The old Collegiate Church was surrounded by 17th century houses, built on the site of the old cloister, and inhabited by the canons. Below this part of the town several underground tunnels, since walled-up, were made.
The porch and the vestibule of the church dated from the 14th century, the other parts were rebuilt or restored in 1597 and 1781.
In the steeple a stone staircase of eighty steps led to the belfry, whence wooden stairs ascended to a platform in the spire, in which six openings gave a far-reaching view over the surrounding country. This platform, 170 feet above the base of the church, had a total altitude of about 1,240 feet. In the direction of Verdun the forts of Marre and Dugny could be seen, and, still further away (about 25 miles), the heights which dominate Souilly. To the south-west lie the plains of St. Menehould, and on the west the plain and plateaux of Champagne. In the same direction, in clear weather, the Fort of Berru, near Rheims, is visible. The panorama further embraces the following: on the north-east, the whole of the region of Grandpré; on the north, Carignan and Montmédy; on the east, the heights of the Meuse, seven miles away, shut in the horizon, hiding Damvillers and the Woëvre. From the top of the ridge may be seen: on the south, the 1916 battlefield of Verdun; on the north, the terrain of the offensive of September 26, 1918. Between the Meuse and the Aire, from Brieulles-sur-Meuse to Grandpré, the line of villages, woods and hills, which, after being fortified, formed the formidable German position known as the “Kriemhildestellung,” should be noticed. Certain points in this line were only carried in October, and even at the beginning of November, 1918. Several of them, like Hill 299 to the north-east of Cunel and north-west of Brieulles, were taken, lost and retaken several times by the Americans.
Return by the Rue de l’Eglise to I.C. 4, which take to the right down the hill. Half-way down, at the fork, take I.C. 4, on the right, to Cierges (4 km. 500 from Montfaucon).
From 1914 to 1918 the Germans had an aviation camp at Cierges. The camp and station were frequently bombed by the Allied aviators. In September, 1918, during the first days of the American offensive, fires broke out in the village, to which the Germans held on stubbornly. On the 28th, they launched several counter-attacks, but at the beginning of October were forced to abandon the village. On October 4, the capture of Gesnes (through which the tourist passes on his way to Exermont) finally cleared Cierges.
On reaching the Rue de l’Eglise, turn along the first road on the left, which, 1 km. 300 beyond Cierges, runs into G.C. 2 bis.
Turn to the right and follow G.C. 2 bis for 1 km., then take the Chemin Vicinal (local road) on the left—German dug-outs, 200 yards away on the left—which leads to the interesting village of Gesnes, lying in a little valley. Many of the houses were destroyed.
The road passes in front of the church, then turns to the left, skirts a German cemetery, then goes straight to Exermont (8 km. 800 from Cierges). Numbers of German dug-outs, sometimes forming veritable villages, are met with on the way.
