_Return to the entrance of the village, take on the right the road which
passes under the railway, and follow G. C. 3._
In the wood on the left were numerous ammunition dumps. =Rocourt= is
reached shortly afterwards. Take a look at the church, then _turn to the
right into N. 37_.
All along the road are small dug-outs. The Germans, in their retreat,
left behind huge quantities of shells and empty cartridge-cases.
Rather less than two miles from Rocourt, in a small wood which borders
the road on the left, the Germans had installed batteries of three-inch
and four-inch guns. The wood contains ammunition shelters and an
underground chamber full of shells. In the sloping land, at the side of
the road, small dug-outs can still be seen. A little further on, near a
ruined house, are heaps of burnt cable-drums, gun limbers, motors, etc.
=Brény-on-the-Ourcq= is soon reached.
[Illustration: THE CHURCH AND SEMINARY AT OULCHY-LE-CHÂTEAU.]
[Illustration: OULCHY-LE-CHÂTEAU SEEN FROM THE TERRACE.]
_Cross the railway (level crossing) in the village._ Shortly after
leaving Brény, in the hill-side on the left, are shelters which were
used by the Germans. Near by are graves.
A little further on are more shelters on the left, while close by are
the graves of the soldiers belonging to the 23rd French Infantry
Regiment, who fell on July 24.
=Oulchy-le-Château= is next reached.
The village lies in the narrow valley of the Rû-de-Chauday, between two
hills, on one of which is the church, on the other, the castle known as
“La Grande Maison.”
_In front of the “Mairie,” turn to the left, leaving the car a few
hundred yards further on. Taking the narrow street on the left of the
“Mairie,” and then a series of flights of steps, the tourist, keeping to
the left, arrives at the_ Church, situated on a terrace close to the
ruined Seminary.
[Illustration: RUINED CHURCH OF OULCHY-LA-VILLE.]
The Church was built inside the walls of the old feudal castle, which
gave its name to the village, and of which only the massive walls
remain. It is a large Roman edifice dating from the 12th century.
Although successive restorations have somewhat spoilt its lines, it is
none the less a remarkable building. The stalls are 14th century and the
pulpit 17th.
[Illustration: GERMAN HOWITZER GUN IN THE DISTILLERY RUINS AT
OULCHY-LA-VILLE.]
_After visiting the church and seminary, cross the terrace and return to
the lower part of the village by the footpath, which passes under the
little bridge at the edge of the terrace. At the bottom of the path, the
tourist will take his car again. A little further on, turn to the left
into G. C. 22, leading up to_ =Oulchy-la-Ville=. This village was much
more damaged than Oulchy-le-Château.
_At the fork, near the entrance to Oulchy-la-Ville, turn to the right in
the direction of the_ Church. The roof and tower of this 13th-14th
century edifice were destroyed by bombardment (photo, p. 69).
_Immediately after the church, turn to the left, then to the right, in
the direction of the_ distillery in ruins. In the yard of this building
there is a German howitzer-gun (photo above).
Just outside the village, shells, machine-gun cartridge belts, and
débris of all kinds, heaped pell-mell at the side of the road, remind
one of the fierceness of the struggle in this vicinity.
[Illustration: CHOUY CHURCH.]
[Illustration: THE MAIN STREET IN CHOUY.