Charleville-Mézières is a town in France in Champagne-Ardenne, the capital and largest city in the Ardennes department in terms of population.
Understand
[edit]Charleville-Mézières was created in 1966 through the merger of several towns: Mézières, long a military stronghold contained within its ramparts; Charleville, a bourgeois city founded in the seventeenth century by Charles de Gonzague around the Place Ducale; and the industrial municipality of Mohon, together with Étion and Montcy-Saint-Pierre. The city is best known as the birthplace of Arthur Rimbaud and for hosting the World Festival of Puppet Theatres and the Cabaret Vert eco-rock festival each August. Yet its roots reach back much further: the area lay on the Roman road between Reims and Cologne, traces of which remain near Warcq. Archaeological excavations at the Manchester exit have uncovered Gallo-Roman dwellings and burials. Castrice, a Roman site at Montcy-Saint-Pierre, once boasted temples on Mount Olympus and the Berthaucourt plateau before invasions brought its destruction.
Mézières emerged as a fortified city from at least the ninth century, its name linked to the old French word for “wall”. Repeatedly besieged yet never conquered, its strategic position controlling river traffic made it vital. Its most famous episode came during the 1521 siege, when Pierre Terrail de Bayard’s deception forced the vastly superior Imperial forces to withdraw. Although fortified further during the Wars of Religion, Mézières declined in the seventeenth century as Charles de Gonzague established Charleville nearby, exempt from French trade restrictions and granted tax privileges. Charleville flourished while Mézières withered. Rivalry persisted through the French Revolution and successive wars, with both cities enduring devastation in 1815, 1870, and especially the First World War, when Charleville served as William II’s wartime capital and Mézières was bombed to ruins. After rebuilding with help from Manchester, Mézières initiated a merger with Le Theux in 1965, and soon after joined with Charleville, Mohon, Montcy-Saint-Pierre, and Étion. Today, the former rivals thrive together, united since 2014 within the Charleville-Mézières-Sedan agglomeration of over 150,000 inhabitants.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]There is no airport in the Ardennes, the closest in France being Paris-Vatry at 150 km. Charleroi-Bruxelles-Sud, in Belgium, is at 100 km and that of Luxembourg-Findel, to Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is 154 km.
By boat
[edit]- Port Fluvial Louis Auboin, Rue des Paquis, ☏ +33 3 24 332360, [email protected]. The Louis Auboin river port can accommodate up to 88 boats. It has pontoons to receive boats up to 12 m. There are electric terminals as well as showers on site. The port is located in the middle of the tourist centre of Mont-Olympe, close to the municipal campsite and the swimming pool, and a 5-minute walk from the Place Ducale. depends on the size of the boat (between 8 and 12 m) and the length of stay.
By train
[edit]- 1 Charleville-Mézières railway station, Place de la Gare. the station car park has spaces equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles. The main station of Charleville-Mézières is at the crossroads of 3 railway lines.
- the Lille ↔ Metz line: 3 daily round trips from Lille with connections at Hirson or Aulnoyes-Aymeries; 2 daily round trips from Metz. It also allows you to arrive from Sedan, the second largest city in the department, in less than half an hour: there are 18 daily round trips.
- the Charleville-Mézières ↔ Givet line: 15 daily round trips.
- the Charleville-Mézières ↔ Reims line then Paris by TGV: 2 daily round trips.
- 2 Mohon Station, Rue Jean Moulin. Mohon station is the second station in the city, allowing you to arrive from Sedan in about twenty minutes and the main station in just over five: There are 15 daily round trips.
By car
[edit]- Motorway A34 free to reach Sedan and Metz for the eastern section, Reims and Paris for the southern section. A western section connects from Charleroi and Brussels.
- Route nationale 43 which allows you to reach Cambrai, Valenciennes and Lille.
- Departmental road 1 or Meuse Valley, allowing to reach the north of the department, via Monthermé, Revin, Fumay, Haybes and finally Givet, located on the French-Belgian border.
Get around
[edit]Traffic in Charleville-Mézières is not the most problematic: of course, there will be the usual rush hour slowdowns, but not much more. However, it should be noted that traffic can become complicated during the puppet festival, or during le Cabaret Vert, because the population of the city can triple! It is better to fall back on the bus network or the bicycle during this period.
