming more and more precarious, it receiv- 
ed orders to cover the general retreat decreed by General Mau- 
noury. On the night of the 13th, the French retired across the Aisne 
leaving only one strongly fortified bridge-head between the distillery 
and Saint-Paul on the northern bank (see pp. 56 & 61). 

From the 14th onwards, the Germans commenced attacking the 
bridge-head in massed formation. They succeeded for a moment 
in getting into the little hamlet of Saint-Paul, about a mile from the 
first houses of Soissons, but they were driven out on the same day. 
On the 16th, enemy bombardment compelled a fresh party of the 
townspeople to leave their homes. After further fruitless endeavours 
the Germans abandoned their attacks, and the relative calm of trench 
warfare set in again in this sector. 

LIBERATION OF SOISSONS IN 1911 

Until March 1917, the opposing lines underwent no further important 
modifications. Here and there, however, their defences had been 
considerably strengthened by redoubts, concrete machine-gun emplace- 
ments and very formidable barbed-wire entanglements. 

The second itinerary (pp. 52-64) will enable (hose interested to inspect 
parts of these lines, which form a rough semi-circle around Soissons and 
are quite close to the city. 

The German retirement in March 1917 along both banks of the Oise, 
covered only a very small extent of, ground in the neighbourhood of 
Soissons, which formed the pivot of the manoeuvre. 

The new front was less than five miles behind the old one and, though 
the town remained within easy range of the German heavy artillery, 
bombardment was less frequent than before. 

From March 17, the Germans abandoned their trenches at Crouy 
and on Hill 132, but tried to stem the French forward push. They 
launched violent counter-attacks between Vregny and Margival, and 
the French advanced only step by step to the first trenches of the 
redoubtable Hindenburg line. By the end of the month, they had 
scarcely advanced beyond Neuville-sur-Margival and Leuilly. On 
April 1, they attacked along the line of the Ailette-Laon road, and 
reached the outskirts of Laffaux and Vauxaillon. The French occu- 
pied this last village and Vauxeny during the following days, but their 
advance went no further. 

On April 16, the 6th Army under General Mangin attacked in con- 
junction with the 5th Army on the east. This offensive was only 
partly successful. To the north-east of Soissons, where the first Colo- 
nial Corps was in action, the French made but little progress, and 
failed to take the Moisy Farm Plateau. Laffaux was alternately taken 
and lost, and was only definitely occupied on the 19th. At dawn on 
May 5, a new offensive was started along the whole front south-east 
of Vauxaillon Moisy Farm and Laffaux Mill were taken by the 
French Colonials and Cuirassiers on foot, and held despite numerous 
fierce counter-attacks. The next day, they advanced yet further 
north of the mill. The Germans, who could not resign themselves 
to the loss of these key positions, made repeated endeavours to 
retake them and the Soissons sector became " a new Verdun. " On 
October 23 1917, General Maistre ordered a vigorous offensive, and 
while the s'sth division (General de Salins) captured the Malmaison 
fort the 21st Corps (General Degoutte) captured with a single rush 



SECOND GERMAN OCCUPATION 




the villages of Allemant and Vaudesson... On the 25th, the French 
occupied the village and forest of Pinon and reached the line of 
the canal between the Oise and the Aisne. Soissons was now quite 
cleared. 

THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN 1918 



In 1918, Soissons had again to face the horrors of invasion. On 
May 27 1918, after the failure of the two German offensives against 
Paris and Amiens, the Crown Prince threw his divisions forward in 
a formidable attack along the Aisne Front. The Germans, taking full 
advantage of the surprise which gave them an absolute numerical 
superiority, crossed the Chemin-des-Dames in the early hours of the 
morning. Then, while east of Soissons they were crossing the Aisne 
in the direction of Vailly and advancing along the left bank of the 
river as far as the Vesle, they made progress to the north-east in 
the direction of the undulating plains which sheltered the town. 

On the 28th, despite the bitter resistance of the few French units 
in this sector, they succeeded in getting a footing in the plains of 
Vregny and Crouy, and crept along the southern bank of the Aisne 
to the very gates of Soissons, the east and south-east suburbs of which 
this converging movement enabled them to attain. 

The next day, May 29, they captured the suburbs of Saint- Waast and 
Saint-M6dard on the right bank. Then a party of Brandeburg sappers, 
advancing in front of the attacking force, captured the bridges, and 
prevented the French from destroying them. About noon, the Ger- 
mans entered the town, and after street-fighting which lasted several 
hours, drove back the French into the western suburbs. The French 
however, still held Pasly Hill to the north-east of Soissons. Throughout 
the night, French artillery bombarded the approaches of the town and 
all the places where the Aisne could be crossed, while enfilading fire from 



o GERMAN PII.I.AGINa 

the machine guns prevented the German soldiers from using the streets. 
Not until nine o'clock on the morning of the 30th did the enemy cap- 
ture Pasly Hill and thus secure entire possession of Soissons. 

For two days the French clung desperately to the western ap- 
proaches of the town, but to the south, the Germans established 
themselves in the angle formed by the Aisne and the Crise, and suc- 
ceeded in capturing Vierzy and Chaudun. The French positions 
were thus taken in the rear, and had to be abandoned, step by step, 
after stubborn fighting. 

The arrival of reinforcements, at the beginning of June, enabled 
the French definitely to check the enemy, who by this time was ex- 
hausted. Though the Germans launched many violent attacks west 
of Soissons, they were unable to advance beyond the Ambl^ny- 
Longpont line, six or seven miles from the town, which left the Allies 
free possession of the Paris road through Villers-Cotterets Wood. 

During the second period of occupation, which lasted from May 29 
till August 2, the Germans systematically pillaged the city. Every 
house was emptied of its contents. Before being despatched to Ger- 
many, the plunder was centra- 
lized in certain places indica- 
ted by signs bearing the words 
"Zur Beutesammelstelle" (to 
the booty -collecting -centre), 
with an arrow {photo opposite). 
Objects which, by reason of 
their weight or bulk, could 
not be transported, were des- 
troyed or spoilt. 
From July 18 onwards, General Mangin successfully attacked the 
right flank of the German Army, with the result that on August 2, 
Soissons was once more in French__hands. At 6 p. m. on that day, 
French Chasseurs under General" Vuillemot crossed the burning 
town and reached the Aisne bridges, beyond which, in the Saint-Waast 
suburb, the enemy rear-guard- made a last stand (photo p. 9 . 
One of the pivots of the wedge driven between the Marne and the 
Aisne by the German Armies, had given way, and the enemy was 
soon forced to retire as far as the Vesle. 




Sarcophagus in 
the Cathedral 

broken open by 
the Germans. 




SrANQlN'S ARMY RECAPTURES SOISSONS 




FRENCH REPLY TO GERMAN HLLAQING. 

The first French soldiers to enter Saissons on August 2, ] 91 8, 
« pillaged » a German kitchen-garden, in which a notice 
signed by the Kcmmandantur 
prohibited the entry of troops other than the 3rd. Co. of the 43rd regt. 
of Field Artillery. 



The offensive was stayed for a moment in front of the strong hill 
positions on the nortli bank of the Aisne, where the Germans had 
entrenclied tliemselves. An intense bombardment then completed 
tlie city's ruin. The Frencli advance began again at the end of 
August. On the 30th and 31st, Cuffies and Crouy were retaken 
while on the following days the battle continued furiously on the 
heights north and east of Soissons. General Mangin's Army succeed- 
ed in advancing as far as the plains of Vauxaillon, Laffaux and Vre- 
gny, whence it soon dislodged the enemy. 




THE ENEMY'S LAST EFFORTS AT RESISTANCE. 

German barricade at the exit of the Pont des Anglais in the faubourg S-jint-Waast, August 191 S 



10 



THE BOMBARDMENTS OF SOISSONS 




THE BOMBARDMENTS OF SOISSONS 

As soon as they were driven out of Soissons in September 1914, 
tlifi enemy proceeded to bombard the city. During the latter part 
of September, (he cannonade was incessant, the fire being directed 

successively on 
all the different 
quarters and pu- 
blic buildings, in- 
cluding the hos- 
pital filled with 
wounded. 

After a short 
lull, the bombard- 
ment continued 
with great vio- 
lence throughout 
January 1915. 

On January 8, 
thePalais de Jus- 
tice was set on 
fire, and on the 
9th, the Cathedral 
was struck by 42 
shells. On January 14, the shelling lasted all day, and until the end 
of February, the firing continued with the same intensity and almost 
without^pause. The Cathedral was systematically aimed at, as is proved 
by the note-book belonging to the Kommandant of the " Ringkanon- 
enbatterie " posted north-east of Soissons on Hill 132, which fell 
into the Allies' hands. 

