_On arriving by the Avenue Victor Hugo, after crossing the bridge over
the Aisne_, the Gendarmerie, _at No. 8 on the right_, should be noticed.
It is the old post-house where Louis XVI. was recognised during his
flight in 1791. Over a door which opens into the Rue de la
Porte-des-Bois, the word “Poste” carved in the stone may still be seen.
The royal carriage stopped near this post-house in broad daylight,
arousing the curiosity of the bystanders by its imposing appearance and
by the respect paid to the traveller and his family by the members of
his suite. The postmaster, Drouet, thought he recognised Louis XVI.,
whom he had seen at Versailles, and he was confirmed in his belief by an
_assignat_ (paper money) with the king’s head stamped upon it, which had
just been given him.
After the departure of the carriage, Drouet followed it to Varennes,
where he caught it up and had the royal family arrested.
[Illustration: SAINTE-MENEHOULD HÔTEL-DE-VILLE]
_The Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville is next reached with the_ Hôtel-de-Ville,
an 18th century building, _on the right_ (_photo above_).
_Cross the “Place,” keeping to the left, via the Rue Chanzy, which is
the main street. On the right, at No. 33, is the_ Hôtel-de-Metz, an old
inn on the road from Metz to Paris, formerly well known, the original
kitchen of which has preserved its ample dimensions and innumerable
copper utensils.
_The Rue Chanzy ends on the bank of the Aisne at the Place d’Austerlitz.
At the sharp turning on the left, before crossing this “place,” take the
Rue de la Côte-du-Château, then the Rue des Ormes, which leads to_ the
church.[2]
[2] The church is reached by a flight of steps; the entrance is close
to No. 72, Rue Chanzy.
The church, surrounded by a graveyard, stands on a rock in the centre of
the old town, of which nothing is left but fragments of the castle and
some ruined walls to the south and south-west. The church was built in
the 13th and 14th centuries. Its exterior is massive; the main doorway
is hidden by a modern porch. Beyond the Chapel of the Virgin, on the
right of the choir, a low sacristy was added at the end of the 17th or
beginning of the 18th century. Some fine fragments of earlier sculpture
(five panels depicting scenes from the Passion, and three richly
decorated canopies) have been incrusted in the outside walls. Tombstones
have been built into the walls on either side of the doorway in the left
transept, at the entrance to the church.
The interior consists of five naves with low vaulting. In the left arm
of the transept, under a tri-cusped pointed arcade, the group “The Death
of the Virgin,” represents the Virgin recumbent, with children reading
and clinging to her hands and feet, and eight weeping women carrying
books. In the chapel on the left of the choir there is a 17th century
picture--a view of St. Menehould, with three figures, one of which is
the Patron-Saint of the town; the other two are supposed to be Louis
XIII. and Richelieu. Behind this chapel, which was formerly used for the
ceremonies of the town-guilds, is a recess called the Treasury, a small
vaulted 15th century room opening on the choir. The polygonal choir
presents a fine appearance with its five slightly pointed windows,
framed by two archivolts, supported on little columns with Romanesque
capitals. All around is an elegant 13th century arcade, screened with
rather heavy woodwork. The last nave on the right consists of three
separate 14th century chapels. The capitals of the aisles represent
human heads. The chapel of the Virgin contains a curious capital
representing an oak laden with acorns, towards which a peasant is
driving three pigs. This Chapel was founded in 1552 by the Lord de
Saulx, and was used from the end of the 16th century onward by the Guild
of Vine-dressers, who had the vaulting painted with frescoes. It is also
known as the Chapel of our Lady of the Vines. Formerly it contained a
number of tombstones, since removed. There is still to be seen, in one
of the chapels off the right aisle, a large and very fine 15th century
tombstone with effigies of Jean Toignel and his wife under a handsomely
carved Renaissance pediment.
_Take the Rue du Cimetière, which passes behind the church, then the Rue
Basse-du-Château, which leads to a path skirting the old walls of the
castle. From this path there is_ a fine view over the town, the Valleys
of the Aisne and the Auve, and the surrounding hills. _Go round the
cliffs and return to the steps which lead down to the Rue Chanzy._
SECOND DAY: Sainte-Menehould, Varennes, Montfaucon, Grandpré,
Vienne-le-Château, La Gruerie Wood, Le Four-de-Paris, La Haute-Chevauchée
and La Chalade.
Distance: 130 km.
[Illustration: ITINERARY FOR THE SECOND DAY]
[Illustration: CLERMONT-EN-ARGONNE. RUINS ON THE BAR-LE-DUC ROAD]
_From St. Menehould to Clermont-en-Argonne (15 km.) take the same road
as the first day (see pp. 31-70)._
_On reaching the Place de la Mairie at Clermont, turn to the left, cross
the railway, leave I.C. 60 on the right, and keep straight on. G.C.D. 2
runs straight from Clermont to_ =Neuvilly= (_6 km. 500_).
During the trench warfare of 1914 to 1918, this road was often swept by
the German artillery. At the beginning of September, 1914, Neuvilly was
taken by the enemy, but a fortnight later it was recaptured by the
French.
[Illustration: NEUVILLY, _seen from behind the_ CHURCH. _At the back_:
ARGONNE FOREST]
[Illustration: NEUVILLY. RUINS OF ELECTRIC POWER STATION ON RIVER AIRE]
Until the end of the war it was in close proximity to the front lines,
and was frequently shelled.
_Opposite the church of Neuvilly the road joins N. 46, which take to the
left._
_3 km. 500 further on_, the original front lines are crossed.
=Boureuilles= _lies 1-1/2 km. beyond_.
[Illustration: GERMAN PRISONERS TAKEN BY THE 35TH INF. DIV., NEAR
BOUREUILLES]
The village of Boureuilles-on-the-Aire has completely disappeared. As
early as November, 1914, it had been reduced to a mere heap of stones
and rubbish.
[Illustration: BOUREUILLES. D. CO. OF 111TH ENGINEERS ROAD-MAKING]
After being rushed by the French on January 4, 1915, it was retaken by
the Germans, who held it until the Franco-American offensive of
September 26, 1918.
_2 km. 500 beyond Boureuilles the tourist comes to_ =Varennes.=
[Illustration: BOUREUILLES. THE 27TH ENGINEERS REPAIRED THIS BRIDGE OVER
THE AIRE IN AN HOUR AND A HALF
(_N. 46 crosses the bridge._)]
[Illustration: VARENNES. MAISON DE PRÉFONTAINE
_On June 21, 1791, Louis XVI. and his suite, in their flight from Paris,
halted here late at night to enquire the way._]