Join us in Charleville-Mézières on Thursday August 14
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Cabaret Vert confirms the arrival of rapper Booba
Toulouse duo Bigflo & Oli and British musician and dj Jamie xx
Girls' group The Last Dinner Party will be there
almost 100 artists will take to the 5 different stages of the Cabaret Vert
ensuring that the 19th edition will be as beautiful as it is festive
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France’s nuclear regulator said Thursday (13 January) that a possible safety problem had been identified at a third nuclear plant
increasing concerns about the country’s power capacity at the height of winter
This riverside power station has 2 reactors of 1450 MW each and is between the French city of Charleville-Mezieres and the Belgian municipality of Dinant
Selon l'IRSN, les défauts de corrosion ayant conduits aux arrêts des centrales nucléaires de Chooz et Civaux (palier N4, 6 GW de puissance) ont été constatés sur un réacteur nucléaire déjà arrêté de Penly (palier P'4, 12 réacteurs, 15,6 GW). A suivre...https://t.co/V7tTR00WpB
Countries with the most nuclear reactors:1 United States 🇺🇸 932 France 🇫🇷 563 China 🇨🇳 524 Russia 🇷🇺 385 South Korea 🇰🇷 236 India 🇮🇳 217 Canada 🇨🇦 198 Ukraine 🇺🇦 159 UK 🇬🇧 1310 Japan 9 pic.twitter.com/EEfd2wXAwe
Nine EU countries have signed a joint statement backing the future use of nuclear energy to fight against climate change effectively
nuclear energy represents a reliable energy source to secure a low-carbon future
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What’s big or small? Solid or a shadow? Held up by string, a stick or even a crane? Puppets! Every two years the town of Charleville-Mezieres in Champagne-Ardenne hosts the world’s largest gathering of puppeteers, the Festival Mondial des Theatres de Marionettes (The World Puppet Festival)
If you think that means a whole load of Punch and Judy type shows – you couldn’t be more wrong
350 of the world’s best puppeteers from around the world put on 600 shows in 40 venues and on the streets of the town
Puppet shows date back to around 1000 BC in India
but Charleville-Meziere’s history as the “Puppet capital” of the world dates back to 1961 when young Frenchman Jacques Félix
a keen amateur puppeteer founded the festival
This is also the home of a puppet museum and a puppet school and we spoke to a local resident who told me that every child in the town has at least one puppet at home
the whole town was flushed with a festive atmosphere and puppets were hung from anywhere you could think to hang one: shop windows
The shows are aimed at both children and adults
with some that are very artistic and sophisticated
lights flashed and suddenly the giant puppet stood up
The town of Charleville-Mezieres is also gorgeous with ancient buildings of mellow
cobblestone streets and little town squares
In addition to the quintessentially French architecture
the town has some quirky and historic spots in addition to the puppet museum: an old London double decker bus serves as a restaurant and the statue of famous French poet Arthur Rimbaud who hails from this historic town
All photos by The Good Life France. Get in touch with the author at www.thegoodlifefrance.com, Facebook: The Good Life France, Twitter: @lifefrance
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These and more forms of puppet theater are currently on parade in Charleville-Mézières, in northern France’s Ardennes region, at the biannual World Puppet Theater Festival
The festival was started in 1961 by Jacques Félix
a man who is considered the “father of puppets” in France
He first got to know the art when he worked as a kids’ entertainer in Nazi-occupied France
Félix’s true passion was scouting
he turned to child entertainment in Nazi-led summer camps
the 10-day festival attracts around 250 theater companies performing for 170,000 spectators—adults and kids alike—across 50 venues in town
The puppeteers come from all corner of the planet
from Brazil to India and Israel to the United States
Charleville-Mézières is also home to the International Puppetry Union, a UNESCO-affiliated organization of puppet practitioners, and the International Puppetry Institute and its school
which currently trains 30 international students in a three-year puppetry course
Atlas Obscura has a selection of images from current and past iterations of the festivities
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The Museum of the Ardennes is an absolute must visit on a trip to Charleville or the wider Ardennes region
Located in the corner of the Place Ducal the museum is filled with exhibits and artefacts that have been found in Charleville and from the wider Ardennes region
The Museum of the Ardennes reflects life and culture in the area from prehistory to the city’s modern day relationship with puppetry
The museum houses over 3400m² of unique collections and is a one stop shop for everything you need to know about the history of the Ardennes region
The museum building itself is a beautiful space
which has been thoughtfully extended to include a mix of modern and old architecture
They have seamlessly fitted together the classicism of the 17th century architecture with modern steel
providing space for their ever growing collection
Modern artists have contributed a number of pieces to the museum
including sculptures and paintings featuring the “mascot” of the Ardenne
The museum walks you through the history of the region
through the industrial heritage of the region and into modern day Charleville with examples of puppets from around the world
If you’re visiting the three story museum here are a few key things to look out for
The Wild Boar is a symbol of the Ardennes region
you might have spotted Woinic just off autoroute A34
The wild boar is the symbol and spirit of the Ardennes
the subject of many legends and has inspired numerous artists
you will find a few wild boar around the museum
including a large painting in the entrance hall and a real one
This can also be seen from outside the museum through a large glass window
Charleville was once one of the biggest producers of guns for the Royal Army and gives its name to the Charleville musket
You can see a vast collection of Charleville muskets and other firearms in the museum
ranging from basic army issue guns to very ornately decorated sporting models owned by aristocracy
The muskets on display show incredible craftsmanship
and you perhaps don’t realise the work that goes into them until you get to see them close up
This is especially impressive given the age of these weapons and the technology available at the time
Some of the Muskets made in Charleville made their way to America and were used in the American Revolutionary War
The large arsenal was later moved to Tulle and Châtellerault and only a few smaller private gun makers remained in Charleville
The Ardennes was famous for its slate and steel industries and you can still find slate as you walk around the Ardennes today
Commercial slate quarrying in Charleville had stopped by 1970 and you now need to go to Spain for your slate
In the museum you can see some ancient drawings on pieces of slate (a prehistoric sketch pad!)
