The best road cycling routes around Billancourt

Also a bicycle repair and electric bike charging point

The reconstruction of Notre-Dame, consecrated in 1928, was designed by Swiss architect Albert Montant—who also designed the church of Canny-sur-Matz. Albert Montant was an excellent connoisseur of medieval architecture, and the building, constructed of brick with some stone elements, contains numerous references to Romanesque architecture, revisited here with great originality and sensitivity. The plan features a bell tower porch, a single nave, and a choir with side aisles, culminating in an apse framed by two apsidioles. Each section has its own distinctive features. The bell tower porch—which echoes that of the previous church—opens with a semicircular arched portal with three arches resting, on each side, on as many small columns via cubic capitals. Three small, offset windows open above, and a gable crowns the whole. Instead of the traditional gallery, the bell tower porch forms, inside, a richly lit lantern crowned by a four-sided dominion vault. Of Carolingian origin, the lantern tower enjoyed great popularity in Anglo-Norman architecture and beyond, as evidenced by the one at Laon Cathedral. The nave has three bays with semicircular barrel vaults. Its two transverse arches are supported by abacuses surmounting consoles, a device intended to house statues, now missing. The choir is covered with a barrel vault that closes in a cul-de-four at the apse. Eleven small semicircular windows penetrate this vault, the base of which is highlighted by a continuous cordon of billets. Three semicircular arches resting on circular piers provide access to the side aisles, each covered with a semicircular barrel vault. This entire ensemble clearly draws its inspiration from the Romanesque architecture of Berry and Auvergne. In the nave, we notice six stained-glass windows by Blanchet-Lesage (1959) on the themes of Faith, Charity, Hope, Prudence, Justice, and Strength (2008).

The castle is almost invisible from the towpath. Good that the highlight is positioned correctly, otherwise you will definitely miss it.

The Château d'Happlaincourt, a medieval castle, dates from the 13th century and was originally a fortified structure with a square floor plan, surrounded by water. During the First World War, the castle was largely destroyed, leaving only ruins today. Historically, it played a role in the Catholic League in the 16th century, when Jacques d'Humières drew up a manifesto there to restore the Catholic religion.

The town of Péronne is truly charming and well worth a visit. The Somme River forms natural ponds that surround the city, giving it an undeniable appeal. Its old town is located on a small hill overlooking the entire area.

The museum covers the period of the First World War in all its aspects: military, social, cultural.

This museum is located on the front lines of the Battle of the Somme. The white concrete design by architect Henri-Edouard Ciriani describes a gentle arc set into the southwest wall of the medieval castle. It forms a harmonious whole with the four large round towers, each with a diameter of 9 m. The building at the Etang du Cam stands on a series of smooth white concrete columns, creating a beautiful reflection in the water. The rooms are accessed through an opening in the wall of the 13th-century castle, which was built by the Counts of Vermandois. Charles the Bold imprisoned Louis XI in one of the towers.

Very nice museum in a great, historic building. A must visit on a bike tour 😍.