By bus
[edit]- TAC, Bus station: 11 rue Noel, ☏ +33 3 24 333232. 17 bus lines to get around Charleville-Mézières. Note that a line allows you to reach Sedan via Vrigne aux Bois. full price €1.40.
- RDTA, 46 route de Warnécourt, Prix-les-Mézières, ☏ +33 3 24 337777. 15 bus lines to reach the main cities of the Ardennes. full price between €1.50 and €3 depending on the distance.
See
[edit]
Map of Charleville-Mézières
Charleville, birthplace of Arthur Rimbaud
[edit]Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud was born in Charleville on October 20, 1854 rue Bonaparte, above a bookstore, now at 12 rue Beregovoy where is... a bookstore! A commemorative plaque marks the place. Far from holding a grudge against the poet who did not carry the city in his heart, Charleville took every opportunity to celebrate the most famous of its children.
- 1 Musée Rimbaud, Quai Arthur-Rimbaud, ☏ +33 3 24 324465. A museum entirely dedicated to the enfant terrible of Charleville. The museum was completely renovated and inaugurated in June 2015. €4 (ticket valid for 2 days and giving access to the Ardennes Museum and the Maison des Ailleurs).
- 2 La Maison des Ailleurs, 7 quai Arthur-Rimbaud, ☏ +33 3 24 324465. One of the places where Arthur Rimbaud moved with his whole family in 1869, at the beginning of his creativity. Contrary to what you might think, the rooms in this house are empty of period furniture. Rather, it is a question of refocusing the life and work of the poet through his chaotic itinerary. €4 (ticket valid for 2 days and giving access to the Rimbaud Museum and the Ardennes Museum).
- Tomb of Arthur Rimbaud. Arthur Rimbaud died in Marseille in 1891 and was buried in his native town. The poet's white marble tomb is located near the entrance to the cemetery (information at the entrance as to its exact location).
Around the Place Ducale
[edit]
- 3 Place Ducale. Parisian tourists will have a feeling of déjà vu, and for good reason! The Place Ducale looks like the Place des Vosges of Paris. The fact that Clément Métézeau, the full brother of the designer of the famous Parisian royal square, is the architect is not entirely unrelated to the affair. The construction of this square, the centre of the new town of Charleville designed by Charles de Gonzague, began in 1606, and was completed in 1634, after his death. Due to a lack of money, the Ducal Palace, which should normally have been located in the place of the Town Hall of Charleville was never built.
- 4 Musée de l'Ardenne, 31 place Ducale, ☏ +33 3 24 324460. The great museum of the Ardennes, for any local history buff, or simply curious. The Ardennes Museum traces the entire history of the region, or almost: from prehistory to the present day, through the Middle Ages and the modern era, you will be entitled to a very broad summary of what the Ardennes used to be. €4 (ticket valid for 2 days and giving access to the Rimbaud Museum and the Maison des Ailleurs).
Mézières and surroundings
[edit]
- 5 Basilique Notre-Dame-d'Espérance (Basilica of Our Lady of Hope). The basilica, in the late Gothic style, was built from 1499, following the massive arrival of the Liégeois at the end of the 15th century, on the basis of a Romanesque church. The work lasted 120 years, which did not prevent it from hosting a royal wedding (that of King Charles IX, in 1570). The stained glass windows were designed by Dürrbach, a friend of Picasso's (who had refused to do it himself). The neo-Gothic style south portal, as well as the spire were added during the 19th century. Near the basilica, you can still see the remains of the ramparts that surrounded Mézières: the Tour du Roy as well as the Tour Millard. Going around the basilica on the left, you find yourself in a small street that goes up to the Place du Château. Contrary to what this name suggests, there is no, longer a castle, it was burned down at the beginning of the 14th century. But, it gives a good idea of what Mézières could have been at the time: a small town, enclosed within its ramparts and whose life revolved around its castle.
- 6 Mézières Town Hall . Going down the rue Monge, you arrive at a square where the old This building, built when the old town hall of Mézières was destroyed during the bombings suffered by the city in November 1918, was designed in particular by the architect Marie-Eugène Chifflot (1872-1956), second Grand Prix de Rome for architecture in 1902. It was inaugurated in 1933, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Albert Lebrun, as well as the Lord Mayor of Manchester, who was one of the city's benefactors. The hospital of the city, as well as the surrounding district took the name of the English city. Following the reunion of the two cities, the building retained the name "Hôtel-de-Ville" and now houses several municipal services.
