I was in Bouillon, a week or so ago.
The place was heaving, mid-afternoon. The cafes on the riverfront were all open and busy.
The place was heaving, mid-afternoon. The cafes on the riverfront were all open and busy.
Sedan - the new Bouillon ?
- Thread starter Arsey
- Start date
Superior room in the Fort Hotel Sedan
Steep for what it is. £150 a night.
Arrived today - hotel restaurant closed
Here tomorrow night to so will report back then on dinner.
Floor 6 is spanking new. You can still smell the fresh paint.
Some other parts are still being renovated.
It’s an odd mix of old and new.
Excellent snails, pizza and house wine in the pizzeria Haller close by tonight.
Which was packed.
Univers is a good bar.
A couple of other bars open. The bar rhum is awesome for people watching - finest folk France has to offer, I think it’s twinned with the Spoons in Doncaster.
Sedan is an odd mix of a place with some nice old buildings but also lots of derelict and decay. It’s like a lot of high streets in the UK.
The hotel Wessie mentioned is a stones throw from the Fort and looks a better bet for biker mates.
There are signs saying no parking in the fort courtyard for the hotel from 10am until 5pm - and the local police do check.
Fuck that, I parked - and then two of the local finest, wandered past and even stopped to say hello with envy, as we had a cold beer in the warm sun in the courtyard.
Someone previously mentioned a fridge ?
Big fuck off fridge in my room !
Steep for what it is. £150 a night.
Arrived today - hotel restaurant closed
Here tomorrow night to so will report back then on dinner.
Floor 6 is spanking new. You can still smell the fresh paint.
Some other parts are still being renovated.
It’s an odd mix of old and new.
Excellent snails, pizza and house wine in the pizzeria Haller close by tonight.
Which was packed.
Univers is a good bar.
A couple of other bars open. The bar rhum is awesome for people watching - finest folk France has to offer, I think it’s twinned with the Spoons in Doncaster.
Sedan is an odd mix of a place with some nice old buildings but also lots of derelict and decay. It’s like a lot of high streets in the UK.
The hotel Wessie mentioned is a stones throw from the Fort and looks a better bet for biker mates.
There are signs saying no parking in the fort courtyard for the hotel from 10am until 5pm - and the local police do check.
Fuck that, I parked - and then two of the local finest, wandered past and even stopped to say hello with envy, as we had a cold beer in the warm sun in the courtyard.
Someone previously mentioned a fridge ?
Big fuck off fridge in my room !
Hah, we had one drink in Bar Rhum then moved around the corner to Bar Gambetta which was much better.
The restaurant in the hotel I recommended was busy on the night we stayed there. I guess the Fort restaurant was shut that night as well. I'm glad I chose the easier and cheaper option as I am not sure my other travellers would have appreciated a walk down and back up to the Fort. Apart from the cobbles, we were on the flat.
The restaurant in the hotel I recommended was busy on the night we stayed there. I guess the Fort restaurant was shut that night as well. I'm glad I chose the easier and cheaper option as I am not sure my other travellers would have appreciated a walk down and back up to the Fort. Apart from the cobbles, we were on the flat.
Bar Gambetta - also closed Sundays
There is no ‘walk’ and certainly no steps. Just about 100m up some cobbles through the arch.
It’s unlit though. Black as a bag.
There is no ‘walk’ and certainly no steps. Just about 100m up some cobbles through the arch.
It’s unlit though. Black as a bag.
I see you managed to snap the little seen ‘Apparition de Sedan’ too….
PS Nice Pack-It cubes, too. The mark of a true professional traveller.
PS Nice Pack-It cubes, too. The mark of a true professional traveller.
Further update - if you have a superior room way up at the top……
You can ride your steed of awesomeness up onto the ramparts and park right outside your room rear entrance !
Went through Bouillon today in the sunshine, stopped on the river for a coffee and the wife commented, why the fuck are we in Sedan ?
You can ride your steed of awesomeness up onto the ramparts and park right outside your room rear entrance !
Went through Bouillon today in the sunshine, stopped on the river for a coffee and the wife commented, why the fuck are we in Sedan ?
Went through Bouillon today in the sunshine, stopped on the river for a coffee and the wife commented, why the fuck are we in Sedan ?
Did you say, "that cúnt Arsey said so?"
A month or so ago, Bouillon was very busy and all the cafes and bars were open.
