160KM between Laon and Reims

The department of Aisne, just a stone's throw from our borders, holds many treasures and winding roads, far from the tourist hordes. We take you on 160km of pleasure and discovery between Laon and Reims.

Laon, the prefecture of the Aisne department (the “02”, as they say in France…) can be reached by highway (toll…) via Mons, Valenciennes, Cambrai and Saint-Quentin. However, starting from Brussels, it's quite a detour and the route is nothing pleasant. Therefore, we preferred to offer you an “appetizer” that, starting from Rocroi (south of Couvin), only takes departmental roads that are not or very little “monitored by speed cameras”. It's sufficiently winding to make riding enjoyable. Why else are we riding motorcycles?

Another advantage of this route, which passes through Eteignières, Rumigny, Rozoy-sur-Serre and Montcornet (where a certain Colonel de Gaulle stopped the German tanks in June 1940…), is the beautiful arrival in Laon, with the cathedral visible from far away! This route is, like the one for the BBB proper, available for download at www.moto80.be. Count about 1h30 of travel time between Rocroi and Laon, without rushing. The city has all the hotel (and gastronomic!) resources necessary to ensure you have a good evening and a restorative night ahead of the 160km and the many visiting opportunities that await you the next day.

Laon, a city to discover

The starting point of our itinerary is the forecourt of the Notre-Dame cathedral. It’s not difficult to get there; just follow the signs! After negotiating the few “hairpin turns” that lead there (a route worthy of a hill climb!), we are ready to go. While the place lacks none of its majesty, there isn't a single open café to enjoy the grand crème and croissants that go with it, which is, however, an integral part of the charm of motorcycle rides in the beautiful country of France… Never mind, we will find our happiness just a few kilometers away, at the Café de Paris, right in front of Laon's SNCF station. No tourists here: it’s the “Ginette and Marcel” atmosphere…

Rejuvenated and with our stomachs filled with the delicious croissants from the bakery across the street, we resolutely set our course westward, towards the leafy canopies of the Saint-Gobain forest and its 9,000 hectares. Our favorite spot here will be the former priory of Tortoir, whose origins date back to the 11th or 12th century, just after the small village of Saint-Nicolas-aux-Bois. The private buildings are not open for visiting, but the site is stunning, nestled in its wooded setting. The next kilometers will also be decidedly forested. We pass through Saint-Gobain, which gave its name to the famous glass group (founded by Colbert, the finance minister of Louis XIV!), then continue towards Septvaux and Prémontré, a locality at the origins of the monastic order of the same name. The vast buildings of the former abbey now house the Public Mental Health Establishment (EPSMD) of the Aisne department, some patients of which wander around the village, which could lead to being approached by one or another in search of some euros…

Coucy-le-Château and its fortified city

We now arrive at Coucy-le-Château, an ancient city full of charm, with spectacular ramparts. Once past the imposing Port of Laon, you enter the higher town, adjacent to the fortress whose most distant origins date back to the year 920. Until 1917, the year it was destroyed by the German army, the fortified castle of the Lords of Coucy, built in the 13th century, was the largest fortress in Europe. Coucy-le-Château is also worth visiting for its medieval garden, located at the foot of the rampart near the church, as well as for the nearby Bois du Montoir, where the Germans built, during the First World War, a huge concrete bowl that housed a 380mm howitzer. Just a few kilometers further, here is Chavignon, a locality to remember mainly for having interesting “Abeille Workshops” (www.complexe-apicole.fr). A visit recommended for those who want to know everything about beekeeping. And of course, it is possible to buy all kinds of honey-based products here! Be careful, it is closed on Tuesdays, Sundays and public holidays, as well as from 12pm to 2pm… Following that, we will make a little detour to discover a hydrographic curiosity: the underground canal of Braye-en-Laonnois, built in 1890. Follow the road book closely so you don’t miss it… Here, the canal connecting the Oise to the Aisne dives underground for nearly 2,440 meters, to bypass the obstacle that is the Chemin des Dames. A ventilation mechanism, visible on the door, was installed in 1972, to improve the evacuation of the exhaust gases from barge engines.

Omnipresent Stigmas

We are now riding on the Chemin des Dames. This straight departmental road is not the most cheerful, with its countless steles and monuments commemorating the sacrifice of those who fell here. The scars of the Great War are everywhere, whether it be the ruins of the Abbey of Vauclair, or the villages erased from the map or rebuilt elsewhere after the conflict. Nearly 100 years after the horrific battles of 1917, the Vauclair forest and the Craonne plateau remain dotted with shell holes. The land here has been literally turned over and over again by artillery. The great journalist Albert Londres, who had witnessed the most diverse battles around the world, wrote: “The Craonne plateau, it’s Verdun, but worse…”. To try to understand what life must have been like for the “poilus”, it is essential to see the “Dragon's Cave”. You will pass right by and it would be a shame not to stop, as it is true that if there is only one visit to make during this trip, it’s certainly this one (see box). On the site of the former Abbey of Vauclair, the atmosphere is much more serene. Only remnants remain, but the bucolic ponds and the proximity of the Green Way that connects Axo Plage to the abbey invite relaxation. The road, on the other hand, invites you to fully enjoy your bike. Our route takes agréable and well-paved departmental roads that gradually lead us to the valley of the Aisne.

