Published by Andrew on 3 September 2019
Becky Allen and Mark Goodson stayed at Hotel Le Chateau Fort de Sedan during their Meuse River bike ride.
Hotel Le Chateau Fort de Sedan
Cour du Château Fort, Porte des Princes, 08200 Sedan
Ardennes, Champagne-Ardenne (Grand Est)
Map
Book online
Sedan is the largest medieval fortress in Europe, and this hotel is a great place to soak up six centuries of French history on the Meuse river route.
5 things we liked about Hotel Le Chateau Fort de Sedan
1. History
The hotel occupies part of the massive 15th century Château-fort de Sedan, the largest medieval fortress in Europe. Inside the walls, next to the hotel, the museum has a self-guided audio tour giving a fascinating insight into the fort’s history and architecture. Allow an hour for the tour after breakfast – it’s well worth it – and you’ll discover how the town gave its name to the Sedan chair.
2. Location
As it’s part of the town’s major landmark, the hotel is well signed, easy to find and only 1km off the Meuse bike path. And because the fortress is built into higher ground, you can ramble around the walls to get fabulous views over Sedan and the surrounding countryside. (See also our report on the Ardennes bike path, which forms part of the Meuse route).
3. Facilities
Our room was super elegant, and the showerhead in the bathroom was the size of a dustbin lid – a great way to wash the dust off after a long day’s ride. In the early evening, the local choir was singing in the courtyard below. The next morning it hosted a rendez-vous for the Ardennes Vespa Club – meaning we didn’t need our alarm clock!
4. Bar and restaurant
Having a decent cafe-bar outside one’s hotel is a must-have for cycle touring, and getting a good view too is a great way to round off a ride. The hotel ticks both these boxes – and in some style. We enjoyed being able to flop into comfy chairs in front of the hotel, enjoy a glass of the local, award-winning beer, L’Ardwen Blanche, and gaze up at the fortress’s massive walls. The hotel has a smart restaurant, although service was somewhat hit-and-miss.
5. Bike storage
As the bike store was already full, our bikes got upgraded and spent the night next to the reception desk in a small room that also houses the hotel’s pool table.
This is an elegant treat in a beautiful part of the world.
Hotel Le Chateau Fort de Sedan
Cour du Château Fort, Porte des Princes, 08200 Sedan
Ardennes, Champagne-Ardenne (Grand Est)
Map
Book online
