Living in the Ardennes
«In France there are countries as beautiful as the Ardennes,
and some are perhaps more beautiful, but there are none more
French from any point of view...».
Paul VERLAINE, Our Ardennes.
The département of the Ardennes offers great diversity,from the geographical point of view as well as from the point of view of climate: with its plains and reliefs, forests and cultivated lands, its landscapes are varied, offering changes of scenery in a few kilometres along the waterways.
Didier Logereau, CEO of SAMBP
He has been here since October 2005. Didier Logereau has
discovered an ideal environment in which to combine
professional activity and family life: « the excellent
welcome and great receptiveness of the people of the
Ardennes have enabled me to adapt quickly to my new life,
in the very best conditions ».
LIVING ENVIRONNEMENT
HABITAT AND INFRASTRUCTIONS
• HABITAT 08 and ESPACE HABITAT : The exhaustive list of organisms offering rented accommodation
is available from the Accommodation Service at the Préfecture des Ardennes, in town halls and in the
tourist offices in the Department. Opportunities for sales and rent are communicated on the site of
the association « l’Ardenne Accueille ».
www.habitat08.fr
www.espacehabitat.fr
• PLURIAL ENTREPRISES : www.plurialcil.com
Personalised solutions for accommodation, products and services adapted to the requirements and desires of employees.
The Group PURIAL assists workers in finding accommodation: Furnished
accommodation for transferred executive staff and directors helping
employees and their families when they arrive in their new town… the group
PLURIAL, with diverse accommodation, puts at the disposal of the inhabitants of Champagne
Ardennes a rental stock of more than 40 000 rented apartments/houses, spread over the region,
together with a complete offer of value added services:
• Quality property either rented or for home-ownership, assured durable and eco-responsible
constructions.
• Many solutions linked to accommodation.
• Professional mobility assistance covering all France, particularly the axis Paris -Strasbourg, assured
and easy research for accommodation (rented or for home-ownership), the employee and family
are assisted and accompanied to discover their new environment (follow-up of administrative formalities,
schooling, access to utilities etc with MOBILI PASS and CIL PASS MOBILITE)
TEACHING AND TRAINING
• Children and primary education :
Nurseries, day Nurseries, and primary schools: information available in town halls.
Associations for the family:
• ADFAAMA (Ardennes Association for the Assistance of Families).
• Rural family association in Douzy.
• Secondary Education : www.ac-reims.fr
• 36 schools for children aged 11-15 of which 4 are multisite schools and 5 are private schools
• 10 Public High schools, 2 Private High Schools
• 7 Professional High schools, 1 Private professional high school, 2 High schools for training farmers
• Higher education :
• The Moulin le Blanc Site in Charleville-Mézières dedicated to research and higher education: a
High Technology Pole, a university establishment.
• I.F.T.S: Institute for higher technical training. The activities focus on material engineering; two to five
years university diplomas: www.univ-reims.fr/UFR/IFTS/
• E.G.C.: Business and Management school , establishment administered by the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry of the Ardennes; Bac + 3/ : egccharleville@ardennes.cci.fr
• I.U.T.: G.A.C.O.: Administrative and commercial management of SME’s/SMI’s/GACO Arts
iut.secretariat-gaco@univ-reims.fr,
TC-C3S1: Commercialisation techniques orientation Commercialisation of Industrial Systems,
Solutions and Service iut.secretariat-c3si@univ-reims.fr,
HSE : Hygiene, Safety, Environment : iut.secretariat-hse@univ-reims.fr,
ACP2I : International Purchasing and commercialisation of Industrial products Degree
iut.secretariat-c3si@univ-reims.fr
• I.U.F.M. : www.reims.iufm.fr
• I.T.I.I. : Institute for Engineering and Industrial Techniques: direction.cnam@univ-reims.fr
• Studies courses and work experience abroad: grants available: www.cg08.fr
HEALH AND SAFETY
• Health establishments :
Health establishments: 4 hospital centres, 2 local hospitals, 4 clinics.