Champagne Finale

Once on the right bank of this waterway, the landscapes change. Gone are the wooded expanses and welcome to the first vineyards of the Champagne appellation! We took care to select roads bordered by greenery on the irreplaceable Michelin map, and once again the Clermont-based manufacturer has lived up to its reputation as the pope of road maps. Therefore, it is after having ridden real motorcycle roads that we arrive in the small village of Gueux, which has now become a suburb of Reims. Under no circumstances should you miss a tour of the former Reims-Gueux circuit. The history of automobile racing jumps out at you as names that have thrilled generations of motorsport enthusiasts are mentioned: Muizon, Thillois, la Garenne… When discovering the track at tourist speeds (avoid the others, the National Gendarmerie is equipped with excellent binoculars to track down those who do not respect the speed limits!), one thinks that Fangio, Hawthorne, Ascari, Collins and other Paul Frère or André Pilette had a strong heart: riding at over 250km/h on such a narrow and unsafe track took guts! It is with this live dive into the history of motorsport that this 100% hexagonal BBB concludes. From Reims, the most direct way to return to our beautiful country passes through Rethel, Signy L'Abbaye and Rocroi… Have a safe journey and be careful, always!

The Reims-Gueux Circuit

Used from 1926 to 1972, the Gueux circuit (named after the closest village) is more commonly known as the Reims circuit, Gueux being very close to the large Champagne city. Its very fast layout, measuring 7.82 km, used two departmental roads and a section of the RN 31 Soissons-Reims. While the French Grand Prix was organized there in 1938, it was especially in the 1950s that the Reims-Gueux Circuit saw its glory days. The first race of the brand new Formula 1 World Championship was held there in 1950. It was also in Reims that Mercedes-Benz made its grand return to the highest level of motorsport, with cars featuring enveloping bodywork. A solution that allowed the “Silberpfeile” of Fangio, King and Herrmann to reach 290km/h, compared to 270 for the competing Ferraris and Maseratis… It is worth noting that Bugatti also made a failed attempt to return to Formula 1 here in 1956 with the 251, a technically interesting car with a central engine, driven by Maurice Trintignant. Difficulties in development and especially insufficient financial means unfortunately put an end to the project. The last appearance of Formula 1 cars in Gueux dates back to 1966, and the last meeting (with F2, F3, and R8 Gordini races) took place in 1969. The ultimate competition organized on the track was a race of the French motorcycle speed championship, on June 11, 1972. Long left in neglect, the infrastructures of the circuit (grandstands, paddocks…) are gradually being restored by enthusiasts, gathered within the association “Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux”. You’ll find a wealth of information and photos on their website, as well as an audio tour of the circuit, available for download in MP3 format, which is truly worth it. Info: www.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr.

Gourmet Stops

- In Laon, Estaminet Saint-Jean (recommended by Le Routard 2014) delighted us with its Picard specialties served in a warm setting. The place is a find from our friend Tché who, besides being a real professional photographer, is also a foodie and a good eater. We recommend the Goyère (cheese tart), duck rillettes with juniper or Maroilles ribeye steak. Very good homemade ice creams too, with flavors not commonly found (chicory, rhubarb, violet, pink biscuit from Reims, …). The only downside is that the sidewalks on Rue Saint-Jean are very narrow and it isn’t easy to park the motorcycles there. Open from Tuesday midday to Sunday evening. Closed on Wednesday evening.

Estaminet Saint-Jean, rue Saint-Jean, 23 in 02000 Laon. Tel.: +33.(0)3.23.23.04.89, www.estaminetsaintjean.com

- In Bouconville-Vauclair, Auberge de Vauclair, located right on our route, has a good reputation but we must honestly admit that we did not try it. During our reconnaissance, the rain threatened at lunchtime, which led us to skip lunch to avoid arriving at the Reims circuit in the rain… This hotel-restaurant is a Logis de France with 3 cocottes and 3 fireplaces, which seems to have enjoyed a rejuvenating elixir with its design setting and décor that highlights contemporary art objects. The menu offers simple and classic specialties but also more creative dishes.

Auberge de Vauclair, Grande Rue, 26 in 02860 B