November is just around the corner, and with it, autumn. As the leaves fall, the landscape is bathed in shimmering colors, from orange to red to yellow. It’s against this summery backdrop that we offer you a magical getaway to a tiny village little known to Parisians. La Ferté-Milon is a charming medieval village with a population of just 2,000. With its imposing castle, cobbled streets and stone houses with old-world charm, you’re sure to be captivated!
A bucolic medieval village 1 h 30 from Paris
Nestled in the heart of the Aisne, this picturesque village on the banks of the Ourcq canal seems to have stepped straight out of a fairy tale… An ancient fortified village dating back to the Vᵉ century, the town has retained all its charm through the centuries. You’ll love wandering its steep streets, and admiring its walls still standing proudly along the city. The Château de Louis d’Orléans, set high above the village, dominates the entire valley. This immense building, erected in 1375, was destroyed in just 48 days during the 16ᵉ century wars of religion. While it’s not possible to visit it today, you can still admire its ruins by following the steep old castle path, which will take you as close as possible.
Not far from the castle, you can’t miss the old city walls, which today still feature 12 towers and 2 gates, some of which have suffered the ravages of time. Don’t miss one of the town’s jewels, the church of Notre-Dame, listed as a Monument Historique and dating from the 12ᵉ century. It is said to have been frequented by Joan of Arc herself, who came here to meditate.
Jean Racine’s birthplace and Gustave Eiffel’s playground
Few people know this, yet Jean Racine lived in La Ferté-Milon. Adopted by his grandparents at the age of three, he spent almost 10 years of his life here before moving to Port Royal-des-Champs. A museum, located in the home of his paternal grandparents, is open from April to November. Entirely free of charge, it will enable you to get to know this multi-talented artist a little better.
Another “curiosity” in the village is the Gustave Eiffel footbridge. Erected by the famous engineer, this 130-year-old footbridge leads visitors and dreamy onlookers to the village park. And for history buffs, it was built 20 years before our beloved Eiffel Tower.