showing some of the earliest known art of the region
Alongside the history of the slate industry you can also see an impressive collection of nails and fastenings
Production of these was historically a small scale activity done by skilled blacksmiths in small workshops
The collection has more types of nails than we could have imagined existed
You can learn more about Charles de Gonzague
the city’s founder and look at his blueprints for the City he never got to see quite finished
You will see some of his original designs and can see which bits he managed to complete and those he didn’t
such as his personal palace just off the Place Ducal
The spot he had put aside for this is now home to the Town Hall which though beautiful
is slightly more modest than what he had imagined
Charles de Gonzague had dreams of creating a perfect city dedicated to trade and craft
with organised streets and beautiful buildings based around the main square
Most of the city was built in a local golden honey stone and though there were parts destroyed in the first and second world war
it was largely left unscathed due to rapid German occupation in the First World War
and its low military value in World War Two
Though Charleville was left largely unscathed
much of Mezieres across the water was destroyed after the first world war and in 1920 a group of people from Manchester in the UK helped raise money to help rebuild the city
There has been a long standing friendship between the two cities which seemed very apt
I was quite surprised to see the signs for the “Hôpital Manchester” in Charleville
The museum has had a number of portraits and paintings recreated in 3D using 3D printing
These models allow the visually impaired to feel how the paintings look
This really clever technology adds another modern and useful twist to the museum
There’s a rumour that most Charles de Gonzague paintings were made to look a bit more handsome than he really was though
so be warned you might not be feeling a true likeness
As you move through the museum you will pass a range of celtic and roman glassware and moving into a slightly more modern era there is a life-size reconstruction of an authentic Ardennes interior
This room includes pots and pans above the open fire
cots and trunks from the turn of the 19th Century
It really takes you back in time and you can almost imagine someone cooking over the open stove
while someone cranks the handle of an early example of a ‘washing machine’
was recently moved in all its glory to a corner of the museum
Sitting on the original ornate wooden shelves and cupboards you will find 120 original Nevers earthenware pots
used to hold the ointments and medicines of the old apothecary
It’s slightly surreal to see the whole interior of the shop before you in the museum
By far the highlight of the museum for me was the amazing display of puppets they have at the museum
Charleville has become the puppetry capital of the world, with a week-long Puppetry festival ‘Festival Mondial Marionnettes’ each year which brings puppet artists and performers from across the globe together
from all backgrounds perform on the streets
in schools and all over town in a week of festivities
The population of Charleville triples in size for the week
so if you’re thinking of visiting make sure you book in advance
If you can’t make it for the festival the museum has a huge range of puppets to view
They rotate through which puppets are on display each year so they don’t get too much exposure to the light which can start to damage the puppets
as well as to give you a chance to see something different on your next visit
There are puppets to tell stories about artists
My favourites included a series of puppets telling the story of the life of Van Gogh and another that showed the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
They also have shadow puppets and there is an interactive shadow puppet area where school children (or adults) can put on their own little display
Alongside the normal displays that stay all year round they have special exhibitions and while we were there was a collection of puppets from UNIMA (Union International de la Marionnette or International Puppetry Association)
The exhibition showcased puppets from around the world bringing continents and cultures together
Internationalism is at the core of the organisation’s identity they aim to use puppets and performance can bring people together and create bonds between different cultures
The puppets are a feast for the eyes in technicolour and showed me there was much more to puppets than the Sooty and Sweep I remember watching a child
Like many of the other exhibits in the museum
the puppets on display are a testament to what dedicated craftspeople can achieve
Le Grand Marionnettiste is one of the most famous landmarks in Charleville and puts on several performances every day all year round
He is a giant gold puppet who himself puts on a puppet show every hour
people start to gather around the grand puppeteer to watch the puppets come to life
Each show is only a minute or two long and throughout the day tells the famous story of The Four Sons of Aymon
a medieval tale spun around the four sons of Duke Aymon and their magical horse
If you don’t want to come back every hour to see how the story unfolds you can watch all 10 parts of the story in a row every Saturday at 9pm
Alongside the ancient historical artefacts and colourful puppets you will see modern art dotted around the museum
I like the mix of old and new together and it gives the museum another unique twist
giant balls of yarn or modern architecture it brings your creative side out and the art is a feast for your imagination
The Ardennes Museum is really well put together and offers a diverse slice of history to suit all interests
It’s well worth a visit when you’re staying in Charleville or the surrounding area
a UK travel and lifestyle blogger based in Derbyshire
I’ve been writing since 2011 when I started it to keep in touch with family and friends when I backpacked around Asia for 9 month
Since I returned I haven’t stopped travelling and have now been to over 40 different countries around the world
Sedan is steeped in history and a gorgeous little town…
The French city of Charleville probably isn’t the first place…
The Museum of the Ardennes is an absolute must visit…
As well as being a great destination in its own…
Shopping in France is so much more than just baguettes…
The Ardennes region is popular with hikers
24 Place Ducale 08000 Charleville-Mézières
Shopping in France is so much more than just baguettes and berets
There is something special about doing a bit of shopping abroad
you’re more likely to have something unique that people back home don’t have and it’s exciting to visit a foreign supermarket and see what different tasty treats they have an offer
I know my usual port of call is a newsagent or supermarket to stock up on Carambars
(Mmm so tasty and they remind me of coming to France as a child)
it’s not Carambars you come to France for though… It’s all their delicious baked goods
the fresh markets and unique boulangeries and the stylish clothes and the unique French style
but Charleville and Sedan have all you need for your holiday treats
There’s nothing better than exploring the local delicacies in a new place
the wine… Charleville has a number of local baked goods that are famous to the region which we couldn’t wait to try
We were informed that Boulangerie du Mont-Olympe was the place to go for the best baked goods in town and they certainly didn’t disappoint
Olly headed there early in the morning to pick up a few treats before our bike ride along the EuroVelo route 19 and they were the perfect treat to enjoy by the river when the sun came out
These are the three local bakery items we were told to try…
a baker from Bogny Sur Meuse who created this recipe in the 1950’s
The bread/cake is a cross between a thick sweet pizza and a pancake and is a delicious way to start your day
We had our first Galette á Suc with a coffee in Place Ducale on our first morning in Charleville
Many of the bars allow you to eat food from the local bakeries if you buy a coffee or a drink
It was a lovely way to spend a morning overlooking the comings and goings in the main square
we had our second Galette á Suc while sat at the train station at Bogny Sur Meuse; the very town that the Galette á Suc was first created
After a recommendation we tried the Galette Ardennaise too
which is very similar but with a delicious creamy filling
The Gâteau Mollet is somewhere between a cake and sweet bread
the recipe was invented by Jean-Remi Tisseron
It requires a special Mollet cake mould to make it and looks a bit like a hat made of sponge
We had our Gâteau Mollet half way through our bike ride along the Meuse and it was a perfect treat after a cycle through the rain along the EuroVelo route 19
The sun came out and we enjoyed our sweet Mollet and a well-deserved rest
The Gâteau Mollet is a bit like an Italian panettone
with a similar light cake or bread texture
I quickly munched my way through over half the cake before I realised I was supposed to be sharing it with Olly
Good job though as Olly had more than made up for his lack of Mollet by eating most of Le Petit Carolo
The Le Petit Carolo is a much sweeter dessert than the other two and something you might have as a cake in the afternoon or dessert after a meal
caster sugar and egg white and the cream filling is made from praline
It is a melt in your mouth multi layered cake that is a cross between a macaroon and a meringue
It was first made in Charleville and can be found in the Boulangeries across the city
Olly could have quite easily inhaled this in one
but I managed to get a look in when I tentatively gave up my Gâteau Mollet for a minute
When visiting Charleville make sure you head to Boulangerie du Mont-Olympe and try ALL the local treats
Maybe try and squeeze in a Pain au Chocolat too as… when in France
Charleville’s indoor market is just off the square on Rue Noeël
Thursdays and Saturdays and has a mix of fresh fruit and vegetables
We didn’t stay long as we were already stuffed from our Boulangerie buys
but if you’re staying in self-catered accommodation it’s the perfect place to fill up on fresh food for your stay
Charleville also has a Sunday market at Quartier Ronde Couture and the occasional special market in the main square Place Ducale. See the full list of the markets in and around Charleville.
It’s not just the food that can keep you busy spending your money in Charleville, but fashion, books, interiors and more in the middle of town too.
