Компьенский лес: История и природа Пикардии

Large forest in the region of Picardy, France

The Forest of Compiègne (, fɔʁɛ də kɔ̃pjɛɲ) is a large forest in the region of Picardy, France, near the city of Compiègne and approximately north of Paris. The forest is notable as the site of the Armistice of 11 November 1918 between the Allies and Germany which marked the end of fighting in World War I, as well as the Armistice of 22 June 1940 after the Battle of France in World War II.

The forest of Compiègne is roughly circular with a diameter of about ; it is approximately in circumference The forest is lushly irrigated, being adjacent to the rivers Oise and Aisne, as well as many smaller tributaries and streams. On its south it borders the Forest of Halatte. Just outside the city of Compiègne, a grand entrance to the forest begins at the resplendent Château de Compiègne, a former royal residence on the city's western edge. Stretching forward from the château, the Avenue de Beaux Monts scales the heights of the same name, providing a scenic promenade into the woods.

The forest of Compiègne is famous for its picturesque natural attractions, with its arrays of oak and beech trees projecting a "noble and ordered beauty". The most prominent tree species are oak (Quercus robur), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Much of the oak was heavily harvested over the centuries but was replanted aggressively in the nineteenth century when fears of deforestation began to be addressed. Since the late twentieth century, the North American black cherry tree (Prunus serotina) has spread vigorously throughout the forest, eliciting mixed reactions from local arborists. Numerous flowering plants thrive in the woods, Small lakes, ponds, brooks and springs abound throughout the forest, which is actually a pair of therapeutic mineral water springs running both hot and cold. The forest sustains a great number of game animals including deer, rabbit and wild boar, adding up to over six hundred miles of trail a long running bicycle event, the Paris Roubaix race, has an established path through the forest.

The forest of Compiègne area shows evidence of prehistoric habitation, and continuous forest cover has been definitively proven since at least the end of the Roman Empire. Gallic Roman edifices have been discovered there, and it is traversed on its south and east sides by an ancient Roman road During the Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar won a decisive victory in the forest, defeating one of the larger tribes of north eastern Gaul, the Bellovaci. A multitude of the forest's classical era artifacts are on display at the Château's museum.

The earliest Frankish kings established the forest as their privileged hunting grounds, The small palace, fitted cozily among the trees, was named Cusia and for some time thereafter the forest itself went by the name Forêt de Cuise Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the lush woodlands provided lumber for a thriving woodworking community around Compiègne. One of the most popular products supplied by the forest was beech oil, used for cooking and folk medicines: it was bottled in prodigious quantities and sold worldwide from Compiègne through the 19th century, until its marketshare was supplanted by newer, more refined oils.

The forest of Compiègne witnessed much activity during the reign of the Emperor Napoleon III, for whom the abundant forest was a personal favorite retreat. The Emperor was an avid huntsman, and he reconstituted the forest as grand hunting grounds, even going so far as to revive the age old office of Grand Veneur to oversee it. The Emperor had a deep affection for the forest and frequently organized his hunting parties at the King's Well. In addition to hunting parties and competitions, the forest of Compiègne was the scene of extravagant receptions, parties and even theatrical performances. The French commander in chief Marshal Foch convened the armistice talks deep in the forest beside the tiny village of Rethondes, with an eye towards secrecy because he wanted to shield the meeting from intrusive journalists, as well as spare the German delegation any hostile demonstrations by French locals. During World War II, a second treaty was signed in the forest, this time arranging the Armistice between France and Nazi Germany (22 June 1940). With an unmistakable desire to humiliate his defeated enemy, The original tablet was destroyed by the Nazis, but a new one was emplaced after the war. For bringing the German delegation to the 1918 meeting, the French had assembled the train with a special saloon car which had once belonged to Napoleon III. The car was decorated with old Imperial emblems, redolent of past glories and mutely confirming the resurgence of French power after its defeat in the Franco Prussian War in 1870. In 1950, a faithful replica of this original railcar was installed at the site. Decades later, some vestiges of the original car were discovered in Germany and returned to France: the pieces were added to the memorial display in 1995. The Armistice Clearing remains open to the public six days a week. Visitors routinely leave photographs and other mementos to be displayed or stored in the museum, making it "an ever changing place of pilgrimage".