Laon: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Notre-Dame de Laon is considered one of the finest examples of the so-called Early Gothic style and was completed around 1235. It was designated a historic monument in 1840 and 1889. The cathedral can be visited free of charge every day.

Renting a holiday apartment in Laon can be part of your personal travel planning.

Culture

Despite its state of disrepair, the Porte de Soissons is an example of medieval military architecture. In the courtyard of the Musée du Pays de Laon is the Chapelle des Templiers, which was built around 1140 with an octagonal central layout. Since spring 2025, it has been open to the public again following more than two years of restoration.

The Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Pays de Laon presents collections ranging from prehistory to the 19th century, including archaeological holdings from the Mediterranean region. It also displays archaeological artefacts from the Gallo-Roman and medieval periods. The building stands on a former site of the Knights Templar of Laon; the chapel of the former commandery can be seen in the adjacent garden.

The “Secrets sous la ville” experience route conveys the history of Laon with an audio guide along underground galleries.

Walks

The city walls of Laon can be walked along in their entirety; three surviving fortified gates can be visited along the way. A walk along the walls offers views of the Ailette Valley and the first foothills of the Chemin des Dames.

The Cuve Saint-Vincent is a wooded urban landscape used for walking. It can be reached via paths known as “grimpettes”; one of them, the Escalier du panorama, leads to the fortified Porte des Chenizelles.

The Porte d’Ardon can be passed through on foot or by vehicle and provides access to the southern circuit of the city walls or to the cathedral forecourt, approximately 300 metres away.

Bus route 4 connects the upper and lower towns of Laon. The free mobile app “Balades en Pays de Laon-Par monts et merveilles” offers numerous hikes and walks within Laon and the surrounding area.

Nature

The Domaine de la Solitude is a 26-hectare natural area with a pond that can be walked around completely. Kingfishers and black woodpeckers can be observed there, and tree frogs can be heard.

Other destinations: Dole, Marigny-En-Orxois, La Neuville-Housset, Villequier-Aumont, Missy-Lès-Pierrepont, Monthenault, Craonnelle, Lesquielles-Saint-Germain

To the higher-level travel overview: Aisne.