In 2020, I returned for a little trip to the Aisne (in Hauts-de-France), and this time it was to discover, in an exclusive preview, the activities of the Semaine Z’Aisne, which will be held throughout the department from August 17 to 23, 2020.
For the occasion, we met up with a small group of influencers for a day placed under the sign of conviviality and zen attitude! It was also the perfect opportunity to discover the beautiful city of Laon, which we had passed by quickly last year, but which I hadn’t had the time to properly explore. Besides, the last time I arrived at the train station and saw the medieval city perched on its rocky spur, it really made me want to come back to see more. That’s now been done, and it’s a city I truly encourage you to go and visit!
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The Semaine Z’Aisne from August 17 to 23, 2020
This year, the Aisne Tourism Agency decided to create its own Wellness week, to entrust your body and mind to experts for a weekend or a day, and to completely disconnect! And that, obviously, is not something I’m going to complain about…
On the program for the Semaine Z’Aisne: a week punctuated by more than 50 events, supervised by wellness professionals, with a compilation of gentle activities organized in magical, mysterious, and natural locations in the heart of the Aisne’s landscapes, in gardens and chateaus, all carefully chosen, to be practiced solo, with family, or with friends.
So, I sampled a few of the activities for you in advance, which you’ll be able to find during this week and which I detail below.
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Nordic walking with Jordan in the heart of Laon
This sport consists of walking while using poles, which allows you to work the body more completely and gently. It remains an activity accessible to everyone, and you can take advantage of the walk to discover beautiful scenery. For our part, we walked in the streets of Laon and even went down (and then back up) into the “cuve” (the basin of old vineyards) below the city. It was also an opportunity to discover the town and its beautiful viewpoints!
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Magical plant workshop at the “Jardin d’Hélène” and a bike ride along the EuroVelo 3 in Thiérache
I didn’t test these activities this year, but I did experience them last year if you remember, during my first getaway in the Aisne. I’ll let you take a look at my previous article if you’re interested!
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Sophrology with Patricia at the Chapelle des Templiers, Laon
This relaxation technique focuses on breathing and muscle relaxation, with a bit of visualization as well. For me, it was the first time I had tested this practice, but I found that, in the end, it is not that far from the moments of relaxation or downtime in a yoga practice. Breathing exercises and listening to oneself can be practiced standing, sitting, or even lying down, as we did, preferably barefoot to reconnect with nature.
In any case, Patricia is a very good guide, and she gives all the necessary keys to get started with this technique. And the icing on the cake, this charming garden in the heart of Laon also invites you to relax and reconnect with your body.
Semaine Z'Aisne From August 17 to 23, 2020 Activities accessible upon reservation Sophrology: €18 / Nordic Walking: €9
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Visit the city of Laon
As the prefecture of the Aisne department, Laon is a city worth a visit, and it doesn’t lack charm with its appearance of a medieval city. It was actually during the Middle Ages that the city became very wealthy and was surrounded by vineyards at the time (during our walk in the ‘cuve’ below Laon, we were therefore on the site of these ancient vineyards, which have disappeared today). And finally, a historical point to remember: Laon was the capital of France in 900, yes, really…
I also want to take this opportunity to give you a pro tip for parking if you are coming to Laon by car. There is a large free parking lot near the bandstand on the “Montagne couronnée,” and from there the city center is accessible on foot in less than 10 minutes. And generally speaking, there are quite a few free parking lots below the city ramparts in any case.
Laon Tourist Office Place du Parvis de la Cathédrale 02000 Laon
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Visit the Laon Cathedral and climb to its summit
Don’t hesitate to take a tour of the cathedral, which is a jewel of Gothic art, built at the same time as Notre-Dame de Paris, starting from 1155-1160. You can either take a free self-guided tour of the lower part of the building or discover a bit more with the guided tours. Its set of 5 towers, 2 of which lost their spires in 1789, is unique. Its lantern tower, its rose windows, and its stained glass windows give it exceptional luminosity.
The guided tour of the cathedral allows you to enter the heart of the building, notably by climbing into the towers of the cathedral (to a height of 52 meters) and having a 360-degree view of the city! The first part of the tour allows you to discover the galleries of the religious building.
After climbing its 209 steps, you can admire at your leisure (with just a lot of wind on our part that day) the slate roofs of the city and the magnificent surrounding landscapes. It will also be an opportunity to see much closer the imposing stone oxen that adorn the towers and which evoke the appearance of the divine animal during the construction of the cathedral… Legend says that the oxen, exhausted by the labor, collapsed on the side of the road. A white ox miraculously appeared to haul the remaining stones…
Laon Cathedral
Place du Parvis Gautier de Mortagne 02000 Laon
The cathedral is open to the public for free every day from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM
Guided tour of the heights on weekends upon reservation: €5 / €3_
My favorite addresses in Laon
Unfortunately, as we were only in Laon for a short day with our favorite photographer, we don’t have many addresses to indicate in this section, but if I go back to Laon soon, I won’t hesitate to add more!
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Where to have lunch in Laon? L’Estaminet Saint-Jean
This restaurant is located in the heart of the medieval city and is a good address for lunch during a day of visiting the city. It offers traditional cuisine prepared with local and seasonal products. And also, the little point that is pleasing, the restaurant tries to aim for zero waste, and it’s obviously an effort that I always find very commendable and therefore important to highlight!
To taste: for a drink, I recommend you try a local beer (La Raoul is very good!) or even Hypocras made in the region; the homemade country terrine (€6.90) is very successful; for dessert, the pie of the day (€6).
Estaminet Saint-Jean 23 rue Saint Jean medieval city 02000 Laon Price: expect between €4.50 and €6.90 for a starter / between €14 and €19.90 for a main course / between €4 and €6.50 for a dessert
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Thanks to the Aisne department and the Laon Tourist Office for this invitation and this beautiful day discovering the Semaine Z’Aisne.
I hope that with all this I have made you want to discover the Aisne, the Semaine Z’Aisne, and Laon, and if you too have your favorite addresses and advice for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Find below all my articles on the Aisne department in the Hauts-de-France region:
⇒ All my articles on the Aisne
⇒ All my articles on the Hauts-de-France
MY ARTICLES ON THE AISNE
⇒ Green getaway by bike in Thiérache (2019)
⇒ Semaine Z’Aisne (2020)
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
