Chivres-Val: Church, Fort and Nature Trails

If you are considering Chivres-Val as a destination for a stay, you will find a clear focus on culture and nature: the church, Fort de Condé, trails and an arboretum. You can organise the attractions by architectural history, military history, views or active exploration. This gives you specific points of reference to plan your stay according to your own interests.

Church architecture in Chivres-Val

The church in Chivres-Val brings together architectural features from several centuries: the nave and side aisles date from the 12th century, the southern chapel from the 13th century and the bell tower from the 16th century. Anyone interested in architectural history can date the different construction phases by examining the individual parts. The church was largely destroyed during the First World War and subsequently rebuilt true to the original. By decree of 15 October 1919, it was listed as a historic monument. Its history thus combines different construction phases with the upheaval of war and the subsequent reconstruction.

Fort de Condé: history and visits

Fort de Condé was built between 1877 and 1882. It is a historic monument and part of the French defence system designed by General Séré de Rivières after the defeat of 1870. Unlike the church’s architectural history, the focus here is on military planning and defensive architecture. The construction period can therefore be viewed in the context of the defence system designed after 1870.

The fort offers guided and self-guided visits; check seasonal availability before travelling. Various activities also explore the site’s history. The 45-minute game “Fort de Condé, mission impossible” challenges participants to save the fort. In “Enquête explosive,” they receive an investigator’s kit and are tasked with identifying a suspected saboteur. The activities have different objectives: one involves saving the fort, while the other involves tracking down a suspect. Check the current availability of activities in advance.

Trails, views and the arboretum

The discovery trail around the fort is 1.2 km long and accessible to people with motor, visual, hearing and cognitive disabilities. Have its accessibility confirmed again before your trip. The “Autour du Fort de Condé” interpretation trail in Chivres-Val lets visitors explore the fort’s exterior and offers panoramic views of the Aisne and Vesle valleys. The easy circular walking route is also 1.2 km long and takes about 25 minutes.

The Arboretum du fort de Condé includes a Ginkgo biloba and a collection of American trees. In a nature-themed puzzle activity, Corylus helps participants find the fruit of the mysterious tree among the 40 recorded tree species. As the activity materials may change, check whether the activity is currently available before your visit. The arboretum grounds also have circular routes for hiking, horse riding and mountain biking.

Play area and access

“Les Filets des Sentinelles” is a 500 m² net-based play course at Fort de Condé. Facilities include a signposted path, free parking and toilets. Before visiting, check whether the course is open and whether these facilities are available.

Access to Fort de Condé is via the municipality of Chivres-Val. A route suggested by some navigation devices via the road from Condé-sur-Aisne is not passable by car. Follow local signs and take road conditions into account. A road providing access to the fort and connecting to the RD423 is available for large vehicles. As access regulations may change, check the latest information before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Pierre-De-Franqueville, Cuffies, Parfondeval, Le Charmel, Bouconville-Vauclair, Villers-Cotterêts, Bourg-Et-Comin, Saint-Quentin

For the overview of the wider region: Aisne.