- 7 l'Ancienne École Royale du Génie de Mézières (the former Royal Engineering School of Mézières) l'Ancienne École Royale du Génie de Mézières became the Prefecture and the Hotel of the Department of the Ardennes. This school welcomed great names among its students and teachers, including Rouget-de-Lisle (composer of the Marseillaise), or Gaspard Monge (a mathematician of genius, who was a teacher there, and gave his name to a street and a high school in the Macedonian city).
- Berthaucourt Memorial (Berthaucourt Plateau), Rue Memorial. On the site where many Ardennes resistance fighters were shot by the Germans during the occupation, a memorial in homage to the Ardennes Resistance was erected in 1946. It is flanked by two walls of remembrance where are engraved 504 names of Ardennes resistance fighters who died in combat, tortured, shot, or who did not survive the deportation.
- 8 Le Fort des Ayvelles, Route départementale 34, 08000 Villers Semeuse. Tu-Sa 10:00-19:00. A fort designed following the defeat at Sedan in 1870, the Fort des Ayvelles was initially supposed to be the lock of the Ardennes railway system. However, he found himself on the front line in 1914, and was taken at the end of August. At the end of the war, the fort became a training site. During the Second World War, under the occupation, the Germans shot Ardennes resistance fighters there. Dismantled in the 1960s, the Fort owes its salvation only to the action of an association. Far from its military origins, the Fort is now a wooded area with marked trails and picnic areas. Events take place regularly on site (the Fête de la Musique for example). The summer period sees the opportunity to enjoy guided tours (weekends at 15:00). adult €7, child up to 12 years old €4.
Do
[edit]The puppet theatre capital of the world
[edit]- 9 Le Grand Marionnettiste (The Great Puppeteer), Place Winston Churchill. 12 scenes representing the Ardennes legend of the 4 Sons Aymon is played by the great puppeteer - an automaton 10 m high designed by Jacques Monestier and inaugurated in 1991 - whose cogs are presented in the Musée de l'Ardenne. The design and installation of this PLC is presented here. free.
- World Festival of Puppet Theatres (biennial), Les Petits Comédiens de Chiffon, 25 rue du Petit-Bois, BP 249; 08103 Charleville-Mézières Cedex, [email protected]. Biennial festival.. More than 50 years after its creation, the puppet festival remains, by far, the main attraction of Charleville-Mézières. About fifty indoor shows for the "in" festival, countless street performances (on the Place Ducale and surroundings), but also exhibitions. Don't hesitate to ask for more information: the association communicates a lot on social networks. Programs, posters and goodies on sale at the association's headquarters. For indoor shows, the rates are €18 per adult and €10 per child. Reduced rates for beneficiaries of minimum social benefits. There are also subscriptions for 3, 6, 10, and 20 shows: information and reservations on the website.
Family
[edit]- Trans-Ardennes Greenway, Starting point: Rue Jean Jaurès, 08090 Montcy-Notre-Dame. The Trans-Ardennes Greenway is an 80-kilometre cycle path winding along the Meuse on the old towpath. To be taken in part to discover Nouzonville or Monthermé, Revin, Fumay and Givet. From Givet, the long-distance hiker can join the RAVel network (the Belgian cycling route network). Since December 2015, this runway has been extended by 58 kilometres to Sedan, Remilly-Aillecourt and Mouzon, which is its terminus. By 2018, the network will be extended to Vouziers and Rethel, along the Canal des Ardennes.
- Parc Animalier de Saint-Laurent, Le Clos Journet, 08090 Sain-Laurent. The Saint-Laurent Animal Park allows you to walk in the forest while being able to observe the Ardennes fauna up close. Three marked circuits are available, allowing walks of 90 to 120 minutes.
- Swimming in the Warenne, Promenade de la Warenne, ☏ +33 3 24 374221. The Warenne water point was awarded the "Blue Flag" label for the sixth consecutive year in 2015. You can find play structures for children as well as changing rooms and showers. 80 deckchairs are made available in exchange for an identity document.
