Travel review: Ardennes
Debbie Bennett discovers there is a lot more to Ardennes than its famous pate
Rolling valleys, meandering rivers and dense forests – the Ardennes has all this and more in a relatively small area of around 3,860 square miles. This landlocked region in south-east Belgium extends into Luxembourg, Germany and France, and was once the scene of fierce battles in both World Wars.
My time there, with my other half taking on most of the driving, was a mini adventure – three very different hotels in three very different locations.
First stop was the four-star Hotel Le Château Fort, a majestic fortress which guards over the city of Sedan. The hotel is in a stone's throw from the city centre and takes up part of this fort, the oldest medieval castle in Europe.
Driving through the archway into the huge courtyard after a tiring but sun-drenched 12-hour journey from the Midlands, I gazed open-mouthed at the giant walls looming over us, before checking in.
Despite being very up to date, the hotel is sympathetically in keeping with the medieval style. Lifts, subtle lighting, a large bar, and a pool table tucked away in a cosy little alcove, all sit among the vast stone walls.
The hotel has 54 well-equipped rooms and ours, on the second floor, overlooked the courtyard below.
One floor up is the bistro with its very French cuisine – think, foie gras, baked cod, lobster bisque and 'beouf' cooked to perfection. The wine flowed as we tucked into our delicious four-course dinner before turning in for the night.
