The Omignon flows through Maissemy, and the Étang de Bihécourt extends across the territories of Maissemy and Vermand. There are also several memorial sites connected with the history of the First World War. In Maissemy, wetlands and birdlife are therefore as much in focus as remembrance and reconstruction. When planning your trip, you can consider these different themes separately or let their coexistence inspire you to get to know the area better.
Wetlands, river and birdlife
Maissemy is part of the ZNIEFF Type 1 “Étangs de Vermand, marais de Caulaincourt et cours de l'Omignon”. This natural inventory area covers 460.34 hectares and features a great variety of aquatic and amphibious habitats. The area refers to the entire site, not just the municipality. The ponds within the ZNIEFF are an important stopover and wintering site for waterbirds. The Omignon, which flows through Maissemy, is a right-bank tributary of the Somme.
The Étang de Bihécourt belongs to both Maissemy and Vermand. It is a nesting site for resident birds and a stopover for migratory birds. This distinguishes the functions mentioned for these waters: stopovers and wintering at the ponds, and a nesting site for resident birds at the Étang de Bihécourt. This offers nature enthusiasts a specific point of interest if they would also like to consider birdlife when planning their trip.
In the wider area around Maissemy, the “Des marécages aux portes de la plaine” walking route follows a former railway line. It reaches the ornithological site of the Bihécourt ponds and continues into the marshlands of the Omignon Valley. The route description links a former railway line with ponds and wetlands.
Memorial sites and reconstruction
The German military cemetery in Maissemy was established by the French military authorities in 1924. A total of 30,481 victims of the First World War are buried there; 15,000 dead lie in two mass graves. The cemetery is accessible via the D 33 and is open year-round. Check local road conditions before setting out, and confirm the current visiting arrangements before your visit.
The Maissemy war memorial was inaugurated in 1924. It was built in the colonial style to plans by the mayor at the time, the physician Luc Arbel. The Church of Saint-Pierre was rebuilt in the 1920s after the First World War; the present building stands on the same site as its predecessor. Two aspects of the postwar period can be seen side by side here: remembrance at the war memorial and the reconstruction of the church on its former site.
The Vadencourt British Cemetery is also in Maissemy. It contains the graves of 760 British Army soldiers; 212 of those buried there could not be identified. Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Stephen Dimmer is also buried there. Together with the German military cemetery, the two cemeteries illustrate the different national contexts of remembrance of the First World War in Maissemy.
Discover more destinations: Marigny-En-Orxois, Beaumont-En-Beine, Rozoy-Sur-Serre, Épieds, Holnon, Orval, Le Charmel, Saint-Christophe-à -Berry.
For the regional travel overview: Aisne.
