LADIES' PATH

For 26 km and in an east-west direction, the RD 18 CD, or Chemin des Dames, links Corbeny (on the D1044) and Les Vauxrains (on the N2) by following a ridge line and the plateau that separates the Aisne and Ailette valleys. While Craonne, shortly after Corbeny, is the first town that really throws us into history, the calvary of the Guardian Angel (on the D23, after the crossroads of the N2 and the D18CD, in the direction of Chavignon), erected in 1924 in memory of the soldiers of the Great War who fell on the Chemin des Dames and in the battles of Malmaison, used to be the western entrance. This western gate is now represented by the N2-D18CD interchange

The origins of the Chemin des Dames

The Chemin des Dames takes its name from the daughters of Louis XV who were called Mesdames. The road was specially made passable for two of them (Marie-Adélaïde and Victoire) between 1785 and 1789. This was so that they could reach from Paris the castle of Bove, near Boucouville-Vauclair, which was owned by the duchess of Narbonne, lady-in-waiting of Madame Adélaïde. However, it is not certain that the ladies ever used it.

The Battle of the Chemin des Dames

During the First World War, the first German lines were established in the early months of the conflict on the edge of the Chemin des Dames, a major strategic location in this region of Picardy overlooking the Aisne and Ailette valleys. At the end of 1916, when the occupying forces had used the many months since their arrival to create a gigantic network of tunnels and shelters, the French general staff decided to launch an offensive to break through the enemy lines. Although General Joffre was initially appointed to lead the manoeuvre, it was General Nivelle who succeeded him in December 1916. After modifying the attack plans of his predecessor, Nivelle decided to launch the offensive on 16 April 1917 at 6am.

Some objectives were achieved but French losses were considerable from the first day. The offensive, which was supposed to last less than 48 hours for Nivelle, went on for several weeks and turned into a veritable hecatomb. From the 16th to the 25th of April, there were more than 134,000 losses on the French side, including 30,000 dead. From the 22nd April, Nivelle changed his strategy and decided to carry out localised attacks to weaken the enemy lines. Generals Mangin and Mazel were relieved of their command a few days later, replaced by Generals Micheler and Maistre. On the 4th May, the 18th infantry regiment of Pau attacked and took Craonne and the California plateau: 40% of its strength was decimated. On the 15th May, General Nivelle was replaced by General Pétain. From the 20th May to the end of June, mutinies broke out in more than 150 units spread over the battle lines. The military courts firmly condemned the soldiers responsible or considered to be responsible: 45 were finally shot, which caused a great stir in the army but also in the population. On the 4th June, the new attacks planned were cancelled because of the mutinies. After a major German counter-offensive in the second half of June, the 164th Infantry Division captured the Dragon's Cave on 25 June. A series of operations designed to control the high points then began (Battle of the Observatories). Finally, on the 24th October, an offensive planned by General Pétain enabled the French to retake the Malmaison fort, which controlled the western access to the Chemin des Dames. The Germans left the plateau and withdrew north of the Ailette valley. In spite of this last French victory, the front line was only slightly modified and the battle of the Chemin des Dames will remain as a great military failure.

After other important battles (German offensive of May 1918, allied counter-offensive of July 1918), it was not until the 10th October 1918 that the Germans definitively abandoned the area.

In the end, the number of losses (dead or wounded) is estimated at 110,000 men on the French side, and 60,000 to 80,000 on the German side.