Selens combines village history with a hiking route whose character is shaped by hills, forests, working plateaus and small villages. At the heart of the village are the Gothic Notre-Dame church and the Calvary; the war memorial stands at the edge of the village. This gives you a clear distinction for planning between architectural and memorial sites and the circular trail through the surrounding landscape.

Notre-Dame and the local walking trails

The Gothic Notre-Dame church stands in the heart of the village and was built entirely from stone from local quarries. The architectural style and material describe different aspects of the same building: the style identifies the church’s architectural period, while the stone names a specific building material from the surrounding area. The local walking trails begin at the foot of Notre-Dame. The church is therefore also a landmark for finding your way on foot. If you would like to combine village history and hiking, you can link the start of your walk with a cultural site in the village.

The Calvary: dimensions and design

Selens’ Calvary stands in the village centre on a main thoroughfare and was erected in 1900. The cast-iron cross is five metres tall, and the cast-iron figure of Christ is three metres tall. Together, they weigh 3,500 kilograms. In terms of height, the cross is two metres taller than the figure; the weight, by contrast, refers to their combined mass. The heights therefore refer to the individual components, while the weight refers to both together. A winged lion, an eagle, a lamb and an angel are depicted at the ends of the cross. These four motifs add specific design details to the dimensions. Compared with Notre-Dame, the emphasis here is on cast iron, dimensions and ornamentation rather than Gothic architecture and local stone.

The Circuit d’Albitus et de Bartel circular trail

One of the walking trails around Selens is the Circuit d’Albitus et de Bartel circular trail. It lies at the junction of the Ailette and Oise valleys and crosses hilly terrain, passing through forests, working plateaus and small villages. This offers a different focus from the village’s buildings: the landscape, with wooded stretches, cultivated uplands and village sections. The distinction is clear when choosing what to do: Notre-Dame and the Calvary offer architectural and historic features in the village, while the Circuit is a hike through the changing surroundings. The circular trail is therefore one way to discover Selens not only through its buildings, but also through its landscape.

The war memorial at the edge of the village

Selens’ war memorial stands in the cemetery at the edge of the village. Its location differs from that of the Calvary in the village centre and Notre-Dame in the heart of the village. It therefore complements the centrally located cultural sites with another memorial site in a different location. When finding your way around, you can distinguish the village centre, with the church and Calvary, from the memorial in the cemetery at the edge of the village. Together, these sites provide different points of reference for a cultural focus in Selens, while the Circuit offers a distinct perspective on the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Aisonville-Et-Bernoville, Ohis, Grandlup-Et-Fay, Vadencourt, Blérancourt, Chamouille, Trélou-Sur-Marne, Clermont-Les-Fermes.

For the regional travel overview: Aisne.