On January 31, he wrote: "The battery fired nineteen rounds of 
percussion and fuze shells at the Cathedral. The tower and nave 
were hit several times, and the beginning of a fire was noticed In the 
nave. So far, we have not been able to do much damage to the 
tower..." On February 2, a battery fired twenty-nine rounds of 
shrapnel at the Cathedral, and in particular at the tower, sixteen of 
which hit the mark. On February 25, twenty-one shells were fired 
at the same target. As for the town itself, another 200 rounds were 
fired into it on February 28. The bombardrnent slackened later, 
but began again at intervals, without any apparent reason and 

with varying in- 
tensity. It was 
continued until 
the middle of 
March 1917, when 
the German with- 
drawal from the 
Somme to the 
Aisne freed Sois- 
sons, which could 
now only be rea- 
ched by the long- 
range guns. How- 
ever aeroplanes 
frequently drop- 
ped incendiary 
bombs on the city. 




See Itinerary, p. 52. 



11 




TRENCH 
iS THE 
BOTJLEVA-KD 
JEANSE-D'AEO 



LIFE IN SOISSONS FROM 1914 TO lot's 

A thirty-months' Siege. 

From September 1914 to March 1917, while the Germans remained 
at the gates of^the city, the latter was veritably besieged. Notwith- 
standing the increasing destruction caused by the shells, the civil popu- 
lation continued bravely to "carry on" Part of the population 
refused to leave the city, while here and there, on the walls that were 
left standing, printed notices announced the fact that^the house was 
still occupied. Then followed the names of the courageous inmates. 
During the bombardments, the people took shelter in the cellars, only 
to resume their ordinary dally occupations as soon as the firing ceased. 
The public services continued to work normally. Many shops were 
kept open, and an hotel was available for the travellers who arrived 
by the night omnibus that linked up the city with Vierzy, the nearest 
point on the railway. 

In parts of the city, it was only possible to get about by making use 
of the communication trenches which ran along the side of the roads. 
One such trench ran the whole length of the Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc 
{photo above), while others crossed the Town-Hall gardens (See p. 40) 
and the streets near the Aisne. 

Moreover, getting about was restricted to certain quarters of the 
city as, just beyond the centre, the defensive works (barricades, tren- 
ches, etc.) began. 

These works are 
described in the 
second Itinerary 
(p. 52-64) which 
takes the tourist 
from the centre of 
the town to the first- 
line trenches of the 
1915rl917 front 
{Vauxrot, Saint- 
Paul and Saint- 
Midard), via the 
Mail, Saint- Waast 
suburb, etc. 




THE OLD 
FIRST 
rEENOH LINE. 

The 

Distillery 
see p. 56j 



12 



SOISSONS 

POPULATION- 14.458 inhabltanls. 
ALTITDDE 180 feet. 



SCALE 
SO 100 mIo 3)0 4(kl 500 ■ 

HOTELS ■ "^ ^''*^' ^^ '* ^^"''^ '^'*^'" 
■b Hotel du Liiwliouye 

.■r;;;:.": streets an(2 roads iniprac- 
i.icable fo/ motor-care. 




i;i 



ITINERARY IN THE CITY (pp. 15-51). 




starting from the Cathedral follow the streets (nrf;>a/ed iy continuous 
lines, in the direction of the arrows. 

The numbers indicate the pages where the corresponding photographs 
will be found- 



14 



PANORAMIC VIEW OF SOISSONS 




SOISSONS IN 1914, seen from the Northern Tower of Saini-Jean-des-Vignes Abbey. 

The German bombardments made countless ruins throughout 
the town. Everywhere one sees shattered walls, hanging roofs, and 
heaps of rubbish and stones that once were houses. 

The ruins are gradually being cleared away, to make room for the 
new life which is springing up, but signs of the destruction will long 
remain. 













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1 





SOISSONS IN NOVEMBER 1918. 

Noie the separation of the Cathedral Towar fr-om the Nave {pp; 19-24) 



THE CATHEDRAL 



15 



VISIT TO THE CITY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS 

(See plan, p. 12 and itineraries, pp. 13&52). 

Do not miss : The Cathedral (p. 15) ; the ruins of the Abbey of 
Saint-Jean-des-Vignes (p. 44). 

Archaeological Curiosities : the Church and Cloister of Saint- 
Linger (p. 35) ; THE OLD Church of Saint-Pierre-au-Parvis 
(p. 42); THE Crypt of the old Abbey of Saint-M^dard (p. 61). 

Other sights : the Maison de l'Arquebuse (p 43). the Museum 
(p. 40). 

Souvenirs and traces of the war : the ruins in the town, the 
Mail (p. 54), the bridges (pp. 55 & 63) the faubourg St Waast 
(p. 62), THE military works from Vauxrot to St. Paul (pp. 56-61). 

Two itineraries are given, each starting from and returning to 
the Cathedral, which include all points of interest in the city and 
its environs : 

First Itinerary (p. 13) The City (pp. 15-51). 

Second Itinerary (p. 52) The Surroundings (pp 53-63). 

FIRST ITINERARY — VISIT TO THE CITY 

THE CATHEDRAL 

In April 1919, visitors entered through the door in the Place du 
Cloitre (see pp. 29 & 33). 

The Cathedral of Soissons (H.M.) may be considered as a miniature of 




THE 

CATHEDRAL 
IS NOVEMBER 
1918. 



16 



THE CATHEDRAL 




THE CATHEDRAL BEFOUE THE "WAR. 

The unfinished main front had only one tower 



that of Amiens. For the purity ol its lines and simplicity of arran- 
gement, it is probably the finest of the secondary Cathedrals in France. 

It was very quickly built, of hard Soissons stone, and is peculiar 
in that building began at the south arm of the transept, - primitive 
Gothic in style, - during the last third of the 12th century. Next were 
built, in pointed Gothic, the choir (completed in 1212) then the 
nave. The main body of the cathedral was completed in the middle 
of the 13th century, with the exception of the high parts of the main 
front (on which a single tower was built in the 14th century) and of 
the fafade of the north arm of the transept (also 14th century). 

The cathedral of Soissons, like that of Arras, has greatly suffered 
in its vital parts. The nave, which partly fell in during 1915-1916, 
was, with the aisles, entirely destroyed by the end of 1918. The tower, 
which, though severely damaged by enemy shell-fire, was still stand- 
ing, collapsed at the same time. The transept and choir alone escap- 
ed with slight damage. 

Principal Fa9ade of the Cathedral. 

The West front contains three doorways, finished about 1230, 
but disfigured in the 18th century by roughcast, which destroyed their 
13th century decoration, since replaced by pseudo-Gothic ornament. 



Sec Ilineranj, p. 13. 



17 




1Y%A: 



THE TOWKE IN JUN'E 1915. 

The collapse of the multion laid bare the frameworli of the helfry. 



Above the large rose-window, set in a tierce-point arch, rises a 
graceful gallery composed of double arches surmounted by gables, 
which is carried all round the single tower, about 241 feet in height. 

The tower comprised on each front two long bays separated by a 
raullion. Its later date was noticeable chiefly in the statues of apostles, 
saints and bishops, sheltered beneath finely carved canopies, which 
ornamented the corner abutments. 

Throughout the war, the German gunners made a constant target 
of the cathedral tower. 

In June 1915, large calibre shells caused the collapse of the great 
muUion separating the two bays on the west front, which fell to the 
ground, a large breach in the upper part of the tower laying bare the 
framework of the belfry" (photo above). The same collapse caused 
the fall of almost all the gables of the lower gallery, the left bay of 
which had previously been struck by several shells. 

Until 1918, no further damage of importance was done to the fa- 
fade, but in August of that year, some days after the French had 
retaken Soissons, three sides of the tower (north, southland east) and 
the interior framework of the belfry were entirely destroyed by the 



18 



THE INTERIOR OF TI-IK CATHEDRAL 



THE TOWER 

IN MiEOH 

1919. 



numerous German shells. In 
September 1918, all that remain- 
ed of the tower were the two 
buttresses at the north-west 
and south-west corners. By a 
miracle they remain poised, but 
loosened stones keep constantly 
crashing to the ground (photo 
opposite). 

All the arches ol the gallery 
above the large rose-window 
were also destroyed in August 
1918. 

Interior of the Cathedral. 

The cathedral, over 300 feet 
in length, comprises : 

A Nave with seven bays and 

double side-aisles, with chapels 

of a later date added to the 

last four bays. 

A Transept, the south-arm of which ends in a semi-circle, and the 

north arm in a straight wall. 

A Choir with four bays and a semi-circular Apse surrounded by an 
ambulatory, off which open eight rectangular chapels, and, at the 
apse, five radial polygonal chapels. 





DOORWAY of NORTH 
ARM oF TRANSEPT 



A M B .'^A, 



Ada 






'l^/ 



PLAN or THE CATHEDKAL 



A. — Pillar ol the Nave broken in 191.";. 

B. — Gallery of the old Cathedral Cloister. 

C. — Chapel in the South Arm. 

D. — .Vestry Passage (statue of Virgin and Child). 

E. — St. Uuffln's Chapel' (17th century statue of the saint). 

F. — St. VaWre's Chapel (17th century statue of the saint). 



n 



See Itinerary, p. 13. 