We made stops in Bouillon a few times last week on different days, once around lunchtime, once mid morning and once mid afternoon. Barely anything was open every time.
I’m through there again tomorrow - I will make sure to stop and conduct a thorough survey ! 
I can confirm that today - not a single swan pedalo was on the river …….
I can confirm that today - not a single swan pedalo was on the river …….
Only stopped in the hotel on the hill in Sedan once, in January. Restaurant closed, cold slide down to town in the dark. Not much sign of life but we did manage to squeeze into a pizza place which was rammed just after it opened with the citoyens de Sedan. Good food mind.Further update - if you have a superior room way up at the top……
You can ride your steed of awesomeness up onto the ramparts and park right outside your room rear entrance !
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Went through Bouillon today in the sunshine, stopped on the river for a coffee and the wife commented, why the fuck are we in Sedan ?
Clearly just my personal opinion - but I won’t be returning to Sedan.
And for me, the fort hotel is a bust.
Too expensive and trading on the fact that’s it’s a touristic ‘castle’
2 nights in a superior room -
Dinner only the one night (restaurant is very small for such a big hotel), which is also used for a very basic French breakfast. (17 euros each)
A few beers in the courtyard
€657 euros for the two nights.
Sedan has nothing going for it either in terms of sights, bars or restaurants.
Better in Bouillon - or, this small
Town I stopped in for lunch and was heaving with people, bars and eateries on the river.
Not sure about hotels.
Bohan, Belgium.
And for me, the fort hotel is a bust.
Too expensive and trading on the fact that’s it’s a touristic ‘castle’
2 nights in a superior room -
Dinner only the one night (restaurant is very small for such a big hotel), which is also used for a very basic French breakfast. (17 euros each)
A few beers in the courtyard
€657 euros for the two nights.
Sedan has nothing going for it either in terms of sights, bars or restaurants.
Better in Bouillon - or, this small
Town I stopped in for lunch and was heaving with people, bars and eateries on the river.
Not sure about hotels.
Bohan, Belgium.
Bohan sur Semois is indeed a nice town, with several not unreasonable hotel close by.
I wouldn't use Sedan as a base for a few days but it served well as a last night on the way back to my friends' house in Kent. Not the Fort though. My bill at the St Michel to include single room 1 night, 3 course set menu and half a litre of house red, under €110 plus of course, secure parking without any closed access during castle opening times.
Had lunch today in La Roche en Ardenne. (Excellent croq msr)
Lovely small place - was buzzing with tourists and bikers.
But I appreciate that’s getting a fair bit further east.
Lovely small place - was buzzing with tourists and bikers.
But I appreciate that’s getting a fair bit further east.
You live and learn
Nobody is going to be short of hotels around Sedan:
No wait, this is UKGSer…. They’ll all be shite and a rip-off. And anyway, they might not be biker friendly and who knows about secure parking? Best stay at home.
No wait, this is UKGSer…. They’ll all be shite and a rip-off. And anyway, they might not be biker friendly and who knows about secure parking? Best stay at home.
I was in La Roche myself today. Didn't see any UK plates or I would have said hello. Had an interesting ride back to my hotel in Givet, just over the border in France.
I reluctantly agree with you. Although I stay in 'The Splendid View' up the hill in Bouillon, trying to get breakfast is..............disappointing. The patisserie on the roundabout opposite the Hotel De La Poste looks nice but the pastries are stale and the coffee is shit. Pretty much the same over the bridge in the patisserie on the left. The nice one on the right as you cross doesn't open early enough anymore. We like the Italian place near to The Hotel De La Poste but that's it, essentially.
Thank you for your Sedan suggestions. It still means we can ride from Sedan to Bouillon and ride the curves uphill and bomb up the Meuse to Givet and Dinant, a firm favourite, via the lake at Lac De Vielles Forges cafe.
Thank you for your Sedan suggestions. It still means we can ride from Sedan to Bouillon and ride the curves uphill and bomb up the Meuse to Givet and Dinant, a firm favourite, via the lake at Lac De Vielles Forges cafe.
Stayed at the Fort last week. A very, very wet Sedan. Was in the car with Mrs Mallard. It's a novelty staying in a large fort and doing the castle tour. We had a couple of days there and explored the town a wee bit which we found a bit drab. Nothing wrong with the place, but it's not on our 'to do again' list.
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