Editing Soissons

{{France}}
{{City
    |name       =Soissons
    |country    =France
    |region     =Picardie
    |nickname   =
    |group      =195
    |wikipedia  =Soissons
    |wikivoyage =Soissons
    |image      =Blason-Soissons.JPG
    |imagetext  =Blason of the City
    |ambassadors=[[Liste_des_Volontaires_CS_en_France#En_Picardie|CS Ambassadors in the Area]]
    }}

'''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. 

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''HISTORY OF SOISSONS'''</FONT>==

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]] !'''''

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''WHAT TO VISIT ?'''</FONT>==
<table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center>
 <tr>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Abbey st jean des vignes.jpg|thumb|210px|center|The Abbey St Jean des Vignes]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Partc st crepin.jpg|thumb|230px|center|Park St Crepin]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Hotel barral.jpg|thumb|230px|center|Hotel Barral]]
  </td>
 </tr> 
</table>
<table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center>
 <tr>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Eglise st waast.jpg|thumb|250px|center|St Waast Church]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Levasedesoissons.jpg|thumb|250px|center|The "Vase de Soissons"]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Mairiedesoissons.jpg|thumb|250px|center|The Town Hall]]
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>
<table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center>
 <tr>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Cathedrale soissons2.jpg|thumb|240px|center|The Cathedral]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Abbey st leger.jpg|thumb|240px|center|Abbey St Leger]]
  </td>
  <td align=center>
[[Image:Marché couvert.jpg|thumb|240px|center|The Market Hall]]
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

'''''More informations about the places to visit in Soissons on the [[wikivoyage:Soissons]] !''''' You can also check the [http://www.tourisme-soissons.fr/ Official Website of the Office of Tourism].

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''TIPS'''</FONT>==

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Free Internet/Wifi Access'''</FONT>===
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''

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Nice & Cheap Places to Eat'''</FONT>===

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Nightlife'''</FONT>===

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''COUCHSURFERS'''</FONT>==
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 [http://www.couchsurfing.org/mapsurf.html Couchsearch Page] or by letting a post or a message on the [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=195 Picardy CS Group] (regional group).

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Meetings'''</FONT>===
There is no CS meetings in Soissons for the moment, but check the [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=195 Picardy CS Group] (the regional group) to see and be kept informed about what happen in the area.

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Coffee or a Drink'''</FONT>===
<!-- If you are not able to host anyone (for example if parents or flatmates are uncomfortable with the idea), but would still like to meet up with people travelling through the city! -->

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''TRANSPORTATIONS'''</FONT>==

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''How to get to Soissons ?'''</FONT>===
* '''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 [http://www.sncf.com 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).

[[Image:BusSoissons.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Bus in Soissons]]

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Bus'''</FONT>===
The Bus Network inside and around Soissons is shared by the company TUS (Transports Urbains Soissonnais), you can check [http://www.mobitus.org/TUS/tarifs.asp its official website], but it is in french. So here is the rates their use:
* One ticket: 1.10€
* 10 Tickets: 6.40€<br/>
The Bus works from Monday to Saturday (not on Sunday).

===<FONT COLOR="#646464">'''Bicycles'''</FONT>===

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''IN CASE OF EMERGENCY'''</FONT>==
[[Image:110 F 5944636 1f9rXG7PRPiG210JXW9Jql5PCPR0x9Lo.jpg|thumb|250px|right|]]

* '''Police Station:'''
Police Secours : 17 <br/>
'''Commissariat de police''' (24h / 24h) ''- Rue Paul Deviolaine - Tel: 03 23 76 72 00 ''<br/>
'''Bureau de Police''' (Open to 10 a.m to 5.30 p.m) - ''Avenue Robert Schuman - Tel: 03 23 75 32 15'' <br/>
'''Gendarmerie''' (24h / 24h) - ''Adress: 45 avenue de Laon - Tel:03 23 53 12 85'' <br/>
* '''Health Urgency:'''<br/> 
'''Urgences SMUR/SAMU:''' 15 
* '''Hospital:'''<br/> 
'''Centre Hospitalier''' ''- 46 avenue du Général de Gaulle - Tel: 03 23 75 74 52'' 
* '''Fireman Station:'''<br/>
'''Pompiers:''' 18
* '''Embassy:''' 
* '''Emergency Doctor:'''<br/>
'''Services de Garde''' (médecins, dentistes, pharmacies): 17

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS'''</FONT>==
<!-- CouchSurfing and this city. E.g. was CouchSurfing mentioned in local media? -->

[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Picardie]]
<!--  Please add these intersite links if you have the time to look up this city over there:  -->
<!-- [[csgroup:NUMBER]]     <!-- at http://couchsurfing.com/groups.html - NUMBER in address        -->
[[wikivoyage:Soissons]]
<!-- [[hitch:CITY]]              <!-- at http://hitchhiking.wikia.com - CITY in address            -->

==<FONT COLOR="#000099">'''INTERESTED LINKS'''</FONT>==

* '''[http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=195 Regional Group: Picardie/Picardy]'''
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

* '''[http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Soissons Soissons on Wikivoyage]'''
* '''[http://hitchwiki.org/en/Soissons Soissons on Hitchwiki]'''
* '''[http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soissons Soissons on Wikipedia]'''