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So close to Paris, with one foot in Champagne and the other in Picardy, is the Aisne department.
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The first ‘Voie Verte’ in the Aisne
A new green way reserved for walkers and non-motorised walkers!
Here, it’s the trees that dictated the route Arnaud Boudard - Direction de la Voirie Départementale
The increasing numbers of ‘Voies Vertes’ are a natural progression in France’s town and country planning and correspond to a national enthusiasm for eco-friendly exercise and nature preservation. A ‘Voie Verte’ is ideal for tourists wishing to explore an area and for showcasing local heritage.
On the initiative of the Aisne Conseil Général, work began in September 2008 and went on until June 2009. Some aspects of its construction are unique in France: plant-based surface coatings and duckboards made from local timber (untreated oak and acacia). “Here, it’s the trees that dictated the route”, explained Arnaud Boudard of the Direction de la Voirie Départementale (road, rail & waterways network). “Our goal was to work round the trees to avoid felling any more than was strictly necessary. The guiding principle was to keep the environmental impact to an absolute minimum through the use of eco-friendly, sustainable materials!”
Ailette lake is a recognised bird-watching site (by the LPO – French bird protection society), home to buzzards, ducks, coots and visited by a host of migrating and nesting birds. Two hides have been constructed for bird-watching. There will be information panels on plant and wildlife to be seen on and around the lake. At other points on the path a further seven information panels cover such subjects as the Chemin des Dames, Vauclair abbey, villages destroyed in World War I, etc.
The project is estimated to have cost 3,300,000 €uros, part of which was funded by the region under the auspices of the joint Region-Department Plan. The Aisne’s first ‘Voie Verte’ fulfils nationally defined, draconian criteria: it must be extremely safe (3 metres wide, no slope with more than a 1 in 35 gradient) and totally accessible for non-motorised use (walkers/hikers, rollerbladers, cyclists, people with reduced mobility). This ‘Voie Verte’ forms part of a much longer route which, when completed, could link Abbeville with Reims. A 4 km extension, as far as Ailette golf course, is envisaged for 2010. In the meantime 3 car parks will be provided close to the current route to cater for the 90,000 visitors expected every year.
© Yann Le Bideau & Florence Tabart – f.tabart@cdt-aisne.com – 14/05/09
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Visit Laon, the Chemin des Dames, taste our Champagne, book your hotel, gîte, self-catering, camp site or a delightful chambre d’hôtes (B&B), enjoy a stay at Center Parcs in a spacious cottage in a natural environment! Come with family or friends, and try one of a host of ideas for getting out and about. Relax, explore, walk, visit or choose from a wide range of leisure activities… Aisne, an ideal weekend getaway destination!