Soissons, Gothic cathedral in Soissons, France
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in northern France, spreading along both banks of the Aisne River. The built environment mixes timber-framed houses from earlier centuries with postwar apartment blocks, while bridges link the two sides of the river.
The Roman settlement of Augusta Suessionum became the site of a decisive battle in the 5th century when Clovis defeated the last Roman forces. Afterward, the town served as a royal residence under the Merovingians for several centuries and later as a bishop's seat.
The town takes its name from the Suessiones, a Celtic people who lived here before Roman times. Today you see locals shopping at the Saturday market in the central squares, while cafés along the side streets fill with residents meeting for coffee.
The town center is easy to explore on foot, with most points of interest within about 0.9 miles (1.5 kilometers) of the train station. Walking along the riverbanks offers a quiet route between the older quarters and the green spaces by the water.
The local museum displays remains of a Roman bathhouse uncovered during postwar construction work. The finds include floor mosaics and hypocaust systems that once heated the bathing rooms.
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