Liesse-Notre-Dame – Pilgrimage, Half-Timbered Houses and Wetlands

Liesse-Notre-Dame combines an important pilgrimage site with a diverse wetland landscape. The Basilique Notre-Dame and the Marais de la Souche represent different focal points: religious history and nature.

Pilgrimage and architectural history

The Basilique Notre-Dame de Liesse remains an important pilgrimage site. Guided tours are available on request; confirm their arrangements before travelling if you would like to take a tour. Various religious events are held on the esplanade throughout the year. When planning your visit, therefore, distinguish between tours available on request and events held throughout the year.

The architectural history can also be traced through specific dates: a decree dated 20 December 1920 classified the Basilique Notre-Dame as a historic monument. The construction of the Jubé of Notre-Dame de Liesse had already been approved on 13 April 1616. The Maison en pan de bois at 7–9 rue du Général-de-Gaulle was built in the late 15th or early 16th century. For this half-timbered house, the façades and roofs are partially listed as historic monuments under a decree dated 14 March 1996.

Another connection to the pilgrimage is found in the 90 m² fresco in the Chapelle Santa Casa: it recounts the legend of the three knights Jehan, Hector and Henri, and Princess Ismérie. The story is connected with the Black Madonna, the miraculous spring and the pilgrimage of Notre-Dame de Liesse. The Fontaine Miraculeuse can still be seen today at the entrance to the town from the direction of Laon. A small chapel was built there; its interior was reconstructed on the model of the Santa Casa in Loreto, Italy, and the chapel was blessed on 16 August 1857.

Wetlands and trails

The Marais de la Souche Natura 2000 site covers more than 3,000 ha and is designated both as a Special Protection Area (ZPS) and as a Special Area of Conservation (ZSC). The Marais de Liesse are described as a protected natural area in northern France, with exceptional wildlife and plant life. Peat was once extracted in the Grand Marais de Liesse and used for heating and to power machinery.

The Le Bois Semé hiking route starts at the Basilique Notre-Dame de Liesse and passes through the Grand Marais, the Marais Saint-Boétien and the Bois Semé. Another option is the Saint Boëtien hiking route: it leads into the peatlands of the Marais Saint-Boëtien and returns through the Marais de la Souche, parts of which are designated as a nature reserve. The routes take in different named landscapes; check their descriptions and conditions before setting out.

For a cycling trip, the La Montinette mountain-bike loop is described. This easy mountain-bike route circles the Marais de la Souche through woodland and marshland. Its easy rating applies to this loop; it does not automatically apply to the hiking trails. Here too, check trail conditions and access before setting off.

The Chemin Reims-Liesse pilgrimage route leads to Liesse. If you are planning to travel using the Hauts-de-France regional transport network, there are stops at Place Bailly and on Rue Abbé Duployé. Check the timetable before travelling so you can coordinate your arrival with the focus you have chosen for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Neuvillette, Fossoy, Seraucourt-Le-Grand, Moussy-Verneuil, Grougis, Ugny-Le-Gay, Grandrieux, Jaulgonne.

For the broader travel overview: Aisne.