The château-fort of Sedan (by kerouac2)

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Sedan is quite off the beaten track for most people, but it does have a major claim to fame other than being a blood soaked battlefield twice in the 20th century.

It is the location of the largest medieval château-fort in Europe, whose construction began in 1424. It now covers 35,000 square meters on 7 levels, and the walls are 7.5 meters thick at the bottom. Unlike many fortresses, it was not rebuilt over and over again through the centuries, but instead they just kept adding more and more layers as they built it up.

So when you are at the bottom of the walls, it gives a very understandable meaning to the word "impregnable."

The fortress remained under the control of the French army until 1962, when it was turned over to the city of Sedan. This allowed it to be classifed a national monument in 1965.

It has undergone restoration a number of times, but it also shows a bit of wear and tear in places.







Rather than being surrounded by a moat, it has a parking lot instead.

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Obviously, I had to see what was inside. This way in.



Cyclotourists can leave their bikes at the entrance.





After the nice modern ticket counter, dripping and slimy medieval times were awaiting.

Thank god for electricity. I was imagining what it must have been like walking through the passages with a torch or a lantern in past centuries. It was dripping water everywhere, and it seemed as though fungus would begin to grow on anybody who spent more than 48 hours there.

Finally a little glimmer of natural light.

Some of the chambers were decked out with equipment and plaster figures to help visitors imagine life under these tons of stone. The "rock room" was completed in 1573 and soldiers had to wait here until they were ordered to fire at assailants. Naturally, it was not as well lit for them.

[bjd]

Amazing -- I have never heard of it. Mind you, seeing all your reports, I realize how little I have seen of France, especially in the north.

It's surprising that stones weren't removed from those walls over the years for building houses and other walls, as seems to have happened in lots of other places. Maybe it just appeared too overbearing and massive?

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Another chamber was where munitions and gunpowder were stored.





The path for visitors finally took me up and outdoors again, albeit far from the top of the castle.











Back inside was a jeu de paume for the soldiers. Can you imagine this as your sports room?









Here is the view from the top!

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On the way back down, one is able to visit some more polished rooms.







a medieval tombstone



















La Rotonde is a highlight of the château.









Even the stairs become smooth on the way down.







The château snack bar awaits any visitors who might find their way to Sedan.





Then I was in the inner courtyard at ground level.





There are toilets for any disabled people who have managed to make this trek.



On second thought, they are probably toilets for disabled people who have been told they cannot go inside.

Would you like to stay in a hotel in an incredible fortified castle?



Frankly, I thought the rates were quite reasonable for such a place.



Then I was on my way out...

While I was not as overwhelmed as by my first visit to the château de Pierrefonds, I really felt that I had seen something truly exceptional and extremely authentic, with plenty of warts.

[fumobici]

Fantastic! I'm guessing Viollet-le-Duc never got his mitts on this one, oozes authenticity (apparently along with other things).

[lola]

Excellent, Kerouac.

Funny to think of the army in possession that recently, though I guess Loches with its donjon was, too.

[Deleted]

I suppose that they held on to it for so long for symbolic historical reasons. While most of the castle would have useless from a combat standpoint, I would imagine that plenty of the chambers and the inner courtyard were useful for storing military equipment and that the part now housing the hotel provided plenty of room for barracks.

[hwinpp]

I've been there with my girlfriend!

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Digging this report up to link to another site, I found myself really moved that hwinpp had been there.

[biolook]

Thanks for the pictures.

[Deleted]

I think it is fantastic thing to see if you are in this area, although I would hesitate to recommend it as a special trip in itself.

[tod2]

It most certainly is a good destination on a lovely day. I thought the fortifications in very good nick and worthy of a ramble around. Your photos were excellent Kerouac!

[kerouac2]

When I went to Charleville-Mérières last weekend, the terminus of the TGV was Sedan, just down the way, and it reminded me of how impressed I was by this fortress. I think I will need to return.

[whatagain]

Been seeing quite a few ads about it recently and put it on my to visit list.
Maybe i can do Sedan then Verdun, which i never saw.