Chateau La Tour Du Roy

This easy hike explores the gently sloping streets of Vervins, the capital of Thiérache, and varies the viewing angles on the ramparts. On the way back, discover the history of Verbinum, an important center in Gallo-Roman times, which was fortified by Raoul de Coucy in the 12th century. The city preserves a rich heritage, of which the church, with its paintings on pillars, constitutes the flagship.

This walk, accessible to all, invites you to dive into the medieval history of the capital of the Thiérache. Follow the 12 interpretation panels that tell you about the town's past thanks to old postcards, to discover the Vervins of yesterday and today!

In the 12th century, when Saint Norbert had just founded the Premonstratensian order, in the forest of Saint-Gobain, the Bishop of Laon had an abbey of this nascent order built in Thenailles. At that time, the region was, like a large part of Thiérache, covered with forests, which many place names recall today.

Located downstream from the confluence of the Brune and Huteau rivers, the charming village of Burelles boasts a church with a fairly complete defence system. This walk for the whole family has other attractions, such as its heritage linked to the presence of water: mills, drinking troughs and wash-house will pleasantly mark out your route.

Whether it is the Chemin de la Tuerie or the hamlet of the Crossbow, the names here remind us that the Thiérache has been part of all wars. The church of La Bouteille, designed directly as a fortress, thus testifies to the need to defend oneself in the 16th century. However, the ruins of the abbey of Foigny reveal a completely different face of Thiérache: a haven of peace on the banks of a singing river.