19 



The Nave before the Bombardments. 

Completed about 1230, the Nave now entirely destroyed - was 
regarded before the war as one ot the best examples of the harmonious 
simplicity of early 13th century Gothic architecture. 

The central vault was about 103 feet in height. 

The bays were divided by columns flanked on the side facing the 
grand nave by a small engaged shaft. On their fine capitals, deco- 
rated with four rows of crockets or foliage, rested the large arches of 
the ground floor, and the groups of five small columns whichsupport- 
ed the springing of the pointed arches of the vault. 

The large arcades were surmounted by a shallow triforium and 
high double windows with dividing mullions. 

The wide, lofty aisles with windows gave additional light to the 
body of the church. Their vaulting was poirtted and terminated at 
the last bays in chapels built for the most part in the 18th century. 

In the second bay of the north aisle, a gallery (B on plan), the 
remains of the old cathedral cloister, gave access to a large chapel 
(Chapelle des GEuvres) with two naves of three bays. It was the old 
chapter-house, built in the 13th century, by prolonging the west front 
but completely remodelled in the 19th century. 




THE NAVE 
BGFOKE THE 
BOMBARDMENTS. 



20 



DESTRUCTION OF THE NAVE 




SOniHERN AISLl 

ANB 

TRirOMUM, 

NOVEMBER 

1918. 



See Ilinerarij, p. 13. 



21 



The destruction of the Nave and fall of the Pillar. 

Early in February 1915, a projectile, entering by a hole made by 
a previous shell in the wall of the south aisle, struck the second column 
(A on plan, p. 18) on the left of the main nave, which was broken 
in two about 13 feet from the ground (photos pp. 20-21). The upper 
part, with the capital and courses supporting the springing of the 
vault, gave way, dragging down in its fall a portion of the vault and of 
the wall at the back of the triforium. 

The ruins accumulated rapidly. By the end of March, the roof 
of the grand nave and of the north aisle, which the broken pillar had 
sustained, collapsed. The whole of the triforium, the large window, 
the flying buttress outside, the framework, and the roofing of the bay 
of the aisle also gave way. An enormous breach was made in the 
cathedral, and the floor of the nave was covered with a shapeless mass 
of broken stones, which increased during the following months. 




THE GREAT NAVE AND NORTHERN .USLE, NOVEMBER 19]S., 

Behind the two nianding jtiUars is seen the base of the qnllar which coltapsedin Feb. 1915, 
Thejatl islshown on f. 20, 



22 



COLLAPSE OF THE VAULTING 



THE FALLEN 

VAULTING 

LEFT BAR> 

THE DAMAGED 

FRAMEWORK 

OF THE ROOF. 





Sec Ilincrary, p. 13. 



23 




BREACH 
rX THE 

NOVBMBEU 

1919 



The fall of the Vaulting. 

The vaults ol the remaining bays, already weakened, could not 
withstand the renewed bombardments. One after another they 
craslied to the ground, with the exception of those of the first and 
seventli bays. Everywhere else, pieces of broken or disjointed 
framework, supporting a completely ruined roof, are exposed to 
view {pholo above). 

Several of the large windows on the north side liave also fallen in 
and all the stained glass has been smashed. 



24 



DESTRUCTION OF THE NAVE 




The Final Ruin. 

The bombardments of 1918 
destroyed the nave beyond 
hope of repair. 

. Several large pillars collapsed 
and a considerable portion of 
the upper part of the side 
walls, large arches and trlforium 
fell in to the right and left. 

Three bays near the west 
front, with their large arches 
and the aisles were complete- 
ly destroyed. All this ma- 
sonry fell inside the nave, 
forming across its entire breadth 
a heap of debris more than 19 
feet high and about 33 feet 
long. 

Fragments of vaulting, bases 
of pillars, stones from the roof, 
were mixed in shapeless chaos 
with a quantity of architectural 
and sculptured motives, nota- 
bly the beautiful capitals and 
the key-stones of the vault, 
of ruins the roof-timbers of 



And on this heap 

deprived of all support, fell by degrees in their 



mostly broken 
the framework, 
turn. 

The old harmonious construction of the nave is now to be seen 
only in the bays nearest the transept. 

The Chapelle des GEuvres was struck several times. The most 
serious damage was caused during the first bombardments of 1914 
by a shell which exploded on the roof of the gallery {B on plan p. 18, 
photo below) which leads to the chapel. Penetrating the roof and 
the framework, it caused the vault to fall in, broke the arches, and 
shattered the stained-glass of the chapel windows. 



OALIEEY 

GITINa 

ACCESS TO THE 

CHAPELI/E 

DES (ETJVEES, 

NOV. 1918. 




See lUneiartj, p. 13. 




SOUTH 
A1!M OF 
TRANSEPT. 

See the exterior, 
p. 2!). 



South Arm of the Transept. 

The bombardments have spared the south arm of the transept, 
a marvel of grace and simphcity, built about 1175, by Bishop Xivelon 
of Clierisy. It is the oldest and also the least elevated portion of 
the cathedral. 

The arm of the transept ends in a semi-circle (a peculiarily which 
it shares with those of the old Cathedral of Xoyon and numerous 
Rhenish churches) and is surrounded by an ambulatory. 

In style it differs distinctly from that of the rest of the building, 
and presents the distinguishing features of primitive Gothic. 

The triforium — which elsewhere consists only of a narrow gallery 
— is here double. It comprises a story of high, wide, arched tribunes, 
grouped three and three, surmounted by n narrow passage with grace- 
ful colonnettes.. 

The main vault is supported by six pointed ribs which intersect 
in a central key-stone ornamented with six angels. 

The south arm of the transept is lighted by three series of windows. 
Small semi-circular bays are cut in the wall of the ambulatory. The 
galleries are lighted — except on the right, which is ornamented with 
rose-windows — by tiercc-point windows in groups of IJirco. Tlicrc 
is a final row of high tierce-point windows, also in groups of three, above 
the triforium. 



26 



THE TRANSEPT AND CHOIK 



Some of the capitals are masterpieces of ornamental sculpture. 
Their decoration consists either of the foliage characteristic of Roma- 
nesque capitals (acanthus leaves) or of projecting crockets, — one 
of the earliest examples of this distinctive ornament of Gothic capitals. 

On the east side of the south arm of the transept there is a two- 
storied polygonal chapel (C on plan, p. 18) of the same period. The 
keystone of the vault of the lower chapel represents two angels car- 
rying the Agnus Dei on a cloth. The upper chapel, in which the Trea- 
sure was formerly kept, communicates with the galleries. < 

The Choir and Apse. 

The choir, where, on the completion of the south arm of the transept. 
Bishop Nivelon of Ch^risy continued the building of the Cathedral 
(1200-1212), is one of the earliest examples of Pointed Gothic — so- 
called on account of the sharp outline of the arches. A notable char- 
acteristic of this is the transformation of the wide galleries of the 
triforium into a narrow gallery, which gives greater importance to 
the wide arches of the ground floor and to the high windows of the 
upper story. 

Its general plan is similar to that of the nave, built immediately 
afterwards : lofty wide arches, narrow triforium, high windows (but 
without mullions, forming a single bay), and pointed vaults of rectan- 
gular plan. 

The Choir is flanked by side-aisles, off which open, on each side 
tour rectangular chapels with groined vaults. 

The second chapel of the aisle has an inscription recording the 
date on which the Canons took possession of the Choir : 

Anno milleno biscenteno duodena hunc inlrare chorum 

Cepit grex canonicorum tercio idus maii. 
■ (In the year 1212, on the third Ides of May, the Canons firs^ took 
possession of the Choir). 




See Itinerary, p. 13. 27 

The south side-aisle communicates with the chapel attached to the 
south arm of the transept by a 15th century vaulted corridor (D on 
plan p. 18) in which there is a fine 16th century statue of the Virgin 
and Infant seated. 

The two side-aisles continue round the semi-circular apse, form- 
ing an ambulatory surrounded by five shallow radial chapels. The 
central chapel is consecrated, as usual, to the Virgin. The pointed 
vaults of the chapels unite with those of the ambulatory, eight pointed 
ribs meeting in the same keystone. 

The choir, scarcely touched by enemy fire up to December 1916, 
suffered more serious damage then and in January 1917. 

Shells pierced the vault in two places and also penetrated several 
parts of the triforium wall, breaking the arches. In the apse, portions 
of the vault were injured and parts of the 13th century stained-glass, 
which it was not possible to remove from the high windows, were 
damaged. 

The vital parts of the choir escaped serious damage, and it was 
possible during the second half of 1917, to carry out temporary repairs 
after the retreat of the Germans. At the same time, in order to make 
the choir — as well as the transept, which had also escaped serious 
injury — once more available for public worship, a partition was 
built shutting off the nave (photo p. 24). 

