French Ardennes: 13 family-friendly activities

 

Between Champagne and the northern border with Belgium lies France’s greenest department, the French Ardennes. Popular with locals but not as well-known with tourists, this area of outstanding natural beauty is sometimes referred to as the quiet corner of France. 

In Ardennes you can listen to rushing rivers and birds singing. A third of the region is covered in forest, and the gorgeous Meuse and Semoy Valleys and their meandering rivers just add to the beauty. The Ardennes is a natural playground and perfect for families. Cycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, riding, sailing and zip-lining are readily available at reasonable prices. There also charming towns to visit and local gastronomy to try. Local artisan beer is making a comeback.

The Ardennes is not far from the UK and can be easily reached by car or high-speed TGV in about 3 and 1/3 hours from Calais. I recently explored the region on a press trip and below are some suggestions and tip for activities family will enjoy together in this gorgeous region of natural beauty. 

 

 

 

1. Cycle the award-winning Trans-Ardennes cycle path

Between Charleville-Mezieres and Givet along the River Meuse River is the Trans-Ardennes cycle path, an old towpath that has been repurposed for cyclists, walkers and horse riders. The 75-mile traffic-free route goes by several charming villages and enclaves, and there are plenty of places to pick up the path as well as a umber of cafes/restaurants to stop for a drink and try the local cuisine. Here’s a road book of the Trans-Ardennes cycle path and how to rent a bike in the Ardennes. 

 

 

 

2. Canoe down the beautiful Semoy River

Rent a canoe from Nautik Evasion in Les Hautes-Rivières and paddle down the Semoy River in a 2-man canoe with a space for a child in between. Admire herons, swans and plant life on the gentle paddle down. The river doesn’t have rushing rapids or tricky areas and is perfect for families of all ages. The length of the trip depends on how far you would like to go.There are several villages you can stop for a rest.

 

 

3. Swim, sail, or windsurf on a lake 

Lac des Vielles-Forges is a lake at Renwez and is a family friendly leisure spot with a large sandy beach. It’s a perfect place for a day out with the family. There’s lake swimming, windsurfing, sailing and other activities kids will love. There’s also a cafe for tea and snacks, and a camping area. 

 

 

4. Try the longest zip wire in Northern France

Fly like a bird at Parc TerrAltitude in Fumay. The Fantasicable is the longest zip wire in Northern France, hitting speeds of 100km an hour along 1.2km of wire 110 meters above the River Meuse. It’s an exhilarating experience. Kids from age 12 (35kg) can give it a go.

 

 

5. Take in the gorgeous views at La Roche à Sept Heures 

La Roche à Sept Heures in Monthermé aka “The Rock at 7 o’clock” is a popular viewing point that is named for the bewitching light at that hour. Be rewarded with a bird’s-eye view of the elegant loop of the Meuse river. Then look up and spot the mysterious rock formations that inspired the local legend Four Sons of Aymon (Les Quatre Fils Aymon) of 4 brothers fighting against Charlemagne (it doesn’t end well). Worth the detour.

 

 

6. Soak up the art of puppet theatre

Charleville-Mezieres is the puppet capital of the world. Every two years the greatest minds in world of puppetry come together for the Le Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes. More than 150 puppet companies perform in various venues in the city, resulting in the whole of Charleville-Mezieres turned into a magical puppet theatre. There are plenty of other places to check out this art form, including the Musée de l’Ardenne and the Le Grand Marionetteiste clock, where every hour from 10 am – 9 pm you can gather in front of the museum (7 Place Winston Churchill) to see a giant puppet show.

 

 

7. Learn about a teenage French poet

The 19^th century poet Arthur Rimbaud was born in Charleville and wrote his famous poems when he was a teenager -between the ages of 16 and 21! After that he stopped writing to explore the world and then unfortunately died at the young age of 37.  You can lean more about this charismatic French poet at the Rimbaud Museum and <<The House of Elsewhere>> where the poet lived with his family.

 

 

 

8. Hang out in la Place Ducale

If you like Paris’ Place des Vosges, then you’ll love la Place Ducale in Charleville-Mezieres. Located in the centre of town, la Place Ducale is one of the finest squares in Europe and was designed by the brother of the architect of the famous French square. All activities happen here and you can often find a festival or event. In the summer they bring in sand, deck chairs and palm tree and the square turns into beach, Plage Ducale! (like Paris!)

 

 

 

9. Stay in a castle medieval fortress of Sedan

Sedan is famous for having the one of the largest and most impressive castles in Europe – Chateau fort de Sedan. Kids will love that they can spend the night at the Hôtel le Chateau Fort, and be a prince or princess for a night!

