History, charming heritage, dynamism and gourmet gastronomy make Charleville-Mézières a must for those who dream of a cultural and surprising vacation. With a wealth of sites to discover and activities to do with family, friends or couples, Charleville-Mézières is full of treasures to share. So pack your bags!
The city of Charleville-Mézières is located in the Ardennes department, in the Grand-Est region. Chief town of the Ardennes on the Meuse river, this jewel of architecture and history is a renowned city, famous for its Place Ducale and its international puppet festival. To begin this visit, let us linger on the Place Ducale: founded by Charles de Gonzague in 1606, the Place Ducale of Charleville-Mézières had as a model none other than the Place des Vosges. With its urban cloister enclosed by stone, slate and brick pavilions, this emblematic square was classified as a historical monument in 1946. A true architectural jewel of the 17th century, built in an elegant baroque style, it marvels at the beauty of its galleries of poetic arcades that house stores and restaurants where you can sit and have lunch on the terrace. Many other sites around the square are worth a visit, such as the Tour du Roy, the Porte de Bourgogne or the Tour Milart, current witnesses of the old fortifications that once surrounded the heart of Charleville-Mézières. Close to the Place Ducale, between the Musée de l'Ardenne and the Institut International de la Marionnette, the Grand Marionnettiste is worth a visit: a monumental clock with automatons, it is known to declaim one of the twelve scenes of the Ardennes legend of the "Four Aymon Sons" at each hour. The fortifications, the Basilica of Notre-Dame-d'Espérance, the Town Hall, the beautiful buildings with Art Deco facades, the church of Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc and the Regional Nature Reserve of the Côte des Bois-en-Val will be added to your list of visits.
But that's not all! Inspiring land, Charleville-Mézières is also the birthplace of Arthur Rimbaud! Also, since 2015, the city has been equipped with a "Rimbaud Trail": studded with frescoes, it offers visitors to wander through Charleville-Mézières and rediscover the most popular works of the artist, as well as some outstanding places of his history. It is also impossible not to visit the Vieux Moulin, which contains the Arthur Rimbaud Museum and which is also the starting point for boat rides on the Meuse, a must on a sunny day! A last piece of advice to finish: don't miss to go to the Mont Olympe to discover from this green setting a breathtaking panorama on the Meuse river which crosses Charleville-Mézières!