The Rue de la République is the main shopping street in Charleville. It is a long thoroughfare starting at the main square, Place Ducale, and ending at the large statue and fountain of Charles Gonzaga, the founder of the city.
The street is filled with handsome houses, now turned into boutique and chain shopping stores. There’s a good mix of fashion, interiors and of course books. The side streets offer a number of cafes and eateries, alongside more unique shops including a famous comic book shop.
We wandered up and down on our first morning and bought a couple of presents ready for Christmas too.
At the opposite side of the Place Ducale the straight street continues towards the Arthur Rimbaud Museum. When we arrived, the street was in the process of being covered in beautiful pink umbrellas hanging above you and by the time we had left they had all been opened and formed a pink street that was both colourful and a place to shelter from the rain. The umbrellas were to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Jeanteur is the biggest store in Charleville, a department store that fits across two sides of the square and covers 3 floors of all the clothes, shoes, jewellery and interior shopping your heart desires.
Olly and I spent a fair bit of time wandering through the shop and I soon spotted a few new clothes I fancied. I settled on just the one thing, a beautiful new grey coat with the biggest, snuggest hood ever! Ok, so I got some earrings as well. Two things. I think I did very well.
The department store has been running for 131 years and is a popular and friendly place to work. I found the staff really helpful and could have easily spent longer and more money in this beautiful old store.
Charleville is less touristy and well known by the English compared to many parts of France and I enjoyed being one of very few tourists around. I was able to practice my French without people automatically talking back in English and you can quickly start to feel like a local in this small and friendly city.
After a busy couple of days in Charleville we hopped in the car and headed to Sedan, a smaller town most famous for its towering, thick walled castle, Chateau Fort Sedan. As with Charleville we had some particular places to visit and treats to try, but we started with lunch in our hotel inside the castle. Yes our hotel was INSIDE the castle! So very cool.
Read more about our stay at Le Chateau Fort Hotel.
The Boulangerie Guénard is the most popular bakery in Sedan and when we arrived Saturday morning people were queuing out the door to pick up their weekend bread and cake supplies.
The Boulangerie offered a range of food from a variety of breads and cakes, to sandwiches and macarons. I mean no French bakery is complete without some colourful macarons right.
Macarons weren’t on our list, but they were winking at me and I couldn’t leave without buying a few. It was our last day in France and I, of course, needed something for our journey home.
I managed to avoid all the other cakes and focused on the task at hand – trying the Pain du Poilu.
Pain du Poilu is the bread of French soldiers from World War I. It is made with leaven, a lactic acid bacteria and yeast developing in the flour and water mixture giving it a more acidic taste to other more traditional breads. Leaven is a substance that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.
It is a crusty bread and was popular with soldiers because it would last a few days without losing its taste and texture. The bread has only recently been “rediscovered” by Sedan boulanger Christophe Guénard and I think would work perfectly with a big bowl of hearty homemade soup!
We were lucky enough to be in Sedan on a Saturday morning, the perfect day for a French market. The market in Sedan is more than double the size of the one in Charleville and stretches outside and around the building and into the neighbouring carpark.
It was a busy bustling market both inside and out, with many local people filling their shopping baskets and trolleys.
Stalls ranged from homemade basket ware to bright flowers and plants, from bric-a-brac and clothes to fresh fruit and vegetables.
Head inside and you will find stall after stall of piled high pastries, cakes and pies and a number of butchers and fishmongers selling the latest catch. Fresh multi coloured carrots were stacked next to giant radishes and leeks, while giant and tiny pumpkins were piled high beside them.
The smell of hot chicken guided my nose to the big rotisserie stalls and we treated ourselves to some local homemade honey. Despite having just had breakfast my mouth was watering again and I was sad I didn’t have a big house in Sedan and space to cook up a feast for all my friends and family.
Though England still has a fair few markets around, there just doesn’t seem to be the same appetite for such a busy bustling weekly market in smaller towns and cities. Perhaps supermarkets don’t have the same pull as they do back home, I know where I would rather shop! These markets have everything you might need to cook up a storm and are much more reasonably priced than the boutique, occasional markets we get back home in England.
Whether it is a spot of food shopping to try local delicacies while on holiday or a full on shopping spree Charleville and Sedan offer a unique mix.
Hey, I’m Jen, a UK travel and lifestyle blogger based in Derbyshire.
I’ve been writing since 2011 when I started it to keep in touch with family and friends when I backpacked around Asia for 9 month.
Since I returned I haven’t stopped travelling and have now been to over 40 different countries around the world.
The Ardennes region is popular with hikers, and Charleville and…
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The Place Ducale has all kinds of cosy restaurants, whose terraces shelter under arcades, so you can enjoy a drink and snack even in rainy weather. We still had half an hour before going on to the next highlight of the city. This we spent looking for a nice pastry shop under the arcade. After a pastry and a drink, it was time to walk on. The next highlight was near the Place Ducale.
Coming almost back to the beginning of the route, the animals were suddenly nowhere to be seen, which shows that they do indeed have a large area to live in. At least they couldn’t be spotted any more from the path we followed. The drizzly weather had started to turn into rain, so perhaps the animals had retreated to their shelters. Very understandably! We too went back to the car to take shelter, where we found our own sleepy, but dry creature.
Focus on family travel, travelling with children: in this materialistic society we like to collect cool memories to write even cooler content and create blogposts.
Really enjoyed this post.Really thank you! Keep writing. makaberzux
Text description provided by the architects. The 38 housing project is located in Charleville-Mézières next to the Belgian border. This is made up of collective apartments of different sizes, superimposed and overlapping.
A Neighborhood ScaleThe challenge of this project is to settle in a heterogeneous context, composed of varied architecture: from the single-family house to the collective appartments building. The ambition is to reconcile these two types of dwelling radically different in order to create a coherent urban fabric . The project then proposes an intermediate density, halfway between the collective and individual housing.
© Cyrille WeinerThe public space is organized around four buildings whose location ensures respect for the landscape quality of the site thanks to visual breakthroughs. Indeed, the project unfolds over the entire surface of the site, in reaction to the building of 100 dwellings in the west side of the site that obstructs space.
Ground Floor PlanThe west and east parts of the project are aligned along existing footpaths. The two others are parallel to the street.
Between these « islets », are organized the parking lots, common spaces and small individual gardens. The character of the project is given by a horizontality punctuated of urban framing towards the distant landscape.
© Cyrille WeinerThe 38-units program is organized by "household" of two superimposed units. We have 2 T2, 18 T3, 12 T4 and 6 T5. All the T4 and T5 have their living rooms on the garden level, while the majority of the T3 and the two T2 are articulated on the upper floors. Access to housing is made from the garden for dwellings on the ground floor and from the public road for the others.
Housing TypeDensity is one of the quality of this urban form offering spaces to potential open and multiple uses for a shared neighborhood life.
© Cyrille WeinerArchitectural PrinciplesThe aim of this project is to offer to each appartment a private outdoor space, garden or terrace, proportional to the surface of the dwelling. The general morphology is varied, ranging from one to two floors above groundfloor, and non-linear in order to create a rhythm on the street to be between individual and collective housing typology.
