The best traffic-free bike rides around Mareuil-La-Motte

Created in 1919, the Méry-la-Bataille national necropolis contains the remains of 1,538 soldiers who died for France during the Battle of Matz in June 1918. Adjacent to the municipal cemetery, it brings together the bodies exhumed from various temporary cemeteries in the Oise, of which 1,286 are buried in individual graves and 254 in two ossuaries. This memorial pays tribute to the soldiers who fell during one of the decisive offensives of the First World War, which helped halt the German advance towards Paris.

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The square itself houses a statue of Joan of Arc, a tribute to the city's historical connection to this iconic figure. The Town Hall, with its rich history and stunning architecture, continues to captivate visitors, offering a glimpse into the past while remaining a vibrant part of Compiègne's present.

The architecture of the town hall is a true feast for the eyes. The central structure is dominated by a tall bell tower, flanked by two turrets connected by a decorative railing. This imposing façade, 47 meters high and 24 meters wide, is decorated with striking Gothic elements such as pinnacles and basket arches. The large niche now houses a high relief depicting the equestrian statue of Louis XII. It is an original creation from 1869 by the sculptor Henri-Alfred Jacquemart in the realistic style so prevalent at the time. However, contrary to the usual appearance of equestrian statues during the reign of Louis XII, Henri-Alfred Jacquemart chose not to build a horse walking "à l'amble," that is, with both straight legs raised simultaneously. On October 12, 1530, a clock was placed on the summit of the bell tower. From that time on, every quarter of an hour, she animated three wooden jaquemarts with bell hammers. The Compiègneis quickly gave them three nicknames corresponding to the enemies of the time: Langlois for the English, Flandrin for the Flemish, and Lansquenet for the Germans. Even today, they chant the life of the city by "punching the time," that is, by striking their hammer to strike the hours.

The Aisne is a river in northern France that rises in the Argonne massif and joins the Oise near Compiègne in the Oise department. The Aisne department is named after the river. The Romans already knew the river in ancient times as the Axona; in 57 BC, Caesar defeated a large Belgian coalition in the Battle of the Aisne during the Gallic War. Battles were also fought there during the First World War.

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.

Each cross indicates the function of the warrior.

The Lassigny military cemetery is an impressive and sober memorial site where 1,777 German soldiers from the First World War are buried. The cemetery was created in 1919 by the French military authorities, initially as a Franco-German communal cemetery. Its origins lie in a mass grave from the summer of 1918, in which 55 unknown French soldiers were buried. In 1922, the French bodies were transferred to another cemetery, after which the site was converted into a German military cemetery. The fallen came from more than 27 municipalities in the region, up to 18 km away. In 1977, the cemetery took on its current form, with metal crosses bearing the names and dates of the fallen. A monolithic memorial marks the entrance to the site.