Martigny-Courpierre: Art Deco, Via Francigena and nature

Martigny-Courpierre offers several distinct points of interest to help you plan your trip: the Art Deco architecture of the Église Saint-Martin, a section of the Via Francigena and a natural area with a variety of woodland and open-land habitats. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in the town, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

Église Saint-Martin: reconstruction and Art Deco

After the village and its former church were completely destroyed during the fighting of 1917 to 1918, the Église Saint-Martin was rebuilt from 1929 to 1932. The architect Albert Paul Müller oversaw construction using dressed stone and reinforced concrete. The church is an Art Deco building and is particularly representative of the renewal of sacred art in the 1920s. Frescoes, mosaics and stained-glass windows are among its features, as is a bell tower supported by angels. Since 3 November 1997, it has been classified as a historic monument. Together, the construction period, choice of materials and design show how the church, as a reconstruction project, acquired a distinctive artistic form.

Another layer of history is preserved in the classified stone tomb slab for Lancelot Pagnon, the mayor of Martigny who died in 1581, and his wife. The object dates from the 16th century, features engraved portraits and also bears the date 1581. It is located in the north aisle, in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary. Thus, the Église Saint-Martin brings together a 20th-century reconstruction and an early modern tomb monument: one reflects the art and architecture of a new era, while the other is a specific local memorial from the 16th century.

Via Francigena and Le Charmois

The 125-kilometre section of the Via Francigena in the Aisne département passes through Martigny-Courpierre. The route is designated for hiking and pilgrimage and was marked by the FFRandonnée-Aisne committee. Check local markers before setting out. Le Charmois is a rural route where you can discover the Art Deco churches of Martigny-Courpierre and Monthenault in the green Ailette valley.

Le Charmois is a 16-kilometre mountain-bike route of moderate difficulty, with an indicated duration of about 1 hour 45 minutes. Hiking and pilgrimage routes are thus complemented by a mountain-bike route; the first choice depends on whether you want to travel on foot or by bike. If you plan to ride Le Charmois, check the conditions before setting out.

Natural area and habitats

The ZNIEFF natural area 220005033 also includes the municipality of Martigny-Courpierre. It covers 378.78 hectares and lies at elevations of 125 to 190 metres. Its habitats include limestone grasslands and thermophilous fringes, as well as heat-loving beech forests. The area also includes other woodland on slopes and in valleys, including beech forests on calcareous soils, alder-ash forests and oak-hornbeam forests. The flora is diverse and includes numerous species that are rare in the region. This focus on nature provides a clear thematic contrast with the architectural and artistic history of the Église Saint-Martin.

Discover more destinations: Monampteuil, Marly-Gomont, Romery, Ostel, Autreppes, Villers-Lès-Guise, Hirson, Bernot

For the regional travel overview: Aisne.