The best traffic-free bike rides around Vendeuil

"God loves every soul with an undying love. He approaches each one with repeated, unspeakably patient offers of redemption. Even a small sign of love is enough for him to forgive and redeem. Our dear departed ones lacked a life preserver for the body; but the spiritual life preserver was not lacking, the breath of God in which the soul can clothe itself in a tiny moment, much more quickly than the body could." (Text by Albino Luciani / Pope John Paul I)

The bell tower of the Veltin School, visible from the Rue de la Famille Sauvage (Quessy-Cité), still marks the time of the bombing that devastated the city during the night of 10 to 11 April 1944.

As a memorial to the many dead, such a "MONUMENT AUX MORTS" (usually called a "Central Memorial" or "War Memorial" in German-speaking countries) is still very important today. "Now, Lord, you let your servant depart in peace, as you have said..." it says in the so-called "Hymn of Simeon" (Luke's Gospel, Chapter 2, Verse 29). However, the people who are remembered here did not depart in peace, but became victims of war and tyranny. Therefore, the term "fallen memorial" is now sometimes used instead of the "war memorial" that was previously common in German. In the French-speaking world, however, this aspect of commemoration of the dead has long been included in the most commonly used term "MONUMENT AUX MORTS". Regardless of language and nation, such a memorial has two important and at the same time everlasting tasks: -1- to keep the memory of the suffering and horror of war alive, -2- and to remind people of the need to maintain peace in the long term.

Tergnier is also stage town 15 of Cigeric's original Via Francigena (VFF15) between Canterbury and Rome.

Tergnier where Art Deco is omnipresent. Its most representative examples are Place Carnégie (classified as a historic monument), the Town Hall and the Fargniers church. The media library, a former station buffet, is a site that became historic with the arrival of Victor Hugo in 1870 who had his first meal on French soil there upon his return from exile. The bell tower of the Veltin school, visible from rue de la Famille Sauvage (Quessy-Cité), still indicates the time of the bombing which ravaged the city on the night of April 10 to 11, 1944. Seven tourist signs, located in the city to constitute the Trails of Memory, retrace acts of war or resistance during the Second World War which took place in the territory.

The British cemetery of Seraucourt was created from 1920 to 1926, where the remains of soldiers buried in graves located on the nearby battlefield were grouped together, most of them killed in 1918. The cemetery contains 1,378 bodies including: 1 371 British, 5 Canadians and 2 Australians. Among them are around twenty airmen shot down in 1944. Only 496 bodies have been identified.

Parc de l'Isle in Saint-Quentin offers a variety of trails for different levels of difficulty, from flat, easy trails along the Somme to hilly, wooded routes in the nature reserve. You can also admire the flora and fauna of the park, which houses a free zoo, a farm and a conservation center. The park is open all year round, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in summer and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will find at Parc d'Isle something to satisfy your tastes and your pace.

The Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery is a historic site dating from the First World War, where nearly 2,000 British soldiers and airmen are buried. The cemetery covers an area of 4,732 m² and is surrounded by a stone wall. You can run along the paths that connect the different sections of the cemetery and admire the memorial stones and flowers that adorn them. You can also learn more about the history of the cemetery and the people buried there by reading the information panels or scanning the QR codes with your smartphone. The cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and entry is free. Running in the Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery is a way to honor the memory of those who fought for freedom, and to appreciate the beauty and tranquility of this place.