The Armistice carriage: replica of the carriage where the Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918
© CRT Picardie / S Bellet
Gourmet dinner by the fireside in a Michelin-starred restaurant
© Auberge de la Bonne Idee
Discover an area full of secrets and strategy nested in tranquil Compiègne forest for the signing of the peace treaty of 1918.
At the heart of northern France's largest forest, the remote Glade of the Armistice was selected as the site for the armistice meeting by Supreme Allied Commander Marshal Foch; it had to be secret lest it come to nothing. The French army already had rail lines here, meaning representatives of the two sides could arrive by train without drawing attention, hidden by trees.
The site is never more moving than on 11th November, during a yearly commemoration service for the Great War. You can also visit the Musée de l’Armistice, with a replica of the train carriage in which the treaty was signed plus displays on events leading to the signings of 1918 and 1940 (when Hitler forced a French surrender on the same spot).
A Peaceful Interlude
Leave time to stroll in the forest – autumn is especially poignant – and to tour the Château de Compiègne and the charming little city. It’s hard to believe you’re only a 15-minute drive from the A1 motorway, especially when you’re tucked up at the Auberge à la Bonne Idée at St-Jean-aux-Bois, enjoying a Michelin-starred food by before a roar-ing fire.