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What’s New for 2027: including the opening of a new hotel in Charleville-Mézières
It promises to be another big year for The French Ardennes in 2027, as one of the most overlooked regions in France continues to build its profile amongst UK holidaymakers on the back of the official opening on a new Grand Route walking trail in the Spring, and the latest edition of the World Puppet Festival from 17 to 26 September. Even better news for travellers to this part of France is the announcement that the long-awaited four-star Grand Hôtel Ducale is now scheduled to open in March 2027.

The postbox which created a ‘dead poets society’
A renewed interest in the French poet Arthur Rimbaud – possibly as a result of the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as a 19-year-old Bob Dylan arriving in New York City – has as resulted in a pile of mail being sent to his grave. Two or three times a week mail is delivered to the postbox that was renovated in 2024. It is inscribed with the poet’s name, outside the entrance to the cemetery in Charleville-Mezieres where he was buried in 1891.

Following in some fantastical footsteps
Highlights of the new French “Grand Tour” trail in The Ardennes – as walked by freelance travel writer Caroline Mills – were featured in the pages of the Daily Telegraph travel section at the end of August. The trail offers the chance for visitors to follow in the “fantastical footsteps” of Arduinna – the mythological Celtic goddess of woodland – on a 219m trail, through France and Belgium.

Seasonal festive treats
Red turkeys, white puddings and red sugar sweets are just some of the famous festive flavours of The French Ardennes. In Rethel, there’s a festive dish available every day of the year, thanks to its white sausages. But it’s a local delicacy that also finds a very special place on the table at Christmas, with “Boudin blanc de Rethel” also enjoying protected geographical indication status.

Marionettes in bars? Meet The Barionnettes in France.
Launched in 2022, The Barionnettes provide the opportunity for visitors to The French Ardennes to discover puppetry throughout the year in Charleville-Mézières. A regular event during which puppeteers perform in the city’s bars, the schedule for each Barionnette performance is released about a month in advance. The next set of performances – expected to be held between November 2026 and June 2027 – will be announced online. It is, of course, also another “World Puppet Festival” year for The French Ardennes in 2027.

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Looking for a fresh, and ‘alternative’, way to explore France…?
If so, meet the destinations and initiatives from Atout France’s third ‘Alternative France’ event which was staged in London earlier this summer. From ‘alternatives’ in Eastern France to an Alpine alternative for the summer, the “destination dupes” were out in force at this annual media event. And joining it for the first time was The French Ardennes…

A sweet reason to visit the Ardennes
Ardennes slate chocolate is a gourmet French specialty crafted to look like thin pieces of slate. It features a crunchy, toasted almond and hazelnut nougatine centre that is encased in a layer of distinctive blue or grey tinted white chocolate…

Get ready to step-up… the Ardennes is going ‘grand’ in September
This is a “save the date” for an emerging story from the world of French tourism: a timely reminder that, from this autumn, it will be possible to follow in the footsteps of French holidaymakers to The French Ardennes – when a new Grande Randonnée de Pays (GRP) hiking trail is being launched in September. The Ardenne Tour, in the footsteps of Arduinna, is a 350km loop that will straddle the French and Belgian Ardennes…

Experience the Deer’s Bellow
Less than two hours from Paris, The French Ardennes is one of the lest-explored, greenest and wildest areas of France. Most of it was designated as a Parc Naturel Régional (PNR) in 2012. And on various dates in September and October 2026, it will be possible to join guided tours that go deep into the forest near Hargnies to hear The Dear’s Bellow…

And finally…it’s not too late to hit the right note!
Ranked among the top 10 music festivals in France, Cabaret Vert has been entertaining visitors to Charleville-Mézières for 20 years. Named after Arthur Rimbaud’s poem of the same title, the Ardennes top music festival will this year welcome amongst others Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Underworld, Sparks and Deftones along with an army of festival…

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Wish You Were Here…?
English-speaking travellers are being made to feel even more welcome in The French Ardennes in 2026, thanks to Inspirations, a magazine which focuses entirely on this all-too-often underrated and ‘alternative’ region of France. Published at the beginning of February, it is also available online and offers inspiration to UK holidaymakers who are keen to explore what is currently one of the lesser-know areas of France.