This protective partition shielded part of the building very effect- 
ively in 1918, when the Choir and Transept escaped serious damage. 

Most of the fine 13th century stained-glass windows were removed 
in 1915 to a place of safety. 

They were originally taken from the church of Saint-Yved-de- 
Braines and inserted during the 19th century in the high windows of 
the apse and those of the Lady Chapel 

Thanks to the protective measures taken, the interior decoration 
of the choir escaped injury. It dates from the 18th century and 
comprises a high altar of marble, surrounded by a wrought-iron railing, 
and flanked by two marble statues of the Virgin and the Angel Ga- 
briel, depicting the Annunciation. Two consoles, of carved and gilded 
wood with marble tops, complete this group. The stalls only are 17th 
century. 

The North Arm of the Transept. 

The north arm of the transept, flanked by aisles, shows the same 
arrangement as the nave, but ends in a straight wall (late 13th century) 
which was ornamented in the 14th century. A clerestory gallery 
joining the triforium of the side walls, and carried on small, light 
columns, is built against this wall. Above are pierced a row of bays 
and a fine rose-window containing old stained glass. 

During the war, a fine picture by Rubens (1635), painted for the 
Franciscan Fathers in return for their having nursed him through 
an illness contracted at Soissons, was removed from the north arm of 
the transept to a place of safety. This picture, which represents the 
Adoration of the Shepherds, has a fine frame of carved and gilded 
wood of the Regency period. 

The bombardments did little damage to the north arm of the tran- 
sept and to the intersection of the transepts. The worst injury was 
the falling in of one of the vaults of the north arm, and the breaking 
of the arch-band uniting two of the large pillars of the transept. 



28 



THE ART TREASURES OF THE CATHEDRAL 



The art treasures. 

In addition to the worlis of 
art preserved in the choir and 
transept, tlie Cathedral pos- 
sesses a fragment of a 16th 
century tapestry, all that 
remains of^a large piece devo- 
ted^tOj,the legend of Saint- 
Gervais and Saint-Protais, 
which, before the War, hung 
in the north aisle of the 
nave. 

Before the War, at the 
entrance to the nave on each 
side of the main portal, were 
memorial statues of two ab- 
besses of the ancient abbey 
of Notre-Dame, represented 
kneeling, with folded hands, 
in the costume of the period : 
Henriette de Lorraine d'Elbeuj, 
abbess from 1660 to il669, 
and Gabrielle Marie de la 
Rochefoucauld (1683-1693). 

Photographs of these two 
statues are given below. 

In the sacristy are preserv- 
ed fragments of flamboyant 
style woodwork, a 17th century chalice of finely chased gilt silver, a 
magnificent Crucifix by Girardon and a fine reliquary in gilt copper 
(1560), representing the plan of Soissons with its battlemented walls 
and churches of the period. {See p. 3.) 




It 


1 






i^|iifiBLi[i^ 



WOODWORK IX THE SOUTHERN AISLE. 





HKSKIKTTE DE LORRAINE D'ELBEUF 

Funeral SUitues la Iwo 



n.VBRIELLE-MARIE DF LA HOCHl.riU'CAULT) 

of the old Abbey j}i Notre-Dame. 



Sec Uincrari], p. 13. 



29 




Side facades of the Cathedral. 

The exterior ol Soissons Cathedral is remarl<able for the great sim- 
plicity of its lines and its well-balanced construction. 

The high vaults are supported by two super-imposed 13th century 
flying buttresses, which are supported on one side by powerful abut- 
ments and on the other by small engaged columns, the capitals of 
which are decorated with crocliets. (See photos, pp. 20, 22, 24). 

Against the straight wall which ends the north arm of the transept 
are 14th century radiating arca- 
des (p. 30 ). This wall is pierced 
by a large rose-window set in a 
tlerce-point arch. It ends in a ga- 
ble with 14th century ornament, 
and is flanked by two bell-turrets, 
one of which was destroyed. 

(Photos, pp. 30 & 31). 

To the east of the north arm of 
the transept, obstructing the first 
window of the choir aisle, is a 14th 
century portal with a sharply 
pointed gable, supported by two 
buttresses (photo opposite). The 
higher finish and greater adornment 
of 14th century decorative art is 
clearly to be seen here : sharply 
pointed gables ornamented with 
trefoil over the portal and buttres- 
ses, and intricately carved bou- 
quets of foliage on the capitals, 
replacing the hooked crockets of 
the preceding century. 




NORTHERN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL 




NORTH FRONT. Cfvffir and North Arm of TrcmBepi, Nov. 1918. See descnptiort, p. 29. 

The Exterior of the Cathedral (Nov. 1918). 

The bombardments seriously damaged the side fafades.of the cathe- 
dral. All the stonework, bays, flying buttresses and abutments, 
and all the roofing and framework collapsed as far as the first bays 

of the nave. The building 
is, so to speak, cut into 
two unequal parts through- 
out its entire width, by 
an immense gap. {Photo 
p. 31, Panorama p. 14). 

The rounded arm of the 
transept and the south end 
of the choir suffered com- 
paratively little. On the 
other hand, the bombard- 
ments seriously injured 
the chevet and the north 
front of the choir. The 
upper part of one of the 
high windows in the apse 
was struck. A buttress of 
the Lady Chapel was badly 
broken, while two unexplod- 
ed shells are embedded in 
the damaged stone-work of 

THE FIRST ^^^^^^^^^■[^?*Ejf^-v;""l^-" [ |@ ^ neighbouring buttress. 

SHELLS TO ^^^^^HH^^Kfi^'W'^;^-^ \ l^X^ On the north front of the 

HIT THE ^^^■■^^HL .^(fe ^ ^\ ("X,^^ choir, most of the abut- 

MAiN ROOF. ^^^^I^^^^BK. \'- a \ ^«»X^~<^^ ments were damaged and 

the flying buttresses which 
support it, more or less in- 




See Ilinerary, p. 13. 



31 




;NORTH FRONT. North Arm of Transept, Nave and Chopelle des (Euvres, Nov. ]918. 



jured. The roofing was ruined and the framework broken. The 
north arm of the transept, especially the gable, was also somewhat 
damaged. One of the turrets surrounding it was broken off {Photo 
above). 

However, the north front of the nave suffered most {photo above). 
In addition to the opening made at the west end, the stone-work and 
roofing were injured throughout their entire length. Only the last 
two windows next the transept retained their mullions, the others 
being more or less completely destroyed. Of the flying-buttresses 
and abutment-piers, very little remains standing. 




THE CHAPKr.LE 

DES 

CEDVRES. 



Seen from the corner of IJie Rues de la Bue.rie and Jaulzy, Nov. 1 918. 



32 



PLACE DE LA CATIIEDTIALE 



VISIT TO THE TOWN 

On leaving the Cathedral, follow the itinerary oi). page 13. 

The surroundings of Soissons, like tlie catliedral, suffered^'severely 
from tlie bombardments. In tlie Place de la Cathedrale (or Place Man- 

toue), the Rue des Minimes 
and the Place du Cloltre are 
broken roofs, and in the 
Rue du Beflroi, ruins of 
houses. 

At n" 6 of the Place de la 
Cathedrale, in front of the 
bombarded Presbytery, 
stands a much damaged 
13th century tower (photo 
opposite) all that remains 
of the old Bishop's Palace, 
rebuilt in 1638, of brick 
and stone, at the south of 
the Place between the Rue 
del'lSvSche and the Rue des 
Minimes. 

In the court of the Bishop's 
Palace (reached through the 
Rue de I'Evechi), near the 
Rue des Minimes, theres till 
stand about 15 yards of the 
old Gallo-Roman wall which 
surrounded the town (hist, 
mon.) 

The wall has a facing of dressed stone interrupted at frequent inter- 
vals' by a string-course of red bricks. 

To reach the Place da Cloltre Lake the Rue de I'Eueclie, round the chevet 
oj the Cathedral. 




PLACE PE LA 

OATHtoEALE 

AND RUE DTJ 

BEFFROI. 




Sec Ilincrary, p. 13. 



3:! 




THE PLACE nU OLOITKE IX 1014. 

The Place du Cloitre, at right angles to the north portal ol the Ca- 
thedral, was formerly lined by the houses of the Canons. Of these 
old dwellings there remain three bays in tierce-point (13th century), 
on the first story of a house (X" 14) in the Place {on the left of the pho- 
tographs on this page). 

Opposite are two Renaissance fagades. 

Most of the houses in the Place were badly damaged liy shells aim- 
ed at the cathedral. 

Fortunately, these three remarkable lajades escaped injury. 




THE' PLACE T)U CLOITRE IN 191S. 



34 



THE GRAND PLACE 





Take the Hue du College 
on the left, devastated by 
incendiary bombs from 
aeroplanes {photo oppo- 
site) ; at the end of a blind 
alley stands the door of 
the college (hist, mon.) 
{Photo below) built bet- 
ween 1740 and 1760. 

