Loan, France is to the north of Saints, and can be reached easily in about two hours. It makes for a nice day-trip. Laon is a beautiful French town with creperies, huge ramparts and a view that goes for miles. Armies have criss-crossed the plains below. The town saw damage and heavy fighting most recently in WWI and WWII. It has all been restored now, of course. Laon is overlooked by most tourists and even the French, but it's well worth visiting. The drive up the hill alone to the top of this beautiful hilltop town is worth it. There is also a funicular to get up there.

And did I mention the crepes? We had a nice quiet dinner for two including dinner crepes, desert crepes and a carafe of red wine for about $20 including tip.

Architecture buffs will appreciate the famous town cathedral (see photos here) which is considered the great transitional cathedral between Romanesque architecture and Gothic.

Laon cathedral facade	Laon cathedral interior
Laon cathedral side	Laon cathedral plaza
Laon cathedral with Janel and Mena	Laon's main pedestrian road with Janel and Mena