The Ardennes is a region in southeast Belgium that extends into Luxembourg, Germany and France.
Once the scene of fierce battles in both World Wars, its rugged terrain encompasses rolling valleys, meandering rivers, extensive caves and dense forests crisscrossed with hiking paths.
The Ardennes area was named for the goddess Arduinna, meaning 'deep forest', and is a high sandstone, shale and granite plateau that has been eroded to an altitude of just 502 metres and sliced by the deep valleys of the rivers Meuse and Semoy.
It is covered in vegetation of mostly deciduous and softwood trees and is inhabited by a variety of fauna with attendant native species such as beavers, owls, wild boar and black storks.
The Ardennes is protected via a regional nature park of 117,000 hectares, seven Natura 2000 sites and 54 zones of 'special interest' for fauna and ecology.
It offers walking or hiking, cycling and mountain biking along with nature themed leisure pursuits and eco-responsible experiences.
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières, capital of the Ardennes, was created in 1606 and has one of the finest squares in Europe – the Place Ducale.
It stages the bi-annual Puppet Festival taking place this September.
The Museum of the Ardennes here recounts the history of the town right up until the First World War. The two towns of Charleville and Mézières were not united until 1966.
Mézières has much of the old fortifications, still visible, as well as the late fifteenth century Notre Dame d'Espérance, with a Durrbach stained glass window and treasure room.
Mouzon
Mouzon is a town on the River Meuse with an early Gothic Benedictine abbey, a symbol of the church ruled of town for around eight centuries until the end of the eighteenth century.
The Benedictine Farm is now a Felt Workshop Museum, telling the story of the last French felt factory which was established here by Alfred Sommer in 1881.
Rocroi
Rocroi is a commune that was constructed in a distinctive star shape in 1555 by Henry II, to contain the town of Givet where the Spanish were in situ.
The 22-year-old Duke of Enghien, known as 'Le Grand Condé' defeated the Spanish in a battle in1643, a story told in the museum.
Haybes
Haybes is known as 'Haybes the Rose' or 'Pretty Haybes' is a village with roof tiles are tinted pink and blue.
Sedan
Sedan has one of the largest and most impressive castles in Europe, built in 1424.
It was a shelter for the Protestants in the religious wars and an independent Principality until the seventeenth century.
The town was a prosperous textile centre until the nineteenth century and is classified as a remarkable heritage area, with many an ancient building and private mansions on view.
La Cassine en Ardenne
La Cassine en Ardenne is the site of the former Cordeliers Convent built between 1579 and 1587.
It became a farm after being secularised during the French Revolution and now holds cultural events through the summer and early autumn.
Craft breweries
Beer has been established in the Ardennes for many, many years with 13 breweries and micro-breweries producing 80 different beers in the area.
The Ardenne Beer Pass offers cruises, brewery tours and tasting of beers in the French and Belgian Ardennes.
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