Doric pillars support a 
large frontal with decor- 
ative carving represent- 
ing Pailas and Ceres. 

This door is intact, 
but the college buildings suf- 
fered severely. 

Several shells penetrated the 
walls and roofing, exploding in 
the dormitories and class-rooms 
and destroying all before 
them. 

Follow the Rue du Collige as 
far as the Hue des Cordeliers 
(first on the right) which leads 
to the Grand 'PI ace (photo 
below). Here are 18th century 
houses (N- 9-11), the early 
19th century theatre and a 
late 19th century ornamental 
fountain. 

The theatre suffered severely 
from bombardment, its roof 
being completely destroyed, 
but the fountain escaped 
injury. 



THE 
OUAND'PLACE 
iST) THEATRE. f 




See Itinerary, p. 13. 

r " 



35 




SAINT-L*.GEIl 
CHXTRCH 
AND 
nOISITT, 



Take the rue Saint-Leger as far as the Church of Saint-Le'ger, the 
houses round about which have been destroyed (photo above). 



CHURCH OF SAtNT-LtGER 

This church was formerly part of an abbey founded in 1152 in memo- 
ry of Saint-L^ger, Bishop of 
Autun, assassinated in 678 by 
the Mayor of tlie Palace, 
Ebroin. 

The nave and west front 
were rebuilt in the 17th cen- 
tury, after the sack of the 
monastery by the Huguenots 
In 1567. It is now secula- 
rized. 

The nave, separated from 
the rest of the building by a 
wall, was used before the 
war as a hall for public meet- 
ings, while a geological mu- 
seum was to have been ins- 
talled in the transept and 
choir. 

The fafadeis 17th century. 

The central semi-circular 
porch Is supported by twin 
columns with Ionic capitals. 

Its large doorway, sur- 
mounted by a broken trian- 
gular frontal, is flanked by 
fluted pilasters. 




SAI\-T-Lt)aEIl 
CHUKCH. 



3r, 



SAINT-LEGER CIH-'IICH 




SAlNT-LfiGEK CHURCH, 

Cloister and North Front. In the backgnmnd : Ruined Tower: 



Above the porch rises the two-stoi'ied tower. The first story has 
a single semi-circular bay on each front, and is divided by Corinthian 
pilasters. The second story has two twin bays and fluted columns 
with Corinthian capitals at the corners. 

The whole east front of the upper story was demolished by the bom- 
bardments (photo above). The windows and corner columns fell 
on the roof of the nave, breaking it in many places. 

The nave, with double side-aisles, was reconstructed in the 17th 
century, and is of little interest. Three of its vaulted bays have fallen 
in (photo Oelow). 




See Itinerary, p. 13. 



37 



.The Iwo-afmed transept, 
as well as the choir which 
terminates in a canted chevet 
(pholos opposite and below) 
were less injured. They date 
from the 13lii century, but 
Iiave been restored. They 
have pointed vaults, and are 
lighted by high and low 
windows separated by a 
narrow triforium. The win- 
dows of the transept-ends 
and of the choir are dou- 
ble and surmounted by a 
rose-window ; those of the 
apse are single and framed 
outside by abutments. The 
wall at the end of the north 
arm of the transept, at the 
back of which were the mo- 
nastic buildings, has no open- 
ing, but that of the south 
arm |is entirely open. The 
exterior fafades of both arms 
end in a gable pierced by 
narrow slits and are flanked 
gonal turrets 
by a shell. 

Shell holes arc visible in the walls of the chevet and in the vaultin 
of the south arm of the transept. 




by buttresses in the form of poly- 
The east buttress of the north arm was badly damaged 




38 



THE CLOISTER, SAINT-L^GER CHURCH 




THE CLOISTER OF ST-L^QER OHTJRCH IS 1914, 

TAe old cloister was'full of llowers... 

Through the north aisle of the nave of the church the old cloister 
of the abbey, built at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th 
centuries, is reached. The north and east galleries alone remain. 

Each gallery comprises four bays, the pointed vaults of which are 
supported on one side by brackets, and on the other by a cluster 
of slender colonnettes. 




See Itinerary, p. 13. 



39 




THE CLOISTER OF SX-LtoBK OHDROH, IX 1918. 

...Then came the war. 



To the east ot the cloister is the old 13th century chapter-house, 
disfigured. It is lighted by three windows and has pointed arches 
resting on columns with crocketed capitals. 

The walls of the cloister and chapter-house bear numerous traces 
of the bombardments. 

The first door on the right in the east gallery of the cloister leads 
to a crypt below the church, built at the beginning of the 12th century 
and about 40 feet in length. It consists of two galleries with two 
bays, the groined ribs of which are carried on square pillars flanked 
by columns with cubic foliate capitals. 

This crypt is prolonged, on the east, by a polygonal apse lighted 
by small tierce-point windows and having pointed vaulting which was 
rebuilt in the 13th century on the plan of the apse of the upper church 
(photo below). 




40 



TUE 1I11TI;I.-I)H-V]LI,I'. 




THE H6TEr.-IlT>VILI,E, 

Fnnil overlookinj (he tjarilt'ns 

Leaving Saini-Leijcr, turn lo llic lejl and follow Ihc line dc la Cunijn'- 
(jalion as far as the Hdtel-de-Ville. 

The H61el-de-Ville occupies the old HiHcl de I'liitendaiuo, buill 
in 1772 on the site of tlie old castle which belonycd to the Counts of 
Soissons in the Middle-Ages. Struck in various places by lari^c ca- 
libre shells, it suffered considerable damage (photo above). 

Its Museum and Library did not escape damage and wore, more- 
over pillaged, while some of the pictures in the museum were lacerat- 
ed. However, many objects were removed in time to be saved. 

The museum contains some fine sculpture, including : the tympa- 
num of a 13th century portal taken from the Church of Saint-Yvcd- 
de-Braisne, representing The Descent of Christ into Hades; another 
defaced 14th century tympanum from the cloister of Saint-,Jean-des- 
Vignes ; a Romanesque storied capital: Abraimm sacrificing Isaac 
(plwlo p. 41) ; other 12tli century capitals with foliage ; the carved 
lintel of a Renaissance mantelpiece ; the memorial statue of an Abbess 
of Kotre-Dame, etc. 




TRENCHES IN THE OAKDENS OF THE HuTEI-DE-VILLE. 



See Itinerary, p. 13. 



41 



The other rooms of the museum contain objects of the pre-historic 
or Gallo-Roraan epoch (e. g. Gallo-Roman dish in chased silver), an 
important collection of medals and ceramic ware, picture galleries, 
casts, etc... 

The Library contains over 50 000 volumes and 200 manuscripts. 
Among the latter should be noted : a beautifully illuminated 12th 
century Missal of Saint-M6dard ;• a Bible of Saint- Yved-de-Braisne 
(12th century) ; the Charters and Records of the Abbey of Saint-Jean- 
des-Vignes ; a very fine manuscript of the first half of the 14th centu- 
ry, with miniatures : The Pilgrimage of Human Life. 





ABRAHAM SACRIFICING ISAAC. 

Storied Roman Capital 



On leaving (he H6tel-de-Ville, follow on the left, the Rue de la Congre- 
gation, then take the first street on the right (Rue du Coq-Lombard) 
and go round the block of buildings on the right, bounded by the Rue 
du Coq-Lombard, Rue de Bauton and Rue des Francs-Boisiers which leads 
back to the Rue de la Congregation. 



This is one of the best preserved corners of old Soissons. In spite 
of later structural alterations, several houses built between the 14th 
and 17th centuries bear traces of their original construction. One 
of them (n" 5 in the court) has a curious doorway with a carved 14th 
century tympanum. 

A carved panel over the doorway represents the King of Spain 
bidding farewell to the King of- France. This doorway leads to a 
tower of the same period (restored), the upper part of which was 
struck by a shell. 

Atn" 11, in the Rue de Bauton is the Palais-de-Justice, partly des- 
troyed by shell-fire. 

On leaving the Rue des Francs-Boisiers (see ruins of burnt houses), 
follow the Rue de la Congregation on the right, then the Rue du Commerce 
(its continuation) as far as the Place Saint-Pierre : on the left are the 
ruins of the old Church of Sainl-Pierre-au-Parvis. 



42 



CHURCH OF SAINT-PIERRE-AU-PARVIS 



OHUHOH OF 

SAINT-PIEREE- 

Atr-PARTIS 

South fa^adi 

before 

the War 




The old Church of Saint-Pierre-au-Parvis (Hist. Man.) 

The apse, transept and three bays of the nave of the church, secu- 
larized at the time of the Revolution, were pulled down in 1800. 

The two remaining bays of the nave were greatly damaged during 
the war by the explosion of a store of grenades. The roof and most 
of the vaulting have been destroyed. 

