ARDENNES

GENERAL INFORMATION

Ardennes is a département in the northeast of France named after the Ardennes area and is part of the Champagne-Ardenne region. The department is surrounded by the French departments of Meuse, Marne, and Aisne and by Belgium on the north.

HISTORY

The department was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It is constituted of parts of the former provinces of Champagne and Argonne, and the principality of Sedan .

The area has been the location of much fighting, both in World War I and in World War II, such as the Battle of the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

The name 'Ardennes' comes from the Celtic meaning 'deep forest', and to this day deciduous forest covers nearly all the old mountain mass of the Ardennes. High mountains once existed here, but erosion has worn them away. The rock base again rose up when the Alps emerged, forming a high plateau of schist in which rivers have hollowed surprising meanders and gorges. Many viewpoints have been set up so visitors may enjoy the landscape that has inspired many legends. Canoeing and horse-riding are popular sports in the forest, with cross-country skiing taking over in wintertime.

Very fittingly, the wild boar is the symbol of the Ardennes; indeed the subject of game and hunting crops up on an almost daily basis. It is very much part of traditional ardennais life.

Monks were the first to clear the forest; tourist routes take you to some superb 17th-century abbeys, fortified churches, and Gothic and Romansque masterpieces. The Ardennes' frontier position has been left with a wealth of fortifications, from the vast castle at Sedan and the star-shaped fortifications at Rocroi to defences of the Maginot Line.

The towen of Place Ducale is known as the world’s puppet capital, playing host to the World Puppet Festival in September. In Place Winston Churchill, at the strike of every hour, figurines emerge from the clock tower playing out a scene from local legend. For the best show of the week, be in the square on Saturday at 9.15 when all 12 scenes are acted out in succession. The International Puppet Institute, which is based in the town, also stages workshops and performances in the square.