DDASS of the Ardennes (Department of Health and Social Security) - Tél: +33.324 59 72 00 - Fax : +33.324 59 06 97
CULTURAL LIFE
HERITAGE
The Ardennes is marked by history, a land of traditions and legends, told in sites full of mystery and magic: the Quatre Fils Aymon (four Aymon sons), the Dames de Meuse (Ladies of the Meuse), the Roc La Tour, etc. www.ardennes.com
• Original Events
- The Sound and light Show and the musical and street performance festival in La Cassine in Ardenne
- The magical festival of “Legends Spring” in Monthermé www.printempsdeslegendes.com
- The Three-Valley Festival: Tales and Legends, live shows. www.festival-des-trois-vallees.fr
- The Art of Speech Festival “Canton Conte”; Fumay-Hargnies-Haybes-Fumay
• Characteristic Places:
- The Tales and Legends pool www.maisons-conte-ardenne.org
- The Legend center: www.centredeslegendes.fr
- Even more bizarre: Woinic, the world’s biggest wild boar. Almost 10m high, 50 tonnes of metal. Created
by the sculptor Eric SLEZIAK, former metallurgist…. To be seen on the A34 lay-by Saulces-Monclin-
Faissault www.woinic.fr
• Remarkably well-maintained and animated historic monuments :
Charleville-Mézières: the town of Charles de Gonzague, the Place Ducale etc.
- Sedan: Town of art and history, the biggest fortress in Europe, medieval festival,
www.medieval-sedan.com.
- Rocroi: Star-shaped town, the fortified town of Rocroi is unique in France.
- The fortified domain of the Ayvelles, a jewel of military heritage
- The Old Postal Coach-house Inn for horses and royal messages in Launois-sur-Vence, le Chateau of
Montcornet in Ardenne, and the Fort of Charlemont in Givet etc.
• Numerous Museums
Museum of the Ardenne in Charleville-Mézières, Museum of the Old Revin, ”Maison de la dernière cartouche”
à Bazeilles (1870 war), Museum of the battle of Rocroi, Museum of the Ardennes Metallurgy
Industry.
Nature Centers: Argonne Discovery Park (wolves,Nocturnia, Hamac à Bonds, paths and games in the
forest) in Olizy-Primat wwww.nocturnia.fr – Domaine du Haut Fourneau (Blast Furnace) in Vendresse:
History of the Ardennes foundry industry, aquariums, pool with fishing activities…
www.domaine-de-vendresse.fr
• A region, a know-how, a characteristic gastronomy
An association to promote the Ardennes gastronomy : confréries de la cacasse à cul nu, de la salade
au lard (ham salad), de la galette à suc’ (sugar tart), du jambon d’Ardennes (Ardennes ham) etc.
The festival of this association takes place on the Place Ducale every year at the beginning of May, but
also to celebrate the revival of Ardennes Beer: Beer festival at Whitsuntide on the Place Ducale.
Also the famous “Boudin Blanc Fair” (White sausage) in Rethel, gastronomic fairs at the Old Postal
Coach-House Inn in Launois-sur-Vence… and numerous country markets: www.ardennes.com
The European Arts and Crafts Center in Givet: www.cema-givet.com
Le Moulin à Couleurs (Coloured Pigment production) in Ecordal. The only manufacturer of coloured earth
pigments (natural pigments) in France. www.moulincouleurs.fr
Ardennes de France : (Made in Ardennes France): a collective quality trademark, open to all products made in the Ardennes, which promotes the characteristic products of the Ardennes: www.ardennes-de-france.com - www.boutique.ardennes-de-france.com
CULTURE
• Art, literature and poetry :
The Ardennes is the birthplace of Rimbaud, Charleville, his home town: Maison des Ailleurs, Rimbaud
Museum, Charleville-Mézières www.charleville-mezieres.fr
Also to be seen in Charleville-Mézières, the house where he lives and his tomb... Follow in the footsteps
of “le poète aux semelles de vent” (windy sole poet) and his acolyte: The Rimbaud-Verlaine route will
take you to the places where the two poets lived. www.ardennes.com
In Roche, Rimbaud Circuit with the washhouse where the poet probably wrote “Une saison en enfer”
(A season in Hell). Exhibition and evocation of Rimbaud’s life in Roche (only on reservation Tel 03 24 71 22 21
In Juniville : The Old Inn, where Verlaine often went has become the only Verlaine Museum in the world. www.musee-verlaine.fr
The Ardennes is also the home of André Dhôtel, who was born in Attigny. Well-Known by his novel “Le
Pays où l’on n’arrive jamais” (The Country where we never arrive)
Urbi & Orbi: Biennal photographic festival www.urbi-orbi.com
Art and exhibition galeries : L’ancienne Maison du Charron in Herbeuval galerie-artcharron@orange.fr,
Galerie Arch’Libris, Galerie Le Caveau, Cultural and Tourist Showroom of the Conseil Général in Charleville
Mézières.
