Before you stands the war memorial to Georges Guynemer. Since you might not be familiar with him, let me introduce you. Born in Compiègne, Georges was nothing short of a prodigy. He joined the aviation corps at just 20 years old, and earned his pilot’s license the following year. In 1914, he went to the front lines and quickly became a legend. He was nicknamed “Ace of Aces,” “The Knight of the Sky,” and “The Angel of Victory.” His exploits were widely praised, and the young fighter pilot became a national hero during his lifetime, rising from corporal to captain in just two years. Like a cat with nine lives, he miraculously survived being shot down eight times. However, on September 11, 1917, he perished in flames, falling from the sky above a Belgian village. He was only 22 years old. France mourned its national hero. A request was quickly made to inscribe his name in the Panthéon, France’s national hall of honour for its greatest citizens, and it was unanimously accepted. Behind the monument, you’ll see a large park. This is the site of the king’s stables, built in 1735 alongside Louis XV’s castle. From 1875 to 2016, the royal stables were home to the National Stud Farms. Once open to the public, visitors came to admire the horses and the architectural heritage it represented. The Compiègne stud farm preserved two endangered breeds of draft horses and organised the "Route du Poisson" every two years, an endurance race linking Paris to Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was called the "Route du Poisson", or Fish route, because these draft horses traditionally transported fish to the Parisian markets.After being put up for sale in 2016, the former stables are about to enter a new chapter.