Blérancourt

Castle of the XVII century, National museum of the Franco-American Co-operation.
Built at the XVII century by Solomon de Brosse, architect of Marie de Médicis for the Very powerful duke of Gesvres, par of France, Secretary of State of Henri IV and his wife Charlotte of Old man-Bridge, Blérancourt was one of the most important high private castles in France at that time. Inspired of Italian and French examples, it is perfectly characteristic of the French architecture of half of the XVII century. The museum, unique in France, was created by American the Anne Morgan and Anne Murray Dike. Become national museum in 1931, it gathers historical and artistic collections on the relations between France and the United States, since the war of independence (1776-1783) until the American humanitarian aid in France of 1914 to 1945. One discovers many memories and rare documents there on the American participation in the two world wars. Lives again thus, example, all the action of Américan Fiel Service (AFS) or Lafayette Flotilla. A remarkable collection of works of art of the XVIIIe century illustrating is added to it the richness of the artistic exchanges between the two countries.
* The Gardens of the new world
Gardens of the castle of Blérancourt, another facet of the Franco-American history, that of the horticultural exchanges illustrate. They make discover the often forgotten origins of more or less rare species. A flowered park, arboretum and three gardens, created by American and French landscape designers, are unique in France. Located at the site of the old kitchen gardens, these gardens flower of spring to the autumn. All plants: tobaccos, nasturtiums, dahlias, stars, etc are of American origin.

* The church Saint-Pierre-es-Liens
Its construction goes back to XVI century thanks to the impulse of Guillaume of LANVIN, then lord of Blérancourt
A central gate of Renaissance style (1537) is flanked of two lying sealed later on of share and others (in a position upright strange for this type of sculptures). A southern turret shelters the old baptismal font, with a symbolic system authentically faithful to the Tradition. Stained glasses whose creation spreads out of 1926 to 1989. Besides interior murals comprising the genealogical pennon of the POTTER family of GESVRES. Four bells live the bell-tower, with the origin of each one of them evoking the First World War inevitably.
* The church Saite Madeleine
More recent than the church Saint-Pierre-be-Bonds. With the modest size, it is characterized by its simple style even stripped. Last nine stained glasses, works of R LARDEUR profited from a complete restoration in 2005, in a spirit faithful to the preliminary draft. In addition, the influence of the style Art Déco appears there, creation is in first half of the XX century.

House of the XVIII century, with its stringcourse running under the roof and its pinions “with jumps of sparrows”, very representative of the rural architecture of Soissonnais. Nothing can better than this place to restore the emotion of the past. Saint-Just indeed entered there to old nine years, until his departure for Convention in Paris at twenty-five years.

Old Market, built by the lords of Blérancourt, was rebuilt in 1848 with the same site and under the same conditions.
The sculptures of its pinion point out the nature of the exchanges which were done on the very attended markets of Blérancourt then.