- Les Ptits Bateaux (Electric Boat Rental), Rue des Paquis, ☏ +33 7 50 266811. No need for a boat license to rent these little electric boats! Each boat is provided with life jackets and also a guide to possible routes. For €4 (minimum) more, leave with a picnic basket: the reservation is made by phone. €25 for one hour of sailing, €35 for 90 min.
Buy
[edit]Ardennes specialities
[edit]Any self-respecting bakery in the Ardennes will offer the sugar tart, a typically regional pastry: the Pâtisserie du Mont-Olympe, near the Place Ducale offers it for example. Sweets lovers will also find what they are looking for: slates (nougatine coated with a coloured chocolate... slate!) and chocolate wild boars are sold in Charleroi confectionery, including Chocolats d'Orival. Anyone who has tasted the Ardennes charcuterie (its country ham, its white pudding with onions, etc.) will want to extend their stay in the Ardennes by taking home some "souvenirs": the charcuterie Aux Saveurs d'Ardennes allows you to do your shopping before leaving, or even to place your order on the site!
Supermarkets and shopping malls
[edit]- Carrefour ("La Croisette" shopping centre), rue Paulin Richier. M-Sa 08:30-21:00. An important shopping centre, in addition to Carrefour, there are the Leroy Merlin, Conforama brands, clothing stores, but also car dealerships and garages: Renault, Citroën and Ford.
- Cora (Villers Shopping Centre), Route départementale 764, 08000 Villers-Semeuse. M-Th 08:30-20:30, F Sa 08:30-21:00. The other shopping centre in the city, where you can find a Norauto brand, clothing stores, sports stores, etc.
Markets
[edit]- Charleville Market, Christmas Street. Tu Th 07:00-14:00, Sa 08:00-15:00. 15 stalls on Tuesday and Thursday, but 50 exhibitors on Saturday, including local producers: dairy products, vegetables, meats, eggs, butter, charcuterie, local poultry and honey inside and textile and fishmonger outside.
- Marché de la Ronde-Couture. Su 08:00-13:00. A little food, a lot of textiles in this popular market that has existed for more than 25 years.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Amorini, 46 place Ducale, ☏ + 33 3 24 374880. Good Italian restaurant, well stocked menu, quality cuisine. The only negative point is that the room can be noisy. The little extra: a grocery store offering typical Italian products is open during service. A la carte, from €23-30.
- 2 L'Alizée, 1 Avenue Jean Jaurès, [email protected]. One of the most popular restaurants in Charleville. Friendly setting and reasonable price go hand in hand with tasty pizzas. Please note that it is clearly recommended to make a reservation. menus at €13.80 (starter + main course or main course + dessert) and €17.50 (starter + main course + dessert).
- 3 La Fabrique, 44 Place Ducale, ☏ +33 3 24 429329. A well-stocked menu for this creperie open almost every day, and without interruption please! For lunch, snack, or dinner, the place is perfect for lovers of the galette. To be noted, a cellar well stocked with regional drinks (Ardennes beers, ciders, champagne...) Savory crepes from €7, sweet from €3.
- 4 Le Triskell, 41 rue Bourbon, ☏ +33 3 24 369592. Tu-Sa. A real Breton creperie in the heart of the Ardennes. Menu from €11, children's menu at €8.90.
- 5 La Côte à l'Os, 11 Cours Aristide Briand, ☏ +33 3 24 592016. W-Sa. An institution in Charleville. An almost unchanging menu, typical dishes, cooked with a maximum of regional products. Reservations are highly recommended. Menu at €22.30 and €29.30.
- 6 Le Cardinal, 22 place Ducale, ☏ +33 3 24 332197. Specialty of andouillette with string and veal kidneys. Dish of the day €14.90.
Classic gastronomy
[edit]- 7 La Table d'Arthur R., 9 rue Bérégovoy, ☏ +33 3 55 403240. Th-Su, as well as Sundays all day. On the brasserie side, the menu is priced at €14.50; on the restaurant side, the menus start at €21.
- 8 Le Diapason, 25 Quai Rimbaud, ☏ +33 3 24 594411. Tu-i. The menu is constantly changing, so you won't know what's available until you arrive. Everything is cooked with fresh seasonal products. Expect some good surprises! Please note that the lunch menus are prepared with market products. Classic menus at €15 and €20 (only at lunchtime), gastronomic menus between €30 and €90.
