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here in 1918, Château-Thierry is best known as the birthplace of the French fabulist Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95). Recently restored, the 16th-century mansion where La Fontaine was born and lived until 1676 is now a museum, the Musée Jean de La Fontaine, furnished in the style of the 17th century. It contains La Fontaine’s bust, portrait, and baptism certificate, plus editions of his fables magnificently illustrated by Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1755) and Gustave Doré (1868). | 12 rue Jean-de-La-Fontaine | 02400 | 03–23–69–05–60 | www.la-fontaine-ch-thierry.net | €3.60 | Tues.–Sun. 9:30–noon and 2–5:30.

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Laon | Soissons | Amiens | Beauvais

Champagne’s eastern neighbor, the province of Picardy, located to the northeast of the region, is traversed by the Aisne and Oise rivers, and remains home to some of France’s greatest cathedrals. The hundreds of kilometers of chalk tunnels throughout northern France, some dug by the ancient Romans as quarries, may serve as the damp and moldy berth for millions of bottles of Champagne, but they also gave up tons of blocks to create other treasures of the region: the magical and magnificent Gothic cathedrals of the region.

Here, in the wake of regal Reims, we visit four more of the most superlative: Amiens, the largest; Beauvais, the tallest; Laon, with the most towers and fantastic hilltop setting; and Soissons, beloved by Rodin. Add in those at St-Omer, St-Quentin, and Châlons-en-Champagne, along with the bijou churches in Rue, St-Riquier, and L’Épine, and aficionados of medieval architecture may wish to explore the region more extensively, to follow the development of Gothic architecture from its debut at Noyon to its flamboyant finale at Abbeville, where, according to the 19th-century English essayist John Ruskin, Gothic “lay down and died.”

LAON

66 km (41 mi) north of Château-Thierry via D1/N2, 52 km (32 mi) northwest of Reims.

Thanks to its awesome hilltop site and the forest of towers sprouting from its ancient cathedral, lofty Laon basks in the title of the “crowned mountain.” The medieval ramparts, virtually undisturbed by passing traffic, provide a ready-made itinerary for a tour of old Laon. Panoramic views, sturdy gateways, and intriguing glimpses of the cathedral lurk around every bend. There’s even a funicular, which makes frequent trips (except on Sunday in winter) up and down the hillside between the station and the Vieille Ville (Old Town).

Getting Here and Around

Trains from Paris (Gare du Nord) chug up to Laon, via Soissons, every 2 or 3 hours (€20.50); the 145-km (90-mi) trip takes around 1 hour, 35 minutes. There are four trains a day from Reims to Laon (40 mins, €8.90) and five trains daily from Amiens (65 mi; 1 hr, 45 mins; €16.10).

Visitor Information

Laon Tourist Office.

| Pl. du Parvis | 02000 | 03–23–20–28–62 | www.tourisme-paysdelaon.com.

EXPLORING LAON

Fodor’s Choice | Cathédrale Notre-Dame, constructed between 1150 and 1230, is a superb example of early Gothic. The light interior gives the impression of order and immense length, and the first flourishing of Gothic architecture is reflected in the harmony of the four-tier nave: from the bottom up, observe the wide arcades, the double windows of the tribune, the squat windows of the triforium, and, finally, the upper windows of the clerestory. The majestic towers can be explored during the guided visits that leave from the tourist office, housed in a 12th-century hospital on the cathedral square. Medieval stained glass includes the rose window dedicated to the liberal arts in the left transept, and the windows in the flat east end, an unusual feature for France although common in England. | Pl. du Parvis | 02000 | Guided tours of the towers €4, audio guide €4 | Daily 8:30–6:30; guided tours Apr.–Sept., 11 AM and 3 PM.

The Musée Municipal (Town Museum) has some fine antique pottery and work by the local-born Le Nain brothers, Antoine, Louis, and Mathieu, active in the 17th century and abundantly