Attilly is located 5 km west ofSaint-Quentin just north of theA29 autoroute which passes through the southwestern corner of the commune. It can be accessed by several roads: the D73 fromBeauvois-en-Vermandois in the southwest to Villeveque, the D733 fromEtreillers in the south going northwest to Villeveque, the D33 going north from Etreillers to Attilly village and continuing north to Marteville andVermand, the D73 from the D1029 in the north to Marteville, and the D686 fromHolnon in the east to the village. There are three villages and hamlets in the commune:[3]
Attilly in the centre with the town hall, the school (closed), the festival hall, the church, the train station (closed), 25 cafes (all closed), and a water tower
Marteville in the north with its cemetery, railway station (closed), castle (private) is located next to the village ofVermand
Villeveque in the west with the villa of thePrince of Monaco, ponds for fishing, and the mill (where it is possible to learn to swim)
Much of the commune is farmland; however, it is partly surrounded by the Forests of Holnon and Attilly.[4]
The Omignon river passes along and forms the northwestern border of the commune through Marteville and Villevèque.[5]
The nameAttilly is derived from a word translated as "overlooking the water" and probably owes its name to its position atop a hill.[6] The origin of the nameAttilly therefore probably dates back to a Roman villa. However, the region has been inhabited for much longer.[7]
Charles Poette[8] wrote a history at the beginning of the 20th century. The village was destroyed during theFirst World War: only a single wall was still standing at the end of the conflict on the Rue du Prozet.
ACalvary on the road between Attilly and Marteville (Vermand), another between Attilly and Holnon, and another on the road toEtreillers. There is also one at the entrance to the village from the Attilly forest which is located facing the road to Vermand not far from the church
ACalvary or Wayside Cross on the dirt road towards Etreillers after the water tower at the top of the village.
ATomb on the road to Etreillers
ThePlace Verte (Green Square) located on the old Roman road between Holnon and Vermand
The ruins of aChapel in the middle of Attilly forest where there was an old village abandoned after the First World War
ThePlace du Sar (Royal Square) where 14 July is celebrated and where the hall is built