• Puppets :
Charleville-Mézières, world capital of the puppets art ; international festival every two years, festival@marionnette.com ; the ESNAM (Higher National School of the Arts of Puppetry); The I.I.M. International Puppet Institut; the Great Puppeteer, www.marionnette.com
• Cinema :
The Metropolis : a complex with 10 screens in the heart of Charleville-Mézières, www.cinemet.fr
Events : Festival « The Children of the Cinema », www.lesenfantsducinema.free.fr, La Pellicule Ensorcelée
(short films) www.lapelliculeensorcelee.org
• Music :
National School for Music and Dance of Charleville-Mézières.
Festivals :
- “Le Cabaret Vert”(every year at the end of August) www.cabaretvert.com
- “Tambours de fête” www.tamboursdefete.com
- Aymon Folk Festival in Bogny-sur-Meuse www.aymonfolk.monsite-orange.fr
- Douzy’k festival in Douzy www.myspace.com/douzyfestival
- The Cassine Festival www.festival.la-cassine.com
- Musical meeting “Les Rencontres de Louvergny www.rencontre-louvergny.org
- “Guitars and Heritage” in Sedan www.myspace.com/festivalguitarepatrimoine
- International Festival of the Viole da Gambe in the very baroque Church of Asfeld, (the church is built
in the form of a Viol) www.violedegambe.org
SPORTS AND LEISURE
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURES
3 golf courses, riding centers, animal parks and leisure bases,
www.guidedesgolfs.fr - www.sports-nature-ardennes.com - www.ardennes.com
Activities for thrill-seekers: climbing, paragliding, quad bikes, flying, archery... www.quad-ardennes.com,
www.sports-nature-ardennes.com, www.aventure-evasion.com, www.pap08.eu, www.ulmsedan.fr
2 Tree-Top adventure Parks
Ardennes Terre d’Aventure - Les Mazures www.ardennes-terre-aventures.com
Le Chêne Perché - Signy-L’Abbaye www.lecheneperche.com
A COUNTRY IDEAL FOR WALKING AND RAMBLING
Flora and fauna, forests and massifs in the Ardennes can be explored on foot, on horseback, on a bike,
by boat: 2 700 km of paths for rambling, www.ardennesrandos.free.fr
Ardennes Department Rambling
Association, www.cdrp.ardennes@free.fr, www.ardennes.com
Voie verte Trans-Ardennes : 83 km along the Meuse river between Charleville-Mézières and Givet by foot,
rollers, riding, cycling www.voiesvertes.com, www.cdt08.com
Horse Riding Tourism: www.sports-nature-ardennes.com
Canoeing and Canobus: www.aventure-evasion.com, www.ckmc08.canalblog.com, www.caravel08.com,
www.chalets-mery.fr
Fluvial Tourism: Habitable boat Hire www.ardennes-nautisme.com, electric boat hire www.ardennerivesdemeuse.
com, cruise boat on the Meuse “La Bohème”www.restaurant-bateau.com, yacht hire
with skipper “Au fil de Flo”
HUNTING AND FISHING
Forests full of game,www.chasse-ardennes.com ; very varied fishing; waterways classified into categories, fedepecheardennes@wanadoo.fr, www.ardennes.com
LOCAL CLUBS
Football: Sedan CSSA finalist in the French Cup in 2005,
is in the 2nd French league (season 2010-2011) www.cssedan.com
Basketball: l’Etoile (Pro B) in Charleville-Mézières, etoilecm@voila.fr, “les flammes carolo” NF1 Champions in 2010, the ASPTT women’s basketball team is in the LFB league (season 2010-2011), www.flammesbasketcarolo.net
Charleville-Mézières: elected in 2004 « the French town with the most sporting activities » by the French sporting daily newspaper L’Equipe.
• Main sporting events :
- Sedan-Charleville : the oldest race in France, courir.en.ardenne@wanadoo.fr,
- Charleville Triathlon Ardnnes: a meeting not to be missed is internationally well-known, www.charleville-triathlon-ardennes.com
- World boomerang championship, www.kooka.boomerangs.net
- French Fencing Championship in Charleville-Mézières
- Comité Départemental Olympic Sportif Ardennes : (Olympic Sports Association) : www.ardennes.franceolympique.com