Balade à Lenharrée

In the hollow of the Somme valley, the village stretches its wide streets leading to farms of a size matching the huge plain surrounding it. The Town Hall was built in 1857. The church, whose architecture dates it in the 12th century (it may even go back as far as 1131), is in the centre of the village and dominates the houses. It is dedicated to Saint Steven the martyr and Saint Clement the Pope. The steep path leading from the rue Vallée de la Somme to the church bears the name of the Saintes Maries; in former times the church was annexed to a convent of the same name. In this apparently peaceful village, where they take great care to improve the lifestyle, the tragedy of the first world war was played out. The fighting in the Battle of the Marne was so fierce that the soldiers were killed down to the last man and nearly all the houses were destroyed.