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represented in the Louvre. But its chief draw is the Chapelle des Templiers in the garden—a small, octagonal 12th-century chapel topped by a shallow dome. It houses fragments of the cathedral’s gable and the chilling effigy of Guillaume de Harcigny, doctor to the insane king Charles VI, whose death from natural causes in 1393 did not prevent his memorializers from chiseling a skeletal portrait that recalls the Black Death. | 32 rue Georges-Ermant | 02000 | 03–23–22–87–01 | www.ville-laon.fr | €4 | June–Sept., Tues.–Sun. 11–6; Oct.–May, Tues.–Sun. 2–6.

WHERE TO STAY IN LAON

Bannière de France.

$ | In business since 1685, this old-fashioned, uneven-floor hostelry is five minutes from the cathedral. Lieselotte Lefèvre, the German patronne, speaks fluent English. Rooms are cozy and quaint but on the small side; Room 15 is by far the largest. The restaurant’s venerable dining room showcases sturdy cuisine (trout, lemon sole, guinea fowl) and good-value prix-fixe menus. Pros: quaint; short walk to cathedral; free Wi-Fi. Cons: some rooms need modernizing; short on parking space. | 11 rue Franklin-Roosevelt | 02000 | 03–23–23–21–44 | www.hoteldelabannieredefrance.com | 18 rooms | In-room: no a/c, Wi-Fi (some). In-hotel: restaurant, bar | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed mid-Dec.–mid-Jan and 2 wks end of July | MAP.

SOISSONS

38 km (22 mi) southwest of Laon.

Visitor Information

Soissons Tourist Office.

| 16 pl. Fernand-Marquigny | 02200 | 03–23–53–17–37 | www.tourisme-soissons.fr.

Although much damaged in World War I, Soissons commands attention for its two huge churches, one intact, one in ruins. The Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais was appreciated by Rodin, who famously declared that “there are no hours in this cathedral, but rather eternity.” The interior, with its pure lines and restrained ornamentation, creates a more harmonious impression than the asymmetrical, one-tower facade. The most remarkable feature, however, is the rounded two-story transept, an element more frequently found in the German Rhineland than in France. Rubens’s freshly restored Adoration of the Shepherds hangs on the other side of the transept. | Pl. Fernand-Marquigny | 02200 | Daily 9:30–noon and 2:30–5:30.

The twin-spire facade, arcaded cloister, and airy refectory, constructed from the 14th to the 16th century, are all that is left of the hilltop abbey church of St-Jean-des-Vignes, which was largely dismantled just after the Revolution. Its fallen stones were used to restore the cathedral and neighboring homes. But the church remains the most impressive sight in Soissons, its hollow rose window peering out over the town like the eye of some giant Cyclops. The Musée de Soissons hosts temporary expositions in the abbey’s Arsenal building. | Cours St-Jean-des-Vignes | 02200 | www.musee-soissons.org | Free | Weekdays 9–noon and 2–6, weekends 2–6.

Partly housed in the medieval abbey of St-Léger, the Musée de Soissons, the town museum, has a varied collection of local archaeological finds and paintings, with fine 19th-century works by Gustave Courbet and Eugène Boudin. | 6 rue de la Congrégation | 02200 | 03–23–93–30–50 | www.musee-soissons.org | Free | Weekdays 9–noon and 2–5, weekends 2–6.

WHERE TO STAY IN SOISSONS

Château de Courcelles.

$$$$ | This refined château by the Vesles River is run by easygoing Frédéric Nouhaud. Its pure, classical Louis XIV facade harmonizes oddly with the sweeping brass main staircase attributed to Jean Cocteau. Rooms vary in size and grandeur; the former outbuildings have been converted into large family-size suites. Wind down in the bar while anticipating excellent fare, including seasonal game, prepared by chef Thibaut Serin-Moulin and served up in the stately, 18th-century-style dining room. A formal garden and pool are the gateway to 40 acres of parkland and a tree-shaded canal. Pros: verdant setting; historic charm. Cons: room sizes vary, with the larger rooms in a separate block. | 8 rue du Château, 20 km (12 mi) east of Soissons via N31, | 02220 | Courcelles-sur-Vesles | 03–23–74–13–53 | www.chateau-de-courcelles.fr