Near the middle of the village, take on the left, skirting the drinking-pond, the "Chemin vicinal" leading to Corfélix and Le Thoult. The windmill pump, seen in the photograph above, will soon be perceived, near a group of ruined houses. It was from the upper platform of the pump that the officer commanding the French artillery, guided by the Abbé Laplaige, directed the fire which destroyed the German battery at Le Thoult, The rising ground of the left bank of the Morin, which attains a height of 670 ft. directly north of La Villeneuve, hid the whereabouts of the German guns on the right bank on Hill 189. The elevated structure of the pump made an ideal observatory and compensated for the height of the ground on the left bank of the river.
Return by the same path to the drinking-pond and take, on the left, G. C. 47, leading to Chapton. On the right of the road are the woods of Bois-de-la-Ville, on the left those of La Braule. The troops of the 42nd Division fought desperate engagements in these woods during the alternatives of retreat and advance from September 6 to 8. Pass through Chapton (72½ km.), which marked the utmost limit of the direct German advance on Sézanne.
SÉZANNE CHURCH
Shortly afterwards, on arriving at the main road (N. 51), turn to the right and descend into Sézanne, which suddenly comes into view at the foot of the hill, and makes a pretty picture. It was to attain this edge of the plateau, which commands a wide horizon, that the Germans made such desperate efforts on either side of N. 51, efforts which were, however, rendered vain by the admirable resistance of the 42nd Division.
Enter Sézanne (80 km.) by the Rue d'Épernay, then turn to the right into the Rue de la Halle leading to the Place de la République. Here is the church (view opposite). From thence we seek out the hotel where we intend to dine and sleep (see plan, p. [158]).
SÉZANNE
VISIT TO THE TOWN
The most interesting sight is the church (historical monument), a view of which is given on p. [157]. It dates from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. To visit the interior, enter by the little door opening on to the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, and opposite an old well enclosed within a wrought-iron railing.