Sedan Castle — Attraction in Sedan

Beautiful castle, restored with passion. It’s clearly well-loved as there was a Porsche meet-up on the Saturday morning when we left. Casual visitors are welcome to drive or walk up for a beer or meal. Most of the staff spoke English which was a real help to a tourist like me; I was able to canvas a few words before visiting but it’s still so welcoming when they’ve made an effort to employ multilingual staff.

Welcoming reception area. Lovely indoor bar with nearby pool table but the weather was so nice, most people were sitting outdoors under parasols or on the deck.

The bedroom is functional: no fridge, one small fan, lotion and shower gel provided, 2 water bottles, electric kettle and tea / coffee. Two sets of towels, powerful shower water pressure and everything was clean and tidy. Separate toilet but as the sink is in with the shower so still had to cross over to wash hands. The bed is up against a beautiful painting, no headboard. Limited power sockets. Unfortunately, I think the bed has a light infestation as I was bitten 4 times in the night resulting in very itchy swollen spots. There didn’t seem to be any on-site leisure facilities; I think most people come for the historic beauty.

We had dinner in the restaurant which was beautiful and well appointed. Attentive and patient staff, even when it got busy. The food was lovely and at €35 for the set dinner, incredibly good value. It does balance out at €10 per champagne flute!

In the morning for breakfast, there was only one slightly harried lady — she directed us to a bare table and hurriedly started setting it up. She dropped a spoon on the floor, picked it up and laid the table with it anyway :( Food was basic: coffee out of an automatic machine, baked from frozen pastries.

Easy check out process and acceptable value at...

Sedan Castle (Château de Sedan) is a massive medieval fortress located in the town of Sedan, in the Ardennes department of northern France. It is one of the largest fortified castles in Europe, covering an area of around 35,000 square meters (8.6 acres).

Key Facts: • Built: Construction began in 1424 by Évrard de La Marck and continued over the following centuries. • Architecture: The castle features thick walls, bastions, moats, and ramparts, making it a formidable military stronghold. • Historical Role: It served both as a residence for the Princes of Sedan and as a strategic military fortress, especially important during the Franco-Prussian War. • Battle of Sedan (1870): The castle and town played a pivotal role in this conflict, during which Napoleon III was captured, leading to the fall of the Second French Empire.

Today: • The castle is open to the public and functions as a museum, offering exhibitions on medieval warfare and the history of the region. • It also hosts cultural events and reenactments. • You can even stay at the castle, as part of it has been transformed...

Let's start with the negatives, zero! After visiting a hundred castles I'm quite judgemental but I found this place a really surprising joy to visit. It might not be a German Fairytale castle but it had far more atmosphere than many of those pretty places. The staff were so friendly and relaxed and the tour route is varied and interesting. It has a multi-media arrangement that could easily be tacky but it wasn't and for me it was done really really well and added to the feel of how the place might have felt in its heyday. There is English translation for most exhibits (until the last room) and for us (with four small dogs) being allowed to take your pet everywhere was a massive positive. At the end of the tour there is also a nice beer! In summary I would say friendly, dog friendly, atmospheric, lots of interesting history and a very historically interesting building. If you are near then take a detour and don't miss...