What the papers say
Something ‘alternative’ made it into the 18 Ideas For A French Mini-break This Spring in The Times’ weekend #travel section… Alongside “a gorgeous new hotel on its own island near Marseille, market shopping in the Languedoc, and a weekend jaunt in Nantes”, ‘Beer and biking in the Ardennes’ appeared in the round-up at No. 11. As The Times itself says: “These great trips are all about joie de vivre!”.

Go gig-tripping to The French Ardennes to see Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Ranked among the top 10 music festivals in France, Cabaret Vert has been entertaining visitors to Charleville-Mézières for 20 years. Named after Arthur Rimbaud’s poem of the same title, the Ardennes top music festival will this year welcome amongst others Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Underworld, Sparks and Deftones along with an army of festival goers from 20 to 23 August for four days of music and other entertainment on five stages.

Puppets Galore!
For 60 years, the Temps d’M Festival in Charleville-Mézières has celebrated the art of puppetry and cultures from around the world, combining artistic excellence with a friendly atmosphere. Staged every two years – and alternating with the biannual World Puppet Festival – this ‘alternative’ event brings together artists, creators, puppeteers, and spectators from all walks of life to share original and creative experiences. As ever, the 2026 programme between 16 and 20 September includes professional and amateur shows, workshops, meetings, and performances that highlight the diversity of forms, aesthetics, and cultures.

And finally…
…The French Ardennes is proud to be one of the regions of France invited to attend a media event in London on 9 June, organised by Atout France. Admission to the ‘Alternative France’ media gathering is by invitation only. But anyone wanting details of the news being brough to that event by The French Ardennes can contact Ian Weightman.

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The Ardennes is set to “Go Grand” this year
A new Grande Randonnée de Pays (GRP) hiking trail will be launched later this year in The French Ardennes. The Ardenne Tour, in the footsteps of Arduinna, is a 350km loop that will straddle the French and Belgian Ardennes…

Or, for those who prefer to travel by bike…
For those who prefer cycling, now is a good time to mention the 110 km cycle trail which was launched last year. The South Ardennes Greenway was created along the Ardennes Canal…

‘The Ardennes Brothers’ are set to come of age this year
Launched in 2004, the Festival of Brotherhoods in the Ardennes has rapidly become one of the most popular events in the region. It was awarded the Ardennes tourism prize in 2014 and achieved “Excellence” status from the European Council of Oenogastronomic Brotherhoods in 2016…

What’s-on in the French Ardennes, in 2026? “Read all about it!”
English-speaking travellers will be made to feel even more welcome in The French Ardennes in 2026, thanks to the appearance of an entirely new magazine-style visitor guide called Inspirations, which focused entirely on this region of France…

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“A Winter’s Trail” – follow in the footsteps of Rimbaud in Charleville-Mézières.
Born in Charleville in 1854, and buried in 1891 a few steps from Place Ducale in the cemetery of Avenue Boutet, the legend of the world famous poet Arthur Rimbaud – “the man with soles of wind” – still lives-on in The French Ardennes. And for the past few years, locals and visitors alike have been able to follow in the footsteps of the region’s “enfant terrible of Charleville” through a remarkable contemporary visual and historic art trail.

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The top 8 breweries in The French Ardennes

Each boasting its own special feature (and one beer made from wild Ardennes blueberries)

Small, specialist beer companies, real ale producers, beer with a story as strong as its flavour – all found within a region that boasts a distinct brewing history and heritage – has helped to set a new trend in tourism.

Having evolved from gastro-tourism, ‘beercations’ have sent enthusiasts scuttling around the globe, in search of local beer cultures, and has created an industry estimated to be worth US$11,628.0 million in 2024, which is projected to reach US$22,560.3 million by 2030.

So it’s always worth lifting a glass to the appearance of a new brewery these days – especially when it enters a region’s Top 8 Breweries “with a bullet”…

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Santé!
How a novel wort chiller changed the world of brewing forever
(And why the French Ardennes is “the place to beer”)

Would you believe we wouldn’t have the beer we have today, if it wasn’t for the discoveries and inventions made in The French Ardennes during the 19th century?

France is a country synonymous with fine wines. But when it comes to a drink which truly defines The Ardennes, it’s beer which makes this region stand out from the crowd.

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