アティシーのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

Parking for parking

Parking for parking

Bakery, bar, tobacconist... Perfect for starting and finishing a hike

Ideal for starting a hike

In the footsteps of the Poilus

In the heart of the village of Vic-sur-Aisne, surrounded by a leafy park and overlooking the Aisne valley, lies the imposing Château de Vic-sur-Aisne. What today appears to be an elegant country house, bears in its walls the traces of a turbulent past. Originally built on the foundations of a medieval castrum, the estate grew in the 17th century into a stately castle, with symmetrical facades, round towers and an impressive thirteen-metre high keep — a remnant from the 13th century. The architecture reflects the transition from defensive structure to residential comfort: robust, but refined. The gardens, partly in French style with straight lines and box hedges, partly in English landscape style with winding paths and romantic corners, invite you to stroll and contemplate.

If you want to discover the history and art of the First World War, you can visit the Carrières de Confrécourt, a series of underground quarries that served as a refuge for French soldiers. There you can admire the sculptures and frescoes they carved on the walls, expressing their hopes, fears and memories. You can also see the ruins of the Confrécourt monastery farm, dating from the 12th century, where violent battles took place. The quarries are open for guided tours on the first Sunday of every month, from April to September. Reservations are required.

This former monastery was dedicated to the Holy Cross (Latin “Santa Croce”). The patronage refers to the cross on which Jesus Christ died. The veneration of the Holy Cross goes back to a large extent to Saint Helena, who was the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great (who recognized Christianity as a religion after his victory at the “Milvian Bridge” in front of Rome and in the year 312 for a long time the persecution ended with the “tolerance edict” of Milan). In the early fourth century she undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel / Palestine) and from there brought numerous relics with her to Europe, including the "True Cross" on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Helena is therefore often depicted with a cross as an attribute. The church celebrates the festival of the discovery, public presentation and veneration of the Holy Cross – called “Exaltation of the Cross” – on September 14th.