© Cyrille WeinerThe facades are covered by a thick mineral coating with a special application technique: hand made vertical strips reinforced the façades
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It was so delicious everywhere we went and I just want to return and eat everything all over again
If you’re visiting Charleville or Sedan make sure you save enough time to eat ALL the food and take your time over slow 4 course dinners with wine
We were lucky enough to be recommended the best places to eat in Charleville and Sedan so it’s only fair I share those recommendations with you
Sel et Poivre is a ten minute walk from the Place Ducale in the centre of town and just 2 minutes from Charleville’s train station and our hotel Le Dormeur du Val
This small restaurant is easy to overlook and without the recommendation we definitely wouldn’t have found it
The small restaurant seats about 20 people and was run by one person front of house and from what I could see just one chef
The kitchen was open so you could see what was happening and we enjoyed the flames that appeared as the chef cooked up a storm
we worked our way through translating it with a mixture of Google Translate and our kind waiter arriving with a smile and his French to English Food translation book
steak and more and after much deliberation we went for Carpaccio starters
a steak and some sort of Shepherd’s pie type dish with duck
Piéce de boeuf francais (melt in my mouth beef with creamy carrots
It was all melt in the mouth delicious and I had this glazed look of complete bliss across my face throughout the entire meal
I washed my meal down with a small bottle of satisfying Sancerre and Olly a glass of house red
again in typical French fashion this small restaurant has a brilliant wine selection
as well as an impressive selection of rums
For dessert we had Chocolate Fondant and Creme Brulee
both scrumptious traditional options that finished off our perfect meal in sweet toothed heaven
There was a sign on the wall saying no glace (ice cream) and we weren’t sure if that was because of a freezer malfunction or they chose not to do ice cream
but the waiter brought over some incredible salted caramel sauce to go with my chocolate fondant
I love when a place surprises you and Sel et Poivre did just that
When we arrived I had no idea what to expect and the turquoise painted walls
simple decor and comic sans sign left me wondering just where we had been recommended
In France it is all about the food and this place has French cuisine nailed
Like Sel et Poivre, Table D’Arthur didn’t look like much from the outside
On the main shopping street ‘Rue de la Republique’ their small A board points you down a narrow alley to the entrance of the restaurant
You are faced with another smart open plan kitchen where you can see a number of chefs busily turning out delicious looking food
We headed downstairs into the cellar to find our table and were instantly hit by the buzz of the place for 12.30pm on a Thursday lunchtime
Wining and dining at lunchtime appears to be a favourite French pastime
and we were in for a treat for both the wining and the dining at Table D’Arthur
The cellar atmosphere makes you quickly forget it’s the middle of the day and so when we were greeted with a champagne aperitif to start our lunch we knew we might be here some time
Table D’Arthur is fine dining at its best and still at a reasonable price
We had a 3 course meal for €64 for the two of us which seemed a great deal for such well thought out
Having no phone signal in the underground dining room
We managed to get by with our introductory French and some help from our friendly waiter and certainly weren’t disappointed with our choices
I had a mouth watering Viccisois de moule with a towering ile flottante
I’ve always been against the idea of cold soup
but this was delicious and I didn’t want it to end
They say the French to the best food and the more meals we had in Charleville the more we agreed with this statement
Table D’Arthur puts as much thought into its wine as it does its food
Being in a cellar we were surrounded by bottles of all sizes hidden in every nook and cranny
We were brought different wines to match each course by our knowledgeable waiter
For our main I had a trio of poultry dishes on a plate
that included duck croquettes and two different chicken dishes
All three were exquisite and I didn’t want them to end
Olly had a mouthwatering piece of smoked sirloin
La Papillote is voted one of the best restaurants in Charleville on Trip Advisor and I can see why
A modern decor the restaurant didn’t have the same atmosphere as the other two restaurants
but with delightfully comfy chairs and impeccable cleanliness it looked like a perfect spot for a relaxing dinner
The French are all about the food and open kitchens seem to be a common theme
seeing the flames for a flambe or the smoke rising from various pots and pans
It wasn’t until half way through the meal that we realised this kitchen was actually separated by a large glass window
but you could barely notice the difference from an open kitchen
It also included an amuse bouche of boar (the mascot of the Ardennes) and we were greeted with some delicious curried mussels on arrival at the restaurant
a mouthwatering orange chocolate fondant with an orange marmalade and sorbet
It’s ok though as Olly was happy with his cheese course
which included the cheese trolley being wheeled over and him being able to choose as many as he wanted from the wide selection
We had been hoping to try out Le Bistrot des Chineurs while we were there but unfortunately it was closed
We are told it is a lovely little restaurant that also sells clothes and furniture alongside home cooked grub
If you’re just looking for a snack or a few things for a picnic then head to Boulangerie du Mont-Olympe for some of Charlevilles specialities
A ‘Galette à suc’ is a great place to start
Read more about where to find the best takeaway food and markets in Charleville and Sedan
After a couple of days of filling our bellies with the best food in Charleville it was time to move onto Sedan
complete with its own incredible medieval castle
We were lucky enough to stay in Sedan’s Hotel Chȃteau Fort… Yes a hotel inside the castle
We arrived and checked into our room and then headed straight down to their relaxed restaurant bar
The menu included a mixture of sandwiches and salads alongside more traditional hot dishes and daily specials
Having spent our morning eating more of Charleville’s local baked goods we thought it was best we took a break from the three or four course meals and had a small tapas starter of tapenades and bread followed by a Confit Duck for me and a very French beef Tartare with chips for Olly
I didn’t think Beef Tartare was for me but having tried a bit of Olly’s I really enjoyed it and would definitely order it myself in the future
The restaurant was very relaxed in the entrance hall of the hotel and we headed down again before dinner for a Chocolate Chaud and chill
The restaurants in Hotel Chateau Fort Sedan were the first places where the menu had been translated into English
suggesting they get a lot more British tourists
I missed the challenge in deciphering the menu and slight excitement to see what really came out when our meals arrived
There’s something extra special about getting dressed and walking down for dinner in a hotel
so I was excited to put my glittery top and heels on knowing we didn’t have far to walk
The restaurant was situated in another corner of the giant castle and I loved walking through the curtains and into the grand room
complete with giant chandeliers and candelabras in the windows that looked exactly like Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast
I felt a bit like Belle from Beauty and the Beast walking through the incredible castle… let’s not tell Olly that makes him the beast though
breakfast and dinner deal or a more extensive menu that was an additional cost
It depends how you book as to which menu would make most sense
though if you book your hotel room on its own it won’t make as much difference which menu you choose
I went a little off piste with my choices as I couldn’t contain my excitement at a fillet steak followed by an assiette of desserts
You can’t go to France and not have at least one chocolate fondant dessert and one Dessert Assiette
This assiette didn’t disappoint and felt like I got four desserts for the price of one
Our time in Charleville whizzed by and before we knew it, it was time for our final meal, this time at a traditional cosy French restaurant Le Saint Michel
