_Enter the upper town by the Rue des Religieuses (or Rue de
l’Hôtel-de-Ville). The first house on the right is the_ Maison de
Préfontaine (_photo above_), which is still as it was when, on June 21,
1791, at 11 o’clock at night, Louis XVI. and his suite, in their flight
from Paris, knocked at the door to ask their way.
_On the other side of the street is the Place du Château, where there
are_ some German soldiers’ graves.
_The Rue de la Basse-Cour--a continuation of the Rue des
Religieuses--crosses the Place du Marché (photo below) in which stands,
on the left_, the ruined house of Sauce, the grocer, Procureur of the
Commune, in which Louis XVI. passed the night. This house, formerly No.
28, had, until the war, remained much as it was in 1791.
[Illustration: VARENNES. PLACE DU MARCHÉ AND RUE DE LA BASSE-COUR, NEAR
THE BRIDGE
_Ruins of house where Louis XVI. was arrested._]
[Illustration: VARENNES. BANKS OF THE AIRE.
_N. 46 crosses the bridge._]
Drouet, who recognised the King at St. Menehould (_p. 68_) reached
Varennes before him, by a short-cut. The whole town, aroused by the
tocsin, assembled, and compelled the carriage of the king to stop.
The arrest of Louis XVI. was made at the Bras d’Or Inn, the site of
which was afterwards occupied by three houses, one of which was No. 340
(_the bottom photograph_ on p. 74 shows the ruins of these houses).
The king and his family stayed at Sauce’s house until the morning, when
they were taken back to Paris.
At the Mairie the authentic official report of the arrest of Louis XVI.
may be seen.
_Keep along the Rue de la Basse-Cour, then cross the Aire which divides
the upper from the lower town (visited on the first day, p. 52)._
[Illustration: VARENNES. BRIDGE OVER THE AIRE
_Seen from N. 46, coming from Neuvilly. At back: Ruined Church._]
[Illustration: CHEPPY. TROOPS OF 1ST INF. DIV. WATERING HORSES
_The ruined village is on the top of the hillside._]
_Beyond the bridge, take G.C._ 38 _to the right for_ 1 _km_. 800, _then
G.C._ 19 _on the left,_ 2 _km. beyond Varennes, after crossing the
Buanthe_, =Cheppy= _is reached_.
This village, with its interesting church, remained within the German
lines from 1914 to 1918, being retaken by the Americans on September 26,
1918. Frequently bombarded by aeroplanes and artillery, especially
during the Battle of Verdun, it was completely wiped out.
[Illustration: CHEPPY. DETACHMENT OF 107TH ENGINEERS (32ND INF. DIV.)
CLEARING ROADS OF BARBED-WIRE ENTANGLEMENTS]
[Illustration: CHEPPY. DRESSING STATION
_The Itinerary follows the left-hand road, at fork, to Montfaucon._]
_To visit the ruins, turn to the left at the first houses along the
road, which runs past the quarries for 400 yards (photo below)._
_Return to G.C. 19. At the end of the village (photo above) the road
divides. Leave the road lying straight ahead, which leads to Avocourt,
and follow G.C. 19 on the left, through_ =Chéhémont Wood=, _and cross a
great plain dominated by the_ Montfaucon Ridge.
_Five hundred yards before reaching_ =Montfaucon=, _take the road on the
right which, at Montfaucon, joins the road from Malancourt_.
Montfaucon is 8 km. from Cheppy.
[Illustration: CHEPPY. GERMAN POST OF COMMANDMENT ON BAULMY ROAD
_Ruins of Cheppy in the background._]