Only the main front and the lower part of the south front (fine speci- 



CHTIRCH OF 

SAINT-PIEEKE- 

AXT-PARVIS. 

Novembet 
1918. 




See Itinerary, p. 13. 



43 



mens of the Romanesque style of the middle of the 12th century) es- 
caped with slight injury (photo p. 42). 

At the corner of the Place Saint-Pierre and the Rue de la Vieille-Ga- 
jjnerie there are two semi-circular windows of great beauty, visible 
from the interior of the house no. 19-21. 

Supported by four small columns with storied capitals representing 
monsters and fantastic animals, these two windows (now blocked 
up and serving as a wall for the first-floor room of a restaurant) are 
all that remains of a large church which belonged to the old Abbey 
of Notre-Dame. 

This convent, founded in the 7th century , was rebuilt in 181h 
century. 

The new buildings, completely disfigured by interior alterations 
and having no further historical interest, were used as barracks dur- 
ing the war. They were destroyed .by the bombardments and fire. 

Take the Rue de la Gagnerie, turn to the right into the Rue de la Ban- 
niire, then again to the right into the Rue Notre-Dame, at the end of which 
is the Maison de I'Arquebuse hist, mon.), built in 1626 for the Guild 
of the Soissons Gunsmiths, and now devoted to military purposes 
(photo below). 




THE M.^ISON DE L'AEQUEBUSE. 



It is a lodge of brick and stone surmounted by a very steep roof, 
and containing a large hall lighted by ten bays. Its main front is em- 
bellished with ornaments of war. 

The entrance, built in 1638 by order of Marshal d'Estr^es, is Ionic 
in style and surmounted by an entablature decorated with trophies. 

The upper part of the entablature at the north-east corner of the 
doorway was destroyed by a shell, while others injured the roof of the 
lodge. 

Take the Rue des Feuillants opposite, then Rue Saint-Martin on the 
left, to the Place de la Ripublique, where are the Bourse du Commerce 
(1898) and the Monument to the Defence of Soissons in 1870 (inau- 
gurated in 1901). 

On the south side of the square and bordered by the river Crise, there is 
the fine garden of the Horticultural Society at present in very bad 
condition. 

Follow the Rue de Chdleon-Thierry, alongside the garden, then its con- 
tinuation, the Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, which' makes a sharp bend, to the 
Abbey of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes. 



44 



ABBEY OF SAINT- JEAN-DES-VIGNES 



ABBEY OF SAINT-JEAN-DES-VIGNES (Hist. Mon.) 

Founded in 1076, the Abbey of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes was one of 
the richest and most powerful monasteries of the Middle-Ages. 

The liberality of the Kings of France, bishops, nobility and middle 
classes enabled the monks in the 13th and 14th centuries to erect a 
large abbey-church and important monastic buildings, the plan of 
which has been preserved in an engraving of 1673, reproduced be loir. 

The plan is that followed almost invariably for monastic buildings. 
In the middle is the abbey-church. The monastery buildings pro- 
per : the rooms of the Regulars to which strangers are not admitted, 
the Novices' quarters, the dormitories and refectory, are grouped 
round the four galleries of the cloister, which extend from the south 
front of the church. 

On the east side of the cloister is a smaller cloister, abutting on 
which are the strangers' rooms : the refectory and dormitories. 

Behind, stands the isolated hospital with its own chapel. Near the 
entrance is the Abbot's house, and further to the east, the store-rooms. 

The entrance was fortified, and a continuous wall with roadway, 
loop-holes and watch-towers, completely encircled the Abbey. 

Beyond this wall stretched the vineyards and agricultural estates 
of the monastery. Although despoiled during the Hundred Years 
War, and later during the religious wars, the Abbey of Saint-Jean- 
des-Vignes remained rich and flourishing until the Revolution when 
the monks were expelled. Some years later (1805), an imperial decree 
issued at the request of the Bishop of Soissons, ordered the demo- 
lition of the church, the materials of which were to be used for 
repairing the cathedral. The protests of the inhabitants induced 
the Bishop to have the main front preserved. 




See Ilineranj, p. 13. 



45 



The Facade of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes before the War. 

Three late 13th century portals surmounted by gables open in the 
lafade. Under the central portal are two mutilated statues ; on the 
right, Saint-Augustin ; on the left : Saint-John the-Baptist clothed 
in the skin of an animal. 

A graceful clerestory gallery, continued at Ihe baclc round a wide 
platform, which at one time formed, a gallery above the grand nave, 
separates the central portal from the large rose-window set in an irregu- 
lar arch. The latter has lost its interior net-work of mullions and is 
surmounted by a gable. The gallery and rose-window are late 14th 
century. 

A two-storied tower crowned by a spire rises above each of the side 
portals. The first story dates from the end of the 14th century. The 
upper part, which differs in each tower, is more than a century later. 

The south tower (on the right of the photo below), was about 230 feet 
in height. 

The north tower, 
finished in 1520, 
was higher (about 
244 feet) and more 
massive. 

On the first sto- 
ry ^in the niche 
next the large rose- 
window, a statue 
of the Virgin faces 
a statue of the An- 
gel of the Annun- 
ciation, which 
stands on the op- 
posite buttress of 
the south tower. 

Both stories of 
the north tower, 
separated by a 
Flamboyant gallery 
with very sharply 
pointed gables, are 
pierced with large 
bays divided by a 
muUion, 

On the west side, 
against the muUion 
of the upper bay, 
is a figure of Christ 
crucified. 

The octagonal 
spire, surrounded 
by four turrets, is 
pierced on each face 
by three openings 
of different sizes, 
the largest being 
under-most, while 
its angles are adorn- 
ed with project- 
ing crockets. 




FRONT OF 
THE ABBEY 
OF SI-JEAN- 
DES-VIGNES 
BEFOKE 
THE WAK. 



46 



ABBEY OF SAINT- JEAN-DES-VIGNES 



NORTH 
TOWER. 




SOUTH 
TOWER, 



THE EEONT IN 1918. 




THE BOOEWATS IS THE MAIS FRONT (1918). 

Pari of thu ornamental stone-worh was damaged bu fm in J S70. Keystones of the matting 
were shattered by shell-fere in 1914. 



See Itinerarij, p. 13. 



47 



SOUTH 
TOWER. 




!«OKTH 
TO WEB. 



THK 

REAK PIPE 
OF THE 
M.4IN FRONT. 

On the tefl: 
Entrance 
to the 
Cloister. 



rhe 



fagade of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes after the bombardments. 



Previously, in 1870, the fafade of the church liad been badly damag- 
ed. The German shells set fire to a store of hay housed under the 
porches, the splays of which were destroyed (p. 46). 

In 1914, it suffered fresh injury, both spires being struck by shells. 
The south tower lost its upper part, the remaining portion being torn 
open at the base. The other tower was badly indented near its point, 
while the carvings of the buttresses were injured. The whole fafade 
was moreover pitted by shell-splinters. 

The damage caused in 1918 was considerably greater. In some 
places the stone-work of the portals and towers was entirely destroyed, 
arid in others indented more or less deeply. The fine and delicate 
carvings of the towers were also smashed. The north tower suffer- 
ed most. A breach, jeopardizing its stability, was made almost the 
whole way up, and the upper part of the spire fell to the ground, like 
the other spire had done four years before. The interior vaulting which 
connected the two towers, partially fell in. 

At the back of the fafade {photo above) which was also struck in 
several places, there are still traces of the first bay of the old nave 
of the abbey church, pulled down under the Empire. 



48 



THE GREAT CLOISTER OF SAINT- JEAN-DES-VIGNE S 




The Great Cloister of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes. 

Under the south portal stands a 13th century doorway, with vault- 
ing and tympanums decorated with finely carved foliage, which 
led from the abbey church to the great cloister. 

Of the great 14th century cloister, only the south and west galleries 
remain. Each has seven^bays with pointed arches resting, on one 
side, on brackets ornamented with foliage or human figures, and on the 
other, on piers surrounded by small columns '{photos above and below). 

Tlie large arches in tierce-point, ornamented with fine mouldings 
and separated by highly-wrought buttresses, formed an inner arcade 
composed of two bays surmounted by a rose-window. Traces of it 
are left in three bays of the south gallery (photo below). The arches 
formerly contained windows. 



SOUTHERN 

GAILERY 

or THP. 

CLOtSTKE, 

NOV. 1918. 




See Ilinerary, p. 13. 



49 




The cloister, especially the south end, was often struck by German 
shells, one piercing the vaulting of a bay, another damaging the carv- 
ings of the exterior buttresses. 

The Refectory. 

The refectory {photo below), erected at the^end of the 13th century, 
was spoiled after the Revolution by its conversion to military uses. 




50 



THE GHEAT CLOISTER OF SAINT- JEAN-DES-VIGNES 




WESTERN GALLERY OF THE CLOISTER AND THE REFECTORY. 



