Day 5: Underground City: Naours, France

May 24

On a whim, Nathaniel picked up one of those tourist pamphlets in our hotel with a terrible advertisement for an "underground city". The pamphlet was really poorly done, but we were intrigued nonetheless, so we added it to our route out of town. 

It was really cool!! It was an incredibly intricate "city" built underground-- hand carved out of rock-- built with 300 rooms, including storage areas for the local cattle, etc. 

"THE UNDERGROUND CITY, originally used as chalk quarry since the 3rd century, is a real city dug by human hands. In this area 300 000 cubic meters, You Will there found 28 galleries (2000 meters long), 300 "chambers", 6 chimneys, public squares, a chapel ... You Will See inside fossils and go down up to 33 meters depth under the hill. Thoses "muches" hiding places in Picardy Provided shelter for people falling on all invasions All which Took Place in Picardie up to the world war. During the 1st world war bye They Were used by the Allies right to adequate housing and german army falling on the second war. "

 There were originally doors on all of the rooms, and each village family was assigned a room. Streets were named, and everyone in the village (especially the children*) had the entire layout memorized. *The children were trained to trick any invaders who entered the caves to get them to chase them into traps. 

 In the "chapel"

This was the block where they would kill animals while in the shelter. There are creases in the rock for the blood to drain. 

 Nathaniel. :)

 Haha! William striking a pose-- with his "audio tour headphone" falling in an unfortunate location for the shadow... 

After you exit the "city" there is a demo of what life was like in the era when it was actually used.