Soissons

Soissons is a city in France, a commune in Picardie in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones.

Nowadays there are about 20 Couchsurfers who live in Soissons and around. This page show you some very needful tips for your journey in Soissons.

HISTORY OF SOISSONS

Soissons enters written history under its Celtic name (as later borrowed in Latin), Noviodunum, meaning "new hillfort". At Ancient Roman contact, it was a town of the Suessiones, mentioned, by Julius Caesar. Caesar (B.C. 57), after leaving the Axona (modern Aisne), entered the territory of the Suessiones, and making one day's long march, reached Noviodunum, which was surrounded by a high wall and a broad ditch. The place surrendered to Caesar. From 457 to 486, under Aegidius and his son Syagrius, Noviodunum was the capital of the "Kingdom of Soissons", until it fell to the Frankish king Clovis I in the Battle of Soissons (486).

Part of the Frankish territory of Neustria, the Soissons region, and the Abbey of Saint-Médard, built in the 8th century, played an important political part during the rule of the Merovingian kings (A.D. 447-751). After the death of Clovis I in 511, Soissons was made the capital of one of the four kingdoms into which his states were divided. Eventually, the kingdom of Soissons disappeared in 613 when the Franks lands were amalgamated under Clotaire II. In 744 the Synod of Soissons met at the instigation of Pippin III, and Saint Boniface, the Pope's missionary to pagan Germany, secured the condemnation of the Frankish bishop Adalbert and the Irish missionary Clement.

During the Hundred Years' War, French forces committed a notorious massacre of English archers stationed at the town's garrison, in which many of the the French townsfolk were themselves raped and killed. The massacre of French citizens by French soldiers shocked Europe, and Henry V of England, noting that the town of Soissons was dedicated to the saints Crispin and Crispinian, claimed to avenge the honour of the saints when he met the French forces at the Battle of Agincourt on St Crispin's Day 1415.

In 1999, the town was on the main path of totality for Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999.

More informations about the History of Soissons on the wikipedia:Soissons !

WHAT TO VISIT ?

The Abbey St Jean des Vignes

Park St Crepin

Hotel Barral

St Waast Church

The "Vase de Soissons"

The Town Hall

The Cathedral

Abbey St Leger

The Market Hall

More informations about the places to visit in Soissons on the wikitravel:Soissons ! You can also check the Official Website of the Office of Tourism.

TIPS

Free Internet/Wifi Access

Here is a list of some places in Soissons where there is some public Internet/Wifi Access:

• PIJ - Adress: 17 avenue Robert Schuman - 02200 Soissons - Tel: 03.23.53.16.32
• Mission Locale pour l'Insertion Professionnelle - Adress: 18, rue Richebourg - Tel: 06.73.00.36.15
• Centre Social de Presles - Adress: 17 avenue robert schuman - Tel: 0323531632

Nice & Cheap Places to Eat

Nightlife

COUCHSURFERS

There are about 25 Couchsurfers who live in Soissons and some others in the area. Feel free to contact them by finding them on the Couchsearch Page or by letting a post or a message on the Picardy CS Group (regional group).

Meetings

There is no CS meetings in Soissons for the moment, but check the Picardy CS Group (the regional group) to see and be kept informed about what happen in the area.

Coffee or a Drink

TRANSPORTATIONS

How to get to Soissons ?

• By Car: From Paris, take the Motorway A1 and exit at Compiègne/Soissons. From Lille, take the A1 direction Paris then the A26 direction Reims, exit at St Quentin Sud. From Reims, you have a direct national road to reach Soissons.
• By Train: From Paris, you have a direct regional train called TER, to know the timeboard of these trains, check this Website !
• By Plane: The closest airport from Soissons are Paris-Roissy Charles de Gaulle (40 minutes by car) and Paris-Beauvais (for Ryan Air and other lowcost companies).

Bus in Soissons

Bus

The Bus Network inside and around Soissons is shared by the company TUS (Transports Urbains Soissonnais), you can check its official website, but it is in french. So here is the rates their use:

• One ticket: 1.10€
• 10 Tickets: 6.40€
  

The Bus works from Monday to Saturday (not on Sunday).

Bicycles

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

• Police Station:

Police Secours : 17
Commissariat de police (24h / 24h) - Rue Paul Deviolaine - Tel: 03 23 76 72 00
Bureau de Police (Open to 10 a.m to 5.30 p.m) - Avenue Robert Schuman - Tel: 03 23 75 32 15
Gendarmerie (24h / 24h) - Adress: 45 avenue de Laon - Tel:03 23 53 12 85

• Health Urgency:
  

Urgences SMUR/SAMU: 15

• Hospital:
  

Centre Hospitalier - 46 avenue du Général de Gaulle - Tel: 03 23 75 74 52

• Fireman Station:
  

Pompiers: 18

• Embassy:
• Emergency Doctor:
  

Services de Garde (médecins, dentistes, pharmacies): 17

LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS

This article is a stub. You can help by expanding it.wikitravel:Soissons

INTERESTED LINKS

• Regional Group: Picardie/Picardy

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• Soissons on Wikitravel
• Soissons on Hitchwiki
• Soissons on Wikipedia