The restaurant was full of locals and clearly a popular weekend lunch spot
Sitting across the road from the towering castle walls the restaurant hotel had a large reception/entrance hall and a friendly man greeted us and showed us to our table
giving us a friendly smile on her way to find the lavatory while a child ran the opposite way as their pudding had arrived
The waitress whizzed past and plonked some menus on our table before whizzing away again
We chose from a simple 3 course menu for €16… what a bargain
They are really into their pre starter nibbles in France and there isn’t any restaurant we’ve been to where we haven’t received something to nibble on before our starters arrive
steak and for my main a ‘not quite so French’ spaghetti bolognese
For home cooked grub in a family friendly restaurant this is the place to go
I imagine in the winter when the big central fire is going it is a really cosy place to visit
So have I tempted you by the food in Charleville and Sedan
my mouth has been watering writing this post remembering all the delicious meals and I am desperate to return to Sel et Poivre and Table d’Arthur
my two favourite restaurants from the trip
The French city of Charleville probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind for a Brit looking for a weekend break on the continent
but after spending a few days there in September 2019
I have to say it’s definitely a destination you should consider
It is a beautiful city for a weekend escape and only 3 hours drive from Calais
see and do in Charleville and below I share my tips for a perfect weekend away in the city
Charleville is actually one half of a double city
once a hub of commerce across Europe through the middle ages
where as Charleville is a relatively modern city built in the 1600’s by Charles de Gonzague
Charles decided to build his ideal city dedicated to trade and craft and it is thanks to his vision that we can visit the beautiful and well thought out city of Charleville today
He built the city in a short 20-30 years but fell short of building his dream of a palace on the square as he ran out of money and returned to his second home in Italy
is still largely as it was envisioned by Charles
My favourite spot is definitely the Place Ducale
the large central square he built his city around and it is still the heart and soul of Charleville
Read on to find out the best places to stay and to eat and the best things to do below
We stayed at the modern 4* Le Dormeur du Val next to the train station in Charleville
A short 10 minute walk to the Place Ducale
we were well located to easily get to all the main sites of the city
The hotel is named after a poem by Charleville’s native Arthur Rimbaud meaning ‘The Sleeper in the Valley’
It is a modern boutique hotel and each room has been individually decorated with a bright and industrial design
Everything in our room was a little lopsided which was quite enjoyable if not a little disorientating after one too many glasses of wine
The room had everything we needed from bathroom supplies to coffee and tea making facilities and (my favourite part) chocolates on the pillows each evening
The room was spacious for an inner city hotel and the bathroom had a nice big bath and shower
The hotel offers a continental breakfast with some hot options too and they have a bar that is open until 11pm
The lobby/bar area is great for relaxing after a busy day and they have a computer
newspapers and a range of books for you to use too (though sadly the books were mostly in French)
It’s a great base for a weekend in Charleville and has everything you might need and friendly helpful staff who speak English too
The food on our trip to Charleville was sooo good
My mouth still waters thinking about the delicious meals we ate in Charleville
We were lucky to be recommended some of the best places to eat in the city so I had to share them all with you
This Sel et Poivre restaurant was just round the corner from our hotel
We would have never found this without the recommendation as it isn’t near the majority of restaurants which are based around Place Ducale and from the outside it doesn’t look like anything special
Though we don’t speak much French we just about managed to get by with Google Translate and our little knowledge and the friendly waiter came to us with his French to English phrase book in case we needed any extra help
The menu was traditional French including foie gras
Olly had beef carpaccio (admittedly not a French dish) and we followed our starters with Steak and a “Parmentier de Canard Confit”
which was kind of like a shepherd’s pie made with shredded confit duck
Obviously we had desserts too (crème brûlée and my favourite chocolate fondant) and I can honestly say it was one of the best meals I have ever had
Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better on our second day we headed to La Table d’Arthur for lunch and had another exquisite meal
washed down with wine pairings for each course
The atmospheric underground cellar restaurant was buzzing for a Thursday lunch-time and the wine selections surrounding the walls felt like we were at a traditional winery despite being in the centre of the city
Our helpful waiter was able to translate the bits of the menu we didn’t understand
as a lack of phone reception made it difficult to use our trusty translation app
La Table d’Arthur was fine dining at a reasonable price with a set 3 course menu costing just €31 per person
My vichyssoise starter was surprisingly tasty and I had a trio of chicken main that was equally delicious
though three glasses of wine at lunch left us both a little sleepy
La Papillote is a beautiful modern restaurant with a few rooms attached too
They had a range of menu options including à la carte
We opted for the set menu and had two little amuse bouches each before moving on to a delicious mushroom starter and then salmon for me and chicken risotto for Olly
The desserts were probably my favourite dish here as I had an orange chocolate fondant with sorbet
It was melt in the mouth delicious and was topped with a homemade orange marmalade
where they brought over the cheese trolley and he could pick as many as he wanted
though should have probably tried them all
If you’re looking for some local baked goods then Boulangerie du Mont-Olympe is the place to go
On our final morning in Charleville we headed to this beautiful bakery to buy some of Charleville’s local delicacies including Galette á suc
Many of the cafes on the square let you sit in the morning with a coffee from them and eat your shop bought bakery items
There is so much history in Charleville Mezieres and so many magnificent old buildings you could spend your whole time just wandering the streets admiring the beautiful architecture
Here are a few of my favourite things to do in Charleville
The square at the centre of Charleville, the impressive Place Ducale
Though cars still drive around one half of the square there aren’t many and you can enjoy the square in peace
Surrounded by cafes and restaurants it is the perfect place to relax with a coffee and people watch which you decide what to do with your day
There is a beautiful fountain in the middle of the square and the cobbled streets and original buildings from 1600 quickly transport you back to a bygone era
Though Charles de Gonzague never got to build his palace
there is now a beautiful town hall in its place
The Place Ducale is the centre of the city and is often used for events. During the Festival Marionnette (the World Puppetry Festival) the square is filled with puppet shows and performances for the week long festival
While we were visiting there was a Victorian style merry go round in the centre of the square and on one day some fun games and events for new students
The Place Ducale is also home to the local tourism office
so is a great place to start when visiting the City
In the corner of the Place Ducal is The Museum of the Ardennes filled with exhibits and artefacts that have been found in Charleville and from the wider Ardennes region
reflecting life and culture in the area from prehistory to the City’s modern day relationship with puppetry
A modern artist has added some interesting contrasts to the ancient history enclosed within the museum
The museum has recently had some 3D printed models based on paintings made for the visually impaired to feel how the paintings look
Other highlights include an ancient drawing on a piece of slate (a prehistoric sketch pad!)
