The best traffic-free bike rides around Holnon

The listed building is striking for its original architecture with a porch tower over 34 meters high, a double transept or a radio-concentric choir. Inside, the visitor is seduced by the ancient 260 m long labyrinth engraved in the paving of the nave. Stained glass windows installed at different times complete the artistic offer of the Saint-Quentin Basilica, with in particular medieval stained glass windows in the apse chapels dating from the 12th century. These depict episodes from the life of the Virgin Mary and Saint Stephen.

"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 Basilique Saint-Quentin is a beautiful Gothic church in the heart of Saint-Quentin, France. Built between the 12th and 15th centuries, this basilica is dedicated to the martyr Saint Quentin. With an impressive 133 meters long and 40 meters high, it is a real eye-catcher. What makes this basilica really special are the unique architectural elements such as the tower-portico at the front, the double transept, and the choir with radiating chapels. Inside, you will also find an ancient labyrinth of 260 meters in the floor of the nave, which is a fascinating detail. The basilica has a rich history and contains the relics of Saint Quentin, who were an important object of veneration in the Middle Ages. Although the building was badly damaged during the First World War, it was reopened in 1956 after extensive restoration.

Nice rest and picnic area

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.

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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.