The refectory, over 130 feet in length, contains two naves with 
pointed vaulting. The pointed arches rest on fine columns with fo- 
liate capitals, which are buttressed outside by piers engaged in the 
stonework Like all monastery refectories, it has a raised and vaulted 
platform, from which one of the monks read aloud during meals. 

The refectory, used as a store-house, is divided into two stories by 
a floor which runs below the capitals of the columns. 

Outside the refectory, on the side next the cloister, were six large 
rose-windows, since transformed into small rectangular windows, and 
on the west front, eight tierce-point windows, now blocked up. 

At the base of the loft-roof, set at intervals, are dormer-windows, 
whereof one Renaissance. 

The roof, damaged in places, was completely destroyed by the 
bombardments over several of the bays. A large breach, already 
repaired, was made in the end bay on the east side. One buttress 
was destroyed and the adjacent part of the framework of one oi! the 
rose-windows broken (photo above). 

The great cloister communicated on the east with a small cloister, 
rebuilt about 1550 in Renaissance style, of which several bays of the 
south gallery remain standing. 

Lastly, on this side of the fapade of the church, to the east, is a 
building, re-erected in the 16th century for the Abbot's residence, 
but which has been completely disfigured by its adaptation for mili- 
tary purposes. It is flanked by an octagonal turret containing a stair- 
case. 



On leaving the Abbey, lake the Rue Saint-Jean on the right, as jar as the 
Place Dauphine, in which is the Sous-Prefecture, housed in a mansion 
built at the beginning of the 19th century. It was struck by numerous 
shells 



See Itinerary, p. 13. 



51 




IHE KUE DES MINIUES. 



Tafce on the left the Rue de Panleu which runs alongside the build- 
ings of the old Grand S6minaire (late 17th century), whose 18th 
century chapel is decorated with beautiful painted and gilded wood- 
work, greatly damaged. 

Many shells fell on the Grand S^minaire, causing serious damage. 
A great part of the roofing was destroyed and in places large [open- 
ings were torn in the walls. 

At the north-west end of the park of the Grand S^minaire, excava- 
tions made in the 19th century, now filled in, uncovered the remains 
of a Roman amphitheatre. These remains indicated a theatre of 
very large dimensions, measuring about 470 feet across its greatest 
width, while the theatre at Orange mesures little over 300 feet. 

Return to the Cathedral via the Rue de la Buerie, a continuation of the 
Rue de Panleu. On the right is the Rue des Minimes with its burnt 
houses (photo above). 




THE CATEEDEAI QUAKTEK IX 1917. 

In the background: the Cathedral Tower still standing. 



52 



FIRST ITINERARY — VISIT TO THE SURROUNDINGS 




Pl.dela Cathedmie 



Starting.-point : Place de la Cathedra le. 

The following- itinerary includes the defensive works of Saint-Cr^- 
pin-en-Chaye and Le Mail, the first French and German lines from 
Pasly to Saint-Paul, and the bridge-head on the right bank of the Aisne, 
in front of the Faubourg Saint-Waast . 



Starting from .the Cathedral, follow the streets Indicated by 
continuous lines in the direction of the arrows. 

The numbers indicate the pages where the corresponding plioto- 
graphs will_l)e found, 



Sec Ilineranj, p. 52. 



53, 




Follow the Rue de la Buerie to the Rue Sainl-Christophe, which take to 
the left as far as the place Saint-Christophe To the north of this square 
take the Boulevard Pasteur, /ollow its continuation (a narrow road) which 
leads direct to the Chlbteau de Saint-Crepin-en-Chaye (see outline 
map, p. 52). 

Numerous defensive works surrounded this cliateau and the farm 
belonging to it. These buildings, now entirely in ruins, occupied the 
site of an abbey founded in the 12th century. 




CHATB.tU OF 

ST-CKftPIN- 

EN-CHATE. 

January IQIO. 



On the left: ruui, ui larm and bomb-proof shelter ; on the riqU: Irenoh lending 
to the Chdleuu seen in the background through the trees. 



54 



THE MAIL 




After visiting Saint-Cripin, taI(B the road (V. O. 15), along which ran 
strong defence-works and which leads to the Promenade du Mail. Follow 
the promenade towards the town as far as Pont-Neuf. 

The Promenade du Mail, extending from the H6tel-de-Ville to Vaux- 
rot, contained trench throughout its entire length which led to 
the front lines in the northern sector. 

The Mail, bordered by the river Aisne and planted with century- 
old trees, dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, and before the 
War was one of the finest public gardens in France. 

It was completely spoilt by formidable defence-works. A series 
of trenches, strengthened by defence-works of every kind and by strong 
points such as the Brasserie du Mail on the Bank of the Aisne, began 
in the middl of the Mail. They branched out at the end of the Pro- 
menade into a great number of outposts, blockhouses and obser- 
vation posts, from which the naked eye could discern the entrench- 
ments of the camouflaged German outposts on the right bank of 
the Aisne. 

Communication with the Allies' bridge-head on both banks was 
ensured by foot-bridges, constantly under fire, and temporary ways 
over the two partially destroyed bridges. 



THE Mill 
THE WAK, 




In the background : the band-stand near which General de Grandmatson was killed. 



See Itinerary,' p.'_52. 



55 




THE 

PONT-NEOF, 
BLOWN UP 
FT THE 
BP.ITISH. 



Cross the Aisne at the Pont-Neuf. 

The Pont-Neuf or Pont-du-Mall, over which passes the National 
Road (N" 2) from Paris to Maubeuge, was built in 1903 of reinforced 
concrete. 

On September 1, 1914, the British blew up the middle arch. It 
was subsequently found possible to contrive a crossing over the brok- 
en arch, hidden from the view of the enemy by the gaily coloured 
tents of a travelling show which happened to be in Soissons when war 
was declared (photo below). 







THE 

PONT-NKCT 

OAMOUFLAOED. 



50 



THE FRENCH FIRST LINE 




ThR French First Lin? in the Distillery. 

. From the Pont-Neuf, take the Avenue de Laon to the Place de Laon, 
then take the Avenue de Vauxrot on the left to Vauxrol and Pasly. {See 
.map, p. 53 and Itinerary, p. 52) 

About half a mile from tlie Place de Laon are the ruins of a large dis- 
tillery which formed the first French position and was strongly fortifled. 
On the north of the distillery, beyond "No man's land" with its 
barbed-wire entanglements, a very important glass-works formed the 
first German line. Before the war, these glass-works turned out se- 




See Ilincrari/, p. 52, 




THE 

GLASS-WOKKS 
AT VAUXXOT. 

In the 
foreground : 
A Qerman 
grave. 



T'tf Germtin Fir.Bl Line in Ihe Glass-Works. 

veral millions ol champagne bottles every year. A heap 0/ these 
bollles is visible in the photo below. 

Between the buildings of these works, now completely ruined by 
the incessant bombardments, are countless passages and trenches 
ol reinforced concrete, observation posts, blockhouses, concrete ma- 
chine-gun positions and deep dug-outs. 




TI'E 

GLASS- WORKS 

OF VAUXROT. 

In ttie 

background : 
Hill 1 3B. 



VAUXROT 




In Ihe I'ackground : Chapel of the. Glass-Works. To the lift o) the Chapei, .. Gernvm 
Machlne-Gun was posted below a crane. 

From Vauxrot to Pasly, the lines were separated by the Aisne. On 
both banks of the river were outposts and advanced trenches with 
machine-guns {photo below). 

From Vauxrot, proceed to Pasly {see map, p. 53). 

From the church at Pasly there is an interesting wallc to the caves 
seen in the photograph on p. 59 shutting in the horizon to the north 
of the village. Follow ihe road for nearly half-a-mile, then turn to 
the right into the road which goes up the side of the hill and skirts the 
caves. The latter were fortified by the Germans, and afterwards inha- 
bited by the population of Pasly. 




See Itinerary, p. 52. 




A monument to the school-teachers shot by the Germans in 1870, 
was destroyed by the enemy in 1914 (photo below). 




SCHOOL- 
TEAOHEllS' 
MONUJIENI 
DESTROYED BY 
THE GERMANS 
AT PASLT. 

[see above) 



The road leads back to the village. Return via Vauxrol to tlie Place 
de Laon, then follow on the left the Avenue de Laon to Saint-Paul. 

The defence-works visited between Pasly, the glass-works and 
the distillery, ex- 
tended from there 
in an almost 
straight and formi- 
dable entrenched 
line to the National 
Road from Paris to 
Maubeuge (N. 2). 

After crossing 
this road, about 
half-way between 
Soissons and Crouy, 
they encircle the 
hamlet of St-Paul 
on the north and 
east. This forti- 
fied hamlet formed 




ORaANIZEB 

CAVE 

AT PASLY 



60 



SAINT-PAUL AXD SAINT-MKDAR D 




the Saint-Paul salient and protected the faubourg of Saint-Waast. 