a range of muskets from the Charleville armoury and an even more impressive collection of more types of nails than we ever knew existed
The collection of puppets in the museum is equally impressive
The Ardennes Museum is really well put together and offers an ideal slice of history to suit all interests
Arthur Rimbaud is Charleville’s most well known son
Despite being known as an influential figure in literature and art
he only wrote poetry between the ages of 15 and 20
You will see traces of Arthur Rimbaud throughout the town
including restaurants and hotels named after him alongside being able to visit his home and grave
The Arthur Rimbaud museum offers a deeper insight into his interesting life
The museum aims to offer real insight into Rimbaud’s life through genuine artifacts and manuscripts
and although much of the museum is in French you can still learn a lot about this incredible man’s life
The museum is based inside a former 17th Century Mill on the River Meuse and after working your way down through the museum you can step out the back to enjoy a drink on a bar on a boat
I love shopping in foreign countries as often think no one else will have the same clothes as me
Charleville has a surprisingly good selection on its main high street
it is a long straight street that runs up to the Charles du Gonzague statue and onwards to Mezieres
Charleville’s famous independent department store Jenteur will have most things you want and Olly and I headed in for a spot of retail therapy
The department store is on two sides of the square with one side for men’s clothes and the other for women
There were a range of brand names and I quickly found a new coat to keep me warm this winter from the s’Oliver brand
Very apt considering Oliver treated me 😉 I also bought some bright earrings from their jewellery collection
then quickly escaped before my wallet was empty
Built into the Musee d l’Ardenne is Le Grande Marionnettiste
a giant gold puppet who performs throughout the day
The minute long shows take place every hour from 10am to 9pm and throughout the day tells the medieval tale of the Four Sons of Aymon
You can watch the full story in one go on a Saturday evening at 9pm
the city has had a number of local and international artists create street art that was inspired by Arthur Rimbaud’s poetry
Throughout the city you will find 12 walls each with a unique piece of street art linked to one of Arthur Rimbaud’s poems
beautiful and are a great way for people to appreciate Arthur’s poetry from the street without having to be ‘into’ poetry
When we first arrived into Charleville we parked by the Mont Olympe park and walked across the beautiful Passerelle du Mont Olympe
This beautiful bridge is a great way to enter the city
The beautiful wrought iron bridge takes you across the river Meuse from Mont Olympe park and into the city past the old mill housing the Arthur Rimbaud museum
as well as a space to moor a boat if you want to travel to the city in a different way
You’ll also find a beautiful flower clock on the park side of the river that was first built in 1953 and reconditioned by the current Mayor Mr Boris Ravignon in September 2016
It is worth a walk across the bridge and into the park to enjoy a walk along the river
The city is so close to the countryside you only have to look across the bridge to the forest and easily walk out of the city into the beautiful Ardennes
If you want to fully escape the city then hop on a bike and cycle along the river Meuse
You could spend the day cycling along the easy flat bike paths through the surrounding villages
Grab a patisserie and head out for the day
If you don’t want a full day out you could catch the train like we did and cycle back
We caught the train to Bogny-sure-Meuse and cycled the 20km back
Thought a little rainy at the start it was a beautiful ride past horses and deer and back into the city in time for lunch
This magnificent gothic church sits across the river in Mezieres
modern stained glass windows were added between 1954 and 79 and add magical colourful light displays inside
It is worth across the river to the older part of Charleville Mezieres
we were treated to a beautiful reflection of Charleville’s beautiful buildings on the river from the other side too
Charleville is a beautiful city and I highly recommend a visit
what to eat and what to do give you some ideas to make the most of your visit
Anne Bernardi
Qui faut-il absolument voir au festival Cabaret Vert cette année
On vous dévoile le top 5 des artistes à ne pas louper du 14 au 17 août à Charleville-Mézières
le festival ardennais ne manque pas de surprendre avec une programmation aux petits oignons
des grosses têtes d’affiche se rendront à Charleville-Mézières
il y a du très très lourd
C’est bel et bien le grand Will Smith qui sera présent au Cabaret Vert
Il signe son grand retour musical après plusieurs années d’absence
On va pouvoir s’ambiancer sur son nouvel album mais on espère surtout le voir interpréter en live ses anciens sons qu’on adore
C’est le DJ français incontournable
et on a tous déjà dansé sur un de ses sons
Ses concerts affichent complet en quelques minutes
et il va mettre une ambiance de folie sur la scène du Cabaret Vert
FRANCE - ELECTRO / HIP HOP - JEUDI 14 AOÛT
Le GOAT du rap français sera au Cabaret Vert et c’est carrément VALIDÉ
Booba sera clairement l’un des climax du vendredi soir
Les amateurs de la house londonienne signée The XX seront au max
Jamie XX sera aussi au programme pour faire vibrer le sound system du Cabaret Vert
ANGLETERRE - ELECTRO - JEUDI 14 AOÛT
Dernière surprise balancée par l’équipe du festival : Sean Paul rejoint la programmation du vendredi soir
L’ultra célèbre artiste jamaïcain débarque à Charleville pour ambiancer la soirée comme jamais
JAMAÏQUE - DANCE HALL/REGGAE - VENDREDI 15 AOÛT
Le Cabaret Vert nous donne également la chance de voir des artistes de renommée mondiale comme Queens of the Stone Age et The Last Dinner Party
mais aussi la crème de la scène française avec Myd
Notre reco : ne loupez pas Théodora
l’artiste montante électro-pop unique en son genre qui promet un show incroyable
FOMO garantie si vous n’êtes pas au Cabaret Vert cette année : prenez votre pass et posez vos jours dès maintenant
Le Cabaret VertCharleville-Mézières14, 15, 16 et 17 août 2025Plus d’infos & billetterie
3 bonnes raisons de visiter le Musée du vin de Champagne à Épernay
2017A picture of Arthur Rimbaud's museum
France.Photo: Getty Images/Franck CrusiauxSave this storySaveSave this storySavePatti Smith is renowned for her words
it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the 70-year-old recently purchased the reconstructed home of the French poet
which is located near the French border with Belgium in a small town called Roche
is a reassembled version of Rimbaud's childhood home
It was here that the late 19th-century French poet wrote his most famous piece
marked a departure from previous poetry and opened a new path toward surrealism
Patti Smith at the Arthur Rimbaud museum in 2011
The reconstruction of Rimbaud's home has in recent years been spearheaded by Jacqueline Kranenvitter and Paul Boens
two ardent supporters of the late 19th-century poet
Rimbaud's childhood home—which has become a pilgrimage site for fans of the writer—had begun to fall apart
During a recent trip to Paris to receive the Grand Vermeil Medal (a ceremony where she mentioned Rimbaud in her acceptance speech)
Smith discreetly signed the papers to buy the symbolic home
the amount she paid for the home has not be made public
French poet Arthur Rimbaud (center) in a 1872 painting by Henri Fantin-Latour (1836-1904)
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Sedan is steeped in history and a gorgeous little town to spend a weekend
You could spend 24 hours within the castle walls or head out into the wider town and see the best of Sedan’s food
Sedan town is in the Ardennes and the Grand Est region of north-eastern France
It is just half an hour’s drive from Charleville Mezieres and a perfect stop off on either the EuroVelo route 19 cycling route or as part of a holiday in and around the Ardennes
The town was founded in 1424 when work started on its huge thick walled castle
The castle claims to be the largest fortified medieval castle in Europe
covering an area of 7.4 acres across 7 levels
It certainly had a majestic and commanding appearance as we drove through the tall thick castle gates to arrive into Château de Sedan
Sedan has a relatively small population of 17,000 and you can certainly feel parts of that close knit community when you walk around the town and markets
The population has been slowly shrinking since its peak in 1975 at almost 26,000 and you can tell some properties haven’t been quite as looked after as they once were
Crumbling walls add to the atmosphere of ancient Sedan
If you are thinking of visiting the beautiful town of Sedan
I share all my tips below for how to make the most of your time in this alluring town
We were so excited to be staying in the magnificent Hôtel Le Château Fort de Sedan
I felt like royalty as we drove inside through the tall arched gateway
As a guest of the hotel you can park inside the walls of the castle
or there is lots of parking just outside the walls too
It seemed quite busy when we arrived with lots of cars parked outside the hotel
but when you’re in a ginormous thick walled castle it takes a lot to actually make the hotel seem overcrowded inside
The entrance hall to the hotel also holds the restaurant midi au château and some cosy little rooms built into the thick ancient walls where you can sit with a book and a glass of wine or a hot chocolate
The friendly staff let us check in early as we had just arrived back from out 20km bike ride on the EuroVelo 19 route and were in need of an outfit change
The hotel is currently undergoing some renovations and so many of the rooms are newly decorated
Our room was a perfect mix of modern amenities whilst still keeping that feeling that you’re sleeping in a castle
Our room was warm and had a modern bathroom
desk/dressing table and big comfy bed (with extra pillows!)
