The best traffic-free bike rides around Francières

Beautiful building

very nice route

The church of Saint-Martin-aux-Bois stands on the site of the former abbey on which it depended, which no longer exists. Only a few vestiges remain, including the Galata, a former hostelry that has become private property. From the rampart walk, the outline of the enclosure and the location of the monastic buildings can still be seen, while the apse of the church has recently undergone major restoration work.

Nestled between the church and the village, the Étournelles vegetable garden in Breuil-le-Sec, created in 1851 by landscaper Louis-Sulpice Varé, retains the charm of its original English-style garden. Behind its high walls, eight squares bordered by boxwood are planted with vegetables, fruits, and flowers in a perfect balance between aesthetics and production. Maintained continuously for over 160 years, this rare, nourishing garden has been listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments since 2004.

This impressive cemetery was built in 1920-1921 on a site that was heavily contested during the First World War. It contains the remains of 1,258 French soldiers, 547 of whom are buried in two ossuaries. One French soldier from the Second World War is also buried here. Adjacent is a German military cemetery with the remains of 1,095 soldiers, 388 of whom are buried in collective graves, together with four British and two French soldiers. The necropolis is located in a region where the German advance towards Paris passed through in 1914, and where fierce fighting took place in 1918 during the Battle of Matz. Today it is a serene place of remembrance and reconciliation, in the middle of a landscape that was once the scene of devastating battles.

The chapel is located about 1 km north of Cernoy, at the entrance to the hamlet of Trois-Étots. The chapel is built in red brick with white stone accents and dates from the early 16th century. It is noteworthy that the construction of the chapel was probably simultaneous with that of the southeastern part of the nearby castle of Trois-Étots. Inside, the chapel has a single nave with three bays, closed by a three-sided choir. Noteworthy are the three cylindrical columns between each bay, which rest on a semicircular base. The windows have Gothic tracery and contain two types of windows: some have two central mullions opening into smaller windows, while others have three equal windows with an acute angle. There are inscriptions on the capitals of the pillars, one of which mentions the year 1544, which is probably the year the chapel was built.

The Montagne du Paradis in Élincourt-Sainte-Marguerite is a small plateau which dominates the Matz valley. You will enjoy the view of the wooded hills and the villages that surround them. You will also discover the ruins of an old windmill dating from the 18th century. The trail begins at the old washhouse of Fontaine Sorel, where you can admire the ancient architecture and the water source. The Montagne du Paradis in Élincourt-Sainte-Marguerite is an ideal destination for a refreshing and picturesque run in the great outdoors.

The Elincourt-Sainte-Marguerite Lavoir is an old washhouse dating from the 19th century.