The road from Thil to Cormicy was the starting-point of the communicating trenches which led to the first lines along the National Road No. =44= and along the canal from the Aisne to the Marne, during the long stabilisation period of the Berry-au-Bac--Rheims front. All along the road can still be seen, practically intact, the military works which were in the immediate rear of the front lines, viz., posts of commandment, depots, shelters, etc. At the present time, close to the destroyed villages, these shelters are being used by the people as habitations. _Beyond Thil, the road passes between two embankments._ =Villers-Franqueux= _is soon reached_. The ruined village and church _are somewhat to the right_. [Illustration: RUINS OF VILLERS-FRANQUEUX] [Illustration: RUINED CHURCH OF HERMONVILLE] =Hermonville= _Follow the rails, straight ahead, to_ Hermonville. _Turn to the left, at the entrance to the village, into the large square, on the opposite side of which stands the_ =Town Hall=, partially destroyed. The =Church= _is on the right_. This remarkable church is 12th century. The pointed vaulting of the nave was raised in 1870, but this had been provided for in the original plans. At the intersection of the transept the pointed vaulting is lower. The capitals with their finely carved palm-leaves appear to be rather more recent than those of the nave, and extend frieze-like round the pillars. The bays of the transept-arms and of the two square eastern chapels are round-arched and surmounted with a quatrefoil--an arrangement frequently met with in the vicinity of Rheims. The outer porch, like that of Cauroy-les-Hermonville and St. Thierry, is a 12th century addition. The depressed arch of the entrance is 17th century. The square tower at the corner of the nave and south transept has cubic capitals in the twin bays of the second storey. The ancient =cemetery=, which used to surround the church, is bordered by old houses. Entrance was gained by a little gate facing the porch, in which are incrusted fragments of a 15th century altar-screen representing a horseman and a group of persons. The village was frequently bombarded by the Germans after the Battle of the Marne. In 1916 several inhabitants were killed by shells. _Leave the church on the right, and follow the Rue Sébastopol, at the end of which is an abrupt turning to the left. The road skirts a large house and garden surrounded by a wall. At the end of the latter, turn to the right into the Rue de Sommerville. On leaving the village, turn to the left, then go straight on to_ =Cauroy-les-Hermonville=. [Illustration: CAUROY CHURCH IN 1914] =Cauroy-les-Hermonville= _Turn to the right at the entrance to the village, then into the first street on the left, where stands the_ half-destroyed =Church of Nôtre-Dame=. This Church (_historical monument_) has an original 12th century porch, which was mutilated by the bombardments.