The cute arched window looked out into the centre of the castle where the cars were parked and made me want to let down my hair (if it was longer) like Rapunzel
A buffet breakfast was served the next morning
which included freshly squeezed orange juice
you could squeeze yourself alongside a great collection of coffees and teas
After a huge dinner the night before at the Restaurant la Principaute in the hotel I didn’t have much more than a pain au chocolate and some scrambled egg
With a bigger appetite I would have munched my way through cereals
meats and the fresh bread (or toast) selection
The Hôtel Le Châtaeu Fort de Sedan is probably the finest hotel in Sedan and is popular for both tourists and business trips
There was also a couple of large groups of friends staying in the hotel
using it as a base to cycle or hike around the area
With plenty of rooms it’s a great getaway for anyone
You don’t have to move very far for a good meal in Sedan
in fact you could stay right where you are and eat in the hotel
The hotel has two restaurants and both serve delicious food
The Restaurant Midi au Château is in the reception area of the hotel and serves a mixture of sandwiches and salads alongside more traditional hot dishes and daily specials
We had a small tapas starter of tapenades and bread followed by a Confit Duck for me and a very French beef Tartare with chips for Olly
You can also grab a drink in the restaurant throughout the day too
whether that’s a glass of wine or a chocolat chaud
The Restaurant La Principauté is the hotel’s main restaurant where evening meals are served
You walk down a long corridor in the castle before walking through some heavy velvet curtains and into the chandelier filled
The food was heavenly including melt in your mouth tuna and a huge assiette of desserts
which was basically 4 desserts for the price of one
Once you’re done eating at the hotel, then there are some lovely restaurants outside the castle walls in town too! We only had chance for one lunch outside the hotel and that was at a traditional cosy French restaurant called Le Saint Michel
steak and for my main a ‘not quite so French’ spaghetti Bolognese
The largest fortified castle in Europe, the Château Fort de Sedan is the main event on a visit to Sedan and the primary attraction that brings people to the town
Building of the castle first began in 1424
where a triangular castle that included a monastery was built
Over the years the castle continued to grow and be added upon with the walls getting thicker and thicker
When first built the curtain wall was a mere 4.5metres thick
but in 1530 they grew these by an additional 26metres
Fast forward a ‘few years’ to 1995 and work began on the visitor centre sharing the incredible history of this giant castle and town
to the different ways people lived within the walls
The castle’s visitor centre is constantly being added to as more history is unearthed
When you get your tickets you will be given an audio guide
where you can choose your language and follow the trail around the castle learning about the different areas of the castle and artefacts you find inside
The self-guided tour takes you both inside and outside the castle
with different viewing points across the town where you can begin to imagine what the larger walled area was like in previous centuries
It’s hard to imagine what life was like in a cold draughty castle in the 15th century
but their life size models and detailed audio guide and detailed information stands help you begin to understand
I’m certainly thankful for the glass and central heating we have these days
Tickets are €9.50 which includes your audio guide and a film and I would give yourselves about 2 hours to walk around the castle
The castle also organises a number of events
including a torchlight parade in December and special events for children
If it’s more food than history that gets you excited then the Sedan market is the place to go
We were lucky to be in Sedan on a Saturday morning the main day of the market and I was blown away by the variety of produce on offer
Rotisserie chickens tempted me beside big cuts of meat or different fresh fish
The market was buzzing with mainly locals wandering around with their shopping trolleys and bags
The stalls stretch around the inside a huge purpose built market building and outside into the surrounding streets and next door car park
As well as a huge variety of food there is also a mixture of comic book stalls
Anything you need you can probably find it at the Sedan market
I only wish we were staying longer so I could fill my bags with fresh food and cook up a feast for anyone who fancied it
The Pan du Poilu roughly translates as the hairy bread
named after the hairy soldiers who would eat this bread in the trenches in the First World War
recently re-created this bread and it has become a popular addition in cafes and restaurants around the region
We bought a Pain du Poilu from Boulangerie Guénard on the morning before we left
knowing it would last a couple of days or more before we got home to eat it
but perfect for dunking into a big hearty bowl of broth
The castle isn’t the only history of the town and the tourism board have created a number of walking tours to show you some of the other historical buildings of Sedan
You can further your tour beyond the castle to learn about a number of buildings and monuments from when the castle was first built or you could learn about buildings a ‘little’ more modern day from just before the French revolution
Our tour of the town included walking in and around the Église Saint-Charles-Borromée (The Church of Saint Charles Borromeo) that sits in the centre of the town square
past the hospital first built in 1696 and past the Fontaine Dauphine which sits on the edge of one of the castle walls
There is another walking tour that shows you round the city that was built after the French Revolution in the 19th and 20th Centuries
I love cities that have a mix of the more modern day architecture alongside such old buildings
In Sedan they seem to sit well together side by side and it’s a lovely city to enjoy a stroll around
looking up at the magnificent varying architecture
Le Roy de la Bière is an old pub that sits in the centre of town
it is clearly popular with both locals and tourists
It’s dark inside but feels friendly and the few broken windows covered in cardboard kind of just adds to its atmosphere
The menu is extensive and includes a very modern list of cocktails and a wide range of beers
we tried one of their specialities ‘Le Cuvee du Roy’
a pale ale that was creamy and slightly fruity and went down well with Olly’s seasoned palate
I’m told you should also try ‘Le Cuvee du Arthur’ another local favourite named after their famous Arthur Rimbaud
On our final day in Sedan we headed out of town to walk along a section of the GR14 hiking route
The full route stretches from Belgium all the way to Paris
starting in the Ardennes and further south through rolling countryside and vineyards until you reach Paris
being dropped off in the forest and walking back to the small village of Olly
but the sound of a few birds and squirrels for company
The trail goes through Sedan so you could start in the town and either walk north or south along the route either for a day hike or as part of a longer hiking trip
The trails are clearly marked with red and white paint so keep an eye out to make sure you’re sticking to the trail
French cuisine or just the idea of staying inside a medieval castle then I definitely recommend a visit to Sedan
A perfect addition to a long weekend in and around Charleville
As well as being a great destination in its own right
Charleville can be a start or end (or middle) point on a ride along EuroVelo Route 19
The EuroVelo route 19 was launched in March 2019, and is the first new route to be added to EuroVelo in over 3 years
The full route stretches 1100km across three countries
The route follows the River Meuse from its source on the Langres Plateau
south east of Charleville in Northern France
The route passes through Charleville and across the beautiful Ardennes Region
We did a short 20km section of the route from Bogny sur Meuse back into Charleville
It was a drizzly start to our day on a crisp Autumn morning in September. Our hire bikes from Ardennes Roues Libres had been delivered to our hotel Le Dormeur du Val
so we grabbed our bikes and headed across the road to the train station
despite it being at what we thought would be a peak commuter time of 8am
but perhaps most people would be coming into the city at that time rather than leaving
