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Understand

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. Ch…

Get around

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.

Go next

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.