Living in the Ardennes
«In France there are countries as beautiful as the Ardennes,
and some are perhaps more beautiful, but there are none more
French from any point of view...».
Paul VERLAINE, Our Ardennes.
The département of the Ardennes offers great diversity,from the geographical point of view as well as from the point of view of climate: with its plains and reliefs, forests and cultivated lands, its landscapes are varied, offering changes of scenery in a few kilometres along the waterways.
Jean MARTIN :
President of la Buvette-Rotoplus
When he took over the running of La Buvette in 2003, Jean MARTIN came and settled in
the Ardennes with his family: « the local environment has enabled me to find a good
balance between family life and professional ambition ».
Didier Logereau, CEO of SAMBP
He has been here since October 2005. Didier Logereau has
discovered an ideal environment in which to combine
professional activity and family life: « the excellent
welcome and great receptiveness of the people of the
Ardennes have enabled me to adapt quickly to my new life,
in the very best conditions ».
LE CADRE DE VIE
HABITAT AND INFRASTRUCTIONS
• OPAC ARDENNES and ESPACE HABITAT : The exhaustive list of organisms offering rented accommodation is available from the Accommodation Service at the Préfecture des Ardennes, in town halls and in the tourist offices in the Département. Opportunities for sales and rent are
communicated on the site of the association « l’Ardenne Accueille ».
www.opac.08.fr
www.espacehabitat.fr
• PLURIAL : Personalised solutions for accommodation, products and services adapted to the requirements and desires of employees.
• Rented accommodation:
More than 40 000 properties to rent, assistance with the deposit (Avance Loca Pass),
• Improvement of the main residence:
Up to 9 600 Euros loaned at a rate of 1.5% (Prêt Pass Travaux),
• Professional Mobility:
Help with looking for accommodation (rented or purchased). The employee and family are assisted and accompanied to discover their new environment (follow-up of administrative formalities, school attendance, access to utilities etc with Mobili Pass and CIL Pass Mobilité.)
www.plurialcil.com
TEACHING AND TRAINING
• Children and primary education :
Crèches, day crèches and primary schools: information available in town halls.
Associations for the family:
• ADFAAMA (Ardennes Association for the Assistance of Families).
• Rural family association in Douzy.
• Secondary Education : www.ac-reims.fr
• 9 public high schools, 3 private high schools.
• 7 professional high schools, 1 private professional high school.
• Higher education :
• The Moulin le Blanc site in Charleville-Mézières (see pages 38-39) dedicated to research and higher education: a High Technology pole, a university establishment.
• I.F.T.S. : Institute for higher technical training. The activities focus on material engineering; two-year and five-year university diplomas : www.univ-reims.fr/UFR/IFTS/
• I.U.T. G.A.C.O. : Administrative and commercial management of SMB’s.
iut.secretariat-gaco@univ-reims.fr
• I.U.T. G.D.I. : Industrial Distribution Engineering : iut.secretariat@univ-reims.fr
• I.U.F.M. : www.reims.iufm.fr
• I.T.I.I. : Institute for Engineering and Industrial Techniques : direction.cnam@univ-reims.fr
• Studies, courses and work experience abroad : grants available : www.cg08.fr
HEALH AND SAFETY
• Health establishments :
Health establishments: hospital centres, 2 local hospitals, 4 clinics.
DDASS of the Ardennes - Tél: +33.324 59 72 00 - Fax : +33.324 59 06 97
CULTURAL LIFE
HERITAGE
The Ardennes is marked by history, a land of traditions and legends, told in sites full of mystery and magic: the Quatre Fils Aymon (four Aymon sons), the Dames de Meuse (Ladies of the Meuse), the Roc La Tour, etc. www.ardennes.com
• Remarkably well-maintained and animated historic monuments :
Charleville-Mézières: the town of Charles de Gonzague, the Place Ducale etc.
Sedan: Town of art and history, the biggest fortress in Europe, medieval festival,
www.medieval-sedan.com.
Rocroi: Star-shaped town, the fortified town of Rocroi is unique in France.
CULTURE
• Poetry :
The Ardennes is the birthplace of Rimbaud:
Maison des Ailleurs, Charleville-Mézières, www.rimbaud-arthur.fr
Follow in the footsteps of the poet with wind in his soles and his acolyte: The Rimbaud-Verlaine route will take you to the places where the two poets lived.
• Puppets :
Charleville-Mézières, world capital of the art of puppetry; international festival every three years, festival@marionnette.com ; the ESNAM (Higher National School of the Arts of Puppetry); the Great Puppeteer, www.marionnette.com
• Cinema :
The Metropolis: a brand new complex with 10 screens in the heart of Charleville-Mézières, www.cinemet.fr
Events: Festival « The Children of the Cinema », www.lesenfantsducinema.free.fr
La Pellicule Ensorcelée (short films),www.lapelliculeensorcelee.org
• Music :
National School for Music and Dance of Charleville-Mézières, festival « Drums and celebrations » « Green Cabaret », www.associationflap.org and instrumental meetings bringing together the greatest trumpet players (« Trompettes en Ardenne »: Trumpet in the Ardennes) and guitarists (« Guitars and Heritage » in Sedan).
• Art and literature :
At l’Echelle, a centre for art and literature holds temporary exhibitions, with authors and artists who come and share their creations with us, www.hotelbeury.com
SPORTS AND LEISURE
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTIONS
2 golf courses, riding centres, animal parks and leisure bases,
www.guidedesgolfs.fr - www.ardennes.com/nature
Activities for thrill-seekers: climbing, parapente, quad bikes, flying, archery... www.quad-ardennes.com
A COUNTRY IDEAL FOR WALKING AND RAMBLING
Flora and fauna, forests and massifs in the Ardennes can be explored on foot, on horseback, on a bike, by boat: 2 700 km of paths for rambling, ardennesrandos.free.fr
HUNTING AND FISHING
Forests full of game,www.chasse-ardennes.com ; very varied fishing; waterways classified into categories, fedepecheardennes@wanadoo.fr
LOCAL CLUBS
Football: Sedan CSSA finalist in the French Cup in 2005, www.cssedan.com
Basketball: L’Etoile (Pro B) in Charleville-Mézières, etoilecm@voila.fr
Charleville-Mézières: elected in 2004 « the French town with the most sporting activities » by the French sporting daily newspaper L’Equipe.
• Main sporting events :
International cycle race: The Circuit of the Ardennes, part of Europe-Tour
Charleville Triathlon Ardennes: a must event with international renown,
www.charleville-triathlon-ardennes.com
World boomerang championship, French Fencing Championship in Charleville-Mézières
www.kooka.boomerangs.net
Sedan-Charleville: the oldest race in France, courir.en.ardenne@wanadoo.fr