- 9 Au Tout va Bien, 33 avenue d'Arches, ☏ +33 3 24 573129. W-Sa. Restaurant for regulars, classic setting, quality cuisine, and no unpleasant surprises. From €12.60 to €20.50.
- 10 Le Rimbaud, 11 bis Cours Briand, ☏ +33 3 24 591953. M-Sa. An intimate setting for this restaurant, which can accommodate about thirty covers (it is prudent to book). The traditional cuisine is of very good quality. Menus between €11 to €16, à la carte dishes rarely exceeding €20.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Kindling Pub, 41 rue du petit-Bois, ☏ +33 6 72 727918. An Irish pub, with the décor and drinks that go with it: whiskey, beers (as well as the one brewed by the Pub itself!) Concerts organised on the occasion, festive events (Oktoberfest, Saint Patrick's Day, Guinness Day, etc.)
- 2 Le Rétro, 3 rue Irénée Carré (Pedestrian area, from Place Ducale, take rue de la République, then turn right at the bookshop.), ☏ +33 3 24 332132. Regular musical entertainment is offered by this bar run by Nicolas Sachy, the former goalkeeper of the Sedan football club.
- 3 Le Mawhot (La péniche), Quai Jean Charcot, ☏ +33 3 24 335435. Better known as "la Péniche" than by its real name, Le Mawhot takes its name from an Ardennes legend (it is said to be a lizard the size of a calf that lives in the depths of the Meuse between Charleville and Givet...). The owner changed, but the bar keeps the same atmosphere. Regular concerts (Celtic music, every 3rd Sunday of the month). A well-stocked menu of regional beers.
- 4 Plume et bulle (Café-Librairie), 17 rue Irénée Carré (Pedestrian area, from Place Ducale, take Rue de la République, then take the first right.), ☏ +33 3 24 335362. Café where you can read comics.
Sleep
[edit]Camping
[edit]- Charleville-Mézières campsite. Open from 1 April to 1 October, the Charleville-Mézières campsite is an integral part of the Mont-Olympe tourist centre and is located a stone's throw from the river port, the aquatic centre, and the nautical base. Tent pitches at €4.30, for caravans from €5.70, price per person from €3.80 per adult, €1.80 for children under 12 years.
Hotels
[edit]- Hôtel Première Classe. A hotel far from the centre, but well connected, and above all at a price defying all competition. Private parking. from €29.
- Kyriad Charleville. The hotel is located a stone's throw from the Place Ducale. It has 54 spacious rooms. There is a laundry service, a gym and free access to a sauna. Rooms from €55.
- Hôtel Le Pélican, 42 avenue du Maréchal Leclerc, fax: +33 3 24 592616. Hotel near the train station with a family atmosphere, double, triple or even quadruple rooms are available to the traveller. Prefer a room at the back of the hotel for more comfort. Rooms from €49.50.
- Le Dormeur du Val (The Sleeper of the Vale), 32bis rue de la Gravière. The hotel has 17 double rooms with queen-size beds, the bar is free to access, there is a sauna, you benefit from room service during the week and free smartphone chargers. from €86.
Unusual
[edit]- Péniche Thor, Rue des Paquis, ☏ +33 6 81 640986. If you feel like a bargeman, why not combine business with pleasure by renting a room on the beach. A barge! Reception is at the quay from May to October. Table d'hôte only possible in the evening by reservation €26 per person).
Health - Emergencies
[edit]- Charleville-Mézières Hospital (Manchester Hospital), 46 avenue de Manchester. The Charleville-Mézières hospital.
- For information on the on-call pharmacy, it's here.
- To obtain the telephone numbers of the emergency services (doctor on duty, etc...) it's here[dead link].
Police
[edit]- Central Police Station of Charleville, 36 avenue Jean jaurès (By bus, take TAC lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 16 and 17 and get off at the "Point Central" stop and continue on foot towards the train station. By car, take the direction of "Point Central", then "Gare".).
Go next
[edit]- Château de Montcornet - About 12 kilometres from Charleville-Mézières, the remains of a 16th century structure, the Château de Montcornet, can be visited. There are discovery trails for children from 7 to 14 years old.