Marne - The Marne is in fact a Departement in the North-East of France, but is perhaps most famous as the scene of one of the major battles of the first World War, where, in 1914 victory here by the French under Marshal Joffre saved Paris from the advancing Germans. The Germans, under General von Kluck were driving towards Paris, but were stopped in their tracks by French forces sent from Paris, some even arriving in taxis! Over the next four months the French, helped by the British Expeditionary Forces, dug in and despite massive slaughter on both sides the situation in the Marne remained stable throughout 1914-1915.