 

 

10. Visit an artisan brewery!

While neighbouring Champagne is all about the sparkly, when in Ardennes try the beer! As ubiquitous as bread in the olden days, the beer industry dwindled after WWII because the Germans took all the copper. Craft beer in the region is now experiencing a revival, and artisan brewing is making a comeback. The biggest of these is Ardwen in Launois-sur-Vence. Stop by to try one of their award-winning beers. Have a meal in the restaurant and try their 6 specialties, including Hop’s Cure, a light beer with a fresh finish that captured Medaille d’argent Paris 2018.

 

 

11. Try the local gastronomy

  One of the best things about visiting France is the food! The local cuisine in Ardennes is simple and very good. Created to fuel workers and tradesmen, local gastronomy is known for its sausages and cured hams (especially the White Sausage from Rethel, which is made from pork meat, milk and eggs).  The Local Red Turkey is considered one of the best, and eaten by kings. Game – wild boar, venison and hare also feature on the menus. The Salad au lardon, is a warm dish made of bacon, lettuce and egg. La galette au suc’ aka “Sugar tart” a is a tasty pastry that is as sweet as it sounds! Ardois is local Chocolates mimicking the grey-blue slate. Look for the “Ardennes de France” label which signifies locally sourced high quality food.

 

 

12. Learn the local legends

Three unfaithful wives of soldiers fighting the Crusades are just an example of one of the many local legends of the Ardennes, where the Meuse valley intertwines with the Semoy river, giving rise to intriguing rock formations. 

 

 

13. Take a selfie at Woinic

The wild boar is the mascot of the Ardennes – you’ll see references to this animal everywhere. None is more impressive than the Woinic, a 50 tonne 10-meter-high metallic structure that took 11 years to construct. Take a selfie, or just pay homage as you pass exit 14 on the A34 motorway between Reims and Charleville-Mezieres.

 

 

*Top Tourist Tip: Get the Tourist Pass which allows you to visit up to 10 attractions in Ardennes for the price of 5. 

 

Watch my video: French Ardennes for Families

 

 

IF YOU GO

Ardennes Tourist Board http://gb.ardennes.com

Restaurant Sel et Poivre, 12 Avenue Forest, 08000 Charleville-Mézières, France +33 3 24 55 71 16 

La Table D’Arthur, 9 Rue Pierre Bérégovoy, 08000 Charleville-Mézières, Fr +33 3 24 57 05 64 https://www.latabledarthurr.fr

Restaurant Le Pont de Chute Chambres d’hôtes 12, grande rue 08800 tournavaux +33 0324298014 https://www.le-point-de-chute.com

Nautik Evasion Water sports along the Semoy river. Hire a canoe and glide down the beautiful Semoy river. Easy paddling and reasonably priced. http://www.nautik-evasion.fr/

Lac des Vieilles-Forges http://www.ardennes.com/accueil/decouvrir/les-incontournables/lac-des-vieilles-forges

TERRALTITUDE 77 Rue J Baptiste Clément, 08170 Fumay, France +33 3 24 57 57 59 https://www.terraltitude.com

Musée de l’Ardenne 31 Place Ducale, 08000 Charleville-Mézières, France +33 3 24 32 44 60 https://www.champagne-ardenne-tourism.co.uk

Rimbaud Museum Quai Arthur Rimbaud, 08000 Charleville-Mézières, France +33 3 24 32 44 65 https://www.champagne-ardenne-tourism.co.uk

Le Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes http://www.festival-marionnette.com/en/

Maison Billard Boulangerie 4 Rue de l’ Église, 08000 Charleville-Mézières, France +33 3 24 33 35 27 https://www.maison-billard.fr

Château de Sedan Cour du Château, 08200 Sedan, France +33 3 24 29 98 80 https://www.chateau-fort-sedan.fr

Hôtel le Chateau Fort,  Porte des Princes, 08200 Sedan, France +33 3 24 26 11 00 https://hotel-lechateaufort.fr

Restaurant la Tour D’Auvergne (on 3^rd floor Hôtel le Chateau Fort)  Porte des Princes, 08200 Sedan, France +33 3 24 26 11 00 https://hotel-lechateaufort.fr/restaurant-la-principaute/

Brasserie Ardwen 20 Avenue Roger Ponsart, 08430 Launois-sur-Vence, France
+33 3 24 35 46 50 http://www.ardwen.fr

Woinic, le colosse des Ardennes, Autoroute A34 – Sortie 14, 08270, SAULCES MONCLIN

 

 

Disclosure: My trip was sponsored by the Ardennes Tourist board. All opinions are my own.

More reading

Family guide to the French Ardennes

3 days in la Champagne