You could easily purchase your ticket on the day too
We hopped on the train with our bikes no problem and watched the green scenery roll past on our way to Bogny Sur Meuse
It was two stops out of Charleville and took around 15 minutes on the train
We arrived in the rain and sat at the station to tuck into our first bakery treat
one of the few local Charleville and Ardennes delicacies we tried
The Gallete á suc was actually first created in Bogny Sur Meuse by a baker called Jean Dundin in the 1950s
We sat and enjoyed out breakfast at the station under cover from the rain before setting off on our 20km journey back to Charleville. We exited the station and walked the first few hundred yards with our bikes along the road and across the bridge before joining the riverside EuroVelo 19 route
Even the bicycle is represented in the corner
Bogny Sur Meuse came into existence when the villages of Château-Regnault-Bogny
There are a few places to visit in the town
a museum of minerals and fossils and a number of boulangeries to stock up on pastries and cakes if you don’t have a chance to buy them ahead of time
We were on a tight schedule so headed straight to the cycling path
It is an easy bike ride running on the flat right by the river
with only a couple of very small gradients along the way
Even taken at a very leisurely pace the full route from Bogny sur Meuse back to Charleville wouldn’t take much more than 3-4 hours and that’s if you’re including a stop off for a Chocolate Chaud
mainly to take photos of the river and its bird life on the water or the trees turning golden shades of orange and yellow for Autumn
Our first stop was about 100 yards outside of Bogny (told you we stopped a lot ;)) when we spotted some outside exercise equipment
There’s nothing to stop you from getting a little extra exercise
As if we weren’t doing enough leg exercises with 20km of cycling we hopped on for a quick go before moving swiftly on and focusing all our energy on our ride
We only passed about 3 other people on our journey to Charleville until we got within about a mile of Charleville where a few people were walking along the river
I’d imagine in the middle of summer it might be a little busier
but it felt like a peaceful and beautiful place to be enjoying a morning stroll or cycle
The route is great as you can cycle along as much or as little as you want
For a short round trip you could cycle to the village of Nouzonville and back which we passed through half way between Bogny and Charleville
You can also get the train one stop to Nouzonville and just cycle back from there (approximately 11km)
The route took us past wildlife and animals the whole way down the path and
other than when passing through the village of Nouzonville and arriving into Charleville
we didn’t see any cars and very few houses
Cycling is a great way to be able to see all the wildlife close up while still keeping up a decent pace and covering a lot more ground in a day than walking
Being an animal lover I did have to keep stopping along the route to say hello to the donkeys and horses and deer we passed
Even on our bikes we meet our animal friends
We stopped opposite a small farm and near a couple of handsome horses for a snack break
Time to eat some more delicious local bakery items
This time a Gâteau Mollet and Le Petit Carolo
I barely got a look in on Le Petit Carolo as Olly had gobbled it down in seconds with murmurings ‘of mm this is delicious’
Le Petit Carolo is a much sweeter dessert with a creamy praline filling
compared to the Gâteau Mollet which is more of a cakey bread and I can imagine would be extra good with a dollop of cream or dipped into a chocolate chaud
Sadly we weren’t anywhere near a café and hadn’t packed a flask
so had to make do with our water bottles and cake
the sun had come out and we enjoyed tucking into our Ardennes treats
passing a canal lock and a couple of cute cottages by the water’s edge and a few more deer in a field to our right
The final stretch of our trip took us through Charleville before returning to our hotel to drop off the bikes
We met a couple of fellow British cyclists who were starting their journey in Charleville and had got a bit lost going round in circles in the town
Up to arriving in Charleville the route was very easy to navigate
but it can get a bit confusing when you reach the city
but we managed to get back to our hotel ok
Hopefully the people we met found their way too
Just before we returned to the hotel we passed by four beautiful Arthur Rimbaud murals on the large walls of a housing estate
There are a number of murals around the town each by a different street artist inspired by a one of Arthur Rimbaud’s poems
They are all unique and colourful and are a great way to inspire others to read his poetry or learn about Arthur’s short but interesting life
We thoroughly enjoyed our bike ride and it felt a good amount of exercise without being too strenuous on holiday
It’s great that there are so many options for cycling around Charleville so whatever your ability there is something for you
whether it is continuing further along the EuroVelo route or around the Ardennes
The full EuroVelo route takes you through some magical parts of the Ardennes
Northern France and across Belgium and the Netherlands
If you wanted a bigger cycling adventure to the one we did there is any number of combinations you could do
The EuroVelo 19 route starts at the source of the river Meuse in village of Pouilly-en-Bassigny in Haute-Marne
You will cycle along the river through a range of architecture heritage sites
You will also ride by a number of fortifications and if you have time could head off the path to the Verdun battlefield
If you continue on towards Charleville you will pass along country roads
Make sure you make time to stop at the European Museum of Beer at Stenay
which would make a change from all the wineries nearby
If you are after a slightly bigger cycling adventure when staying in Charleville
cycling to Sedan and back could be an ever so slightly more strenuous bike ride
The route passes along the old towpath where there is no motorised traffic and you will see a range of different landscapes
It’s about 50km there and back so you could easily do it in a day with time to visit Sedan’s Castle
If you prefer a more leisurely trip you could do a small detour to Pont á-Bar
a popular spot with boaters and then head on to Sedan to spend the night before returning back to Charleville the next day
The hotel restaurant does excellent food and if you’re visiting on a Saturday you could head to the Sedan Indoor Market to stock up on fresh food for your return journey
The word Ardennes means ‘dense forest’ in Celtic
so if it’s more forest cycling that interests you the journey from Charleville and all the way through both the French and Belgium Ardennes could be perfect
the forest will add some shade from the midday sunshine
a busy village dominated by the huge Charlemont Citadel
The river continues to meander through the Belgium Ardennes until you reach Namur
The route is over 100km so you would probably want to break it up with a stay somewhere en route too
Maastricht is a historical Dutch city that could be a good base to cycle more of the route in day stints
The city on the river has a mixture of old and new architecture and a number of riverside restaurants and bars to keep you well entertained in the evening
During the day you can cycle between The Netherlands and Belgium
visiting different waterways and stopping in charming hamlets hidden between hills and farmland
Rotterdam is a popular tourist destination in its own right and the start or end of the full EuroVelo 19 route
A large port city you can learn about the city’s maritime history and the cycle route takes you to sea along some of the waterways and back into the city
well known for its Erasmus programme and filled with quirky cafes and bars
If you head inland from Rotterdam you quickly come to the city of Dordrecht or head further into the countryside
through the National Park de Biesbosch and continue through Holland
Belgium and France before eventually returning back to Charleville… where we started this journey
EuroVelo route 19 stretches over 1000km and Charleville is just one stop off on the wider route
However unless you have a week or two to spare to do the whole route then I highly recommend Charleville as a base for some short half day
full day or overnight trips on your journey along the river Meuse
My family every time say that I am killing my time here at web
but I know I am getting know-how every day by reading such pleasant articles or reviews