From Saint-Paul the trenches, sloping towards the south, extended 
in front of the strongly fortified Faubourg of Saint-Medard and rejoin- 
ed the Aisne at the point where the river forms a great loop above 
Soissons. It was the eastern sector of the defences, covering alike 
the Faubourg of Saint-Waast and the bridge-head on the right bank. 

To go from Sainl-Paul lo Saint- Medard, return to the Place de Laon. 
Take on the left the Boulevard de Laon, then the Boulevard de Metz which 
continues it, to the Place d' Alsace-Lorraine. Take the Rue de Bouvines 
on the left to the Abbey of Saint-IVI§dard. 

The Faubourg of Saint-M^dard is as old as the town itself. In fact, 
it existed in the Roman era, and later became one of the favorite resi- 
dences of the -Merovingian Kings, who owned a large "villa" there. 



BESTllOYBn 

BRIDGE 

OVER THE 

AISNE. 




This bridge connected Pasly with Soissons. 



See Itinerary, p. 52. 



61 




IN THE 

ST-PAUl 

SALIENT 



About 556, Clotaire I had the greatly revered Bishop of Noyon, 
Salnt-Medard, buried in this villa, and erected over his grave a basi- 
lica, round which a monastery was built. 

After playing an important part in the history of the early Middle- 
Ages, this monastery attracted 300 000 pilgrims as late as 1530. 
The buildings were devastated during the many sieges to which Sois- 
sons was subjected. Rebuilt in the 17th, they were converted in 
the 19th century into a school lor deaf-mutes and the blind. 

01 the ancient buildings, there remains only a crypt, one of the 
oldest in France and of great archcEological interest. 

Built in the 9th century and measuring about 80 feet in length, 
8 feet in width and 13 feet in height, this crypt (photo below) includes 
a central gallery with groined vault, off which open chapels. 

The vaulting rests on very thick walls, in which small niches have 
been hollowed out as seats for the pilgrims. 




One of the oldest crypts in France. 



62 



FAUBOURG SAINT-WAAST 




lielurn to int Place d' Alsace-Lorraine, take the Rue du Champ-Boail- 
lani as far as the first street on the right {Rue Messire-P.-Leroy^ which 
leads to the Church of Saint-Waast. 

The church ol Saint-Waast, built in the 19th century, consists of 
a large central pile with aisles on each side of the nave. A graceful 
belfry, ending in a spire, rises over the portal. The interior of the 
building is not vaulted, but has a timber-work roof. The arches are 



PAPBOCEO 
ST-WAABT. 




Defence-Worl,s in the Rue deg Qravien, near the Church {see Itinerary). 



See Itinerary, p. 52. 



63 



supported by square pillars and the walls ornamented with pictures. 

The bombardments did great damage. Everywhere the root was 
broken in and a large part completely destroyed. In the walls are 
numerous gaps, while the fafade is pitted by shell splinters. The 
belfry, very badly damaged on the first story, had two of its sides in 
the upper story completely demolished. The spire fell down in 1918. 
The interior of the main building suffered less, but the timber-work 
roof was badly damaged. 

The Faubourg Saint- Waast led to the first lines of the north-east 
sector of Soissons, which passed north of the hamlet of Saint-Paul. 

Because of its situation, it had been put in a complete state of de- 
fence and was continually bombarded. The railway station, gas-works 
and most of the factories were destroyed. In places, it is nothing 
more than a heap of ruins with, here and there, vestiges of the old mili- 
tary works. 

Return to the Rue du Champ-Bouillant, follow same as far as the Aisne, 
crossing the latter at the Pont Saint-Waast. 



rr 


, 




r '4m 


'h^^^^mmJ^^^^M 


1 







THE FONT 

BT-WAAST 

OS 

PONT DES 

ANOLAIS. 

In the 
background, 
the 

Pont-Neuf, 
Sep^. 1914. 



The pont Saint-Waast, also called the Pont-des-Anglais (since the 
war) dates from the Middle-Ages (photo above). Of the original 
structure there remain the arches on the Saint-Waast side (restored) 
The rest of the bridge consists of an iron platform which the Ger- 
mans destroyed on September 13, 1914, when they evacuated the 
town. 

Rebuilt by the British in 1914, together with a foot-bridge, 
it ensured communication between the centre of the town and 
the Faubourg Saint-Waast, in spite of incessant bombardments. 

Return to the Cathedral by the Rue la Banniere, flue de Montre- 
vers, and Rue de I'Hdtel-Dieu. 



CONTENTS 

Chief Historical Facts 2 

First Qerman Occupation, 1914 4 

Second Qerman Occupation, 1918 7 

Ttie Bombardments 10 

A Tliirty-iVionths' Siege 11 

VISiT TO THE CiTY 

The Cathedral 15 31 

St-L6ger Church 35 39 

The H6tei-de-Viiie 40 41 

St-Pierre-au-Parvis Church 42 

Maison de i'Arquebuse. 43 

St-Jean-des-Vignes Abbey 44 50 

VISIT TO THE SURROUNDINGS 

St-Crepin-en-Chaye Ch§iteau 53 

Vauxrot-Pasly 56 - 60 

Saint-Paul — Saint- iVIedard 60 61 

Faubourg St- Waast 62 63 




STREET I)EFES03-W.1RK? IN T.TH F.\UB31IRG ST-WA.\ST. 



Vin bis-.2.U-> bis-6 1920 



IMP. KAPP, PARIS 



• OFFICE NATIONAL DU TOURISME ' 

//, Rae Je Surim. PARIS- 8' 



The ' Office National du Tourisme ' was created by 
Act of Parliament on Apiil 8tli 1910, and reo{'gan)z;d 
in 1917. It enjoys civil privileges and financial autonomy. 

It is directed by an Administrative Council chosen 
by the Minister of Public Works. 

Its mission is to seek out every means of developing 
travel ; to urge, and if necessary to take any measure 
capable of ameliorating the. conditions of the transport, 
circulation and sojourn of tourists. 

It co-ordinates the efforts of touring societies and 
industries, encourages them in the execution of their pro- 
grammes and stimulates legislative and administrative ini- 
tiative with. regard to the development of travel in France. 

It promotes understanding between the Public Services, 
the great Transport Compemies, the Syndicats d'Initiative' 
and the Syndicats Professionnels '. 

It organises propagemda in foreign countries ; and tends 
towiurds the creation of Travel Inquiry Offices in France 
and abroad, with a view to making known the scenery and 
monuments of Frjmce, as well as the health-giving powers 
of French mineral waters, spas and bathing places. 



ALL INQUIRIES WITH REGARD TO TRAVELLING 

SHOULD BE ADDRESSED 

TO THE • TOUI^ING-CLUB DE FRANCE ' 

65, Avenue de la Grande - Armee, 65 

PARIS 



THE ' TOURING-CLUB DE FRANCE' 



WHAT IS IT ? WHAT ARE ITS USES P 

» 

The ' Touring-Club de France ' (founded in 1 890), is 
at the present time the largest Touring Association in the 
whole world. Its principal aim is to introduce France — 
admirable country and one of the loveliest on earth — 
to French' people themselves and to foreigners. 

It seeks to develop travel in all its forms :on foot,'' on 
horseback, on bicycle, in carriage, motor, yacht or railway, 
and soon in aeroplane. 

Every member of the Association receives a badge and 
an identity ticket free of charge, as. also the Revue Men- 
suelle ' every month. 

Members have also the bene&t of special prices in a 
certain number of affiliated hotels ; and this holds good 
for the purchase of guide-books and Staff (Etat-major) 
maps, as Well as those of the Ministere de I'lnterieur , the 
T. C. F., etc. They may insert notices regarding the 
sale or purchase of travelling requisites, in the ' Reviie ' 
(1 fr. per line). The ' Comite des Goiitentieux ' is ready 
to give them counsel with regard to travelling, and 
3.000 delegates in all the principsJ towns are able to give 
them advice and information about thes curiosities of art 
or of nature in the neighbourhood, as Well as concerning 
the roads, hotels, motor-agents, garages, etc. . 

Members are accorded free passage Across the fron^ 
tier for a bicycle or motor^'bicycle. For a motor-car the 
Association gives a Triptyque ' ensuring free passage 
through the ' douane ', etc. 



ONE TRAVELS BEST IN FRANCE WHEN A MEMBER 
OF THE ' TOURING-CLUB DE FRANCE 



MICHELIN TOURING OFFICES 



MICHELIN TYRE Co., Ltd., LONDON 

Touring Office ■.: 81. Fulham Road. S. W. 

MICHELIN & Cie, CLERMONT-FERRAND 

Touring Office :: 97, Bd. Pereire, PARIS 




Why ask the Way, when. 




Michelin Will tell you free of charge ? 



Drop a line, ring us up, or call at one of our 
Touring Offices and you will receive a carefully 
worked .out description of the route to follow.