![La Place Ducale de Charleville-Mézières, petite soeur de la place des Vosges à Paris](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/la-place-ducale-de-charleville-mezieres-petite-soeur-de-la-place-des-vosges-a-paris-1600x900.jpg)
Discover Charleville-Mézières
![](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/picto-point-de-vue-65x45.png)
![Picto Ardenne Marionnette](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/picto-ardenne-marionnette-65x45.png)
![](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/picto-patrimoine-65x45.png)
![charles-de-gonzague-credit-OT](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/charles-1280x600.jpg)
The Dream of a Prince...
Charles de Gonzague inherited these lands when he became the Prince of Arches; a small sovereign principality within the borders of the Kingdom of France on the border of the Holy Roman Empire. Charles de Gonzague immersed himself in the ambitious project of creating a new town dedicated to commerce and crafts and the town was officially founded by decreed on the 6th of May 1606.
![Place Ducale Charleville-Mézières](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/place-ducale-charleville-mezieres-400x220.jpg)
Place Ducale, Charleville’s Architectural Treasure
In the 17th Century, Prince Charles de Gonzague, parent of Henry IV, built Charleville.
An “ideal” city that was made as a new place for commercial trade.
Place Ducale, inspired by the Place des Vosges in Paris, welcomed the European trade that passed along the river daily.
![001_les_remparts_de_mezieres_david-truillard](https://www.charleville-sedan-tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/001-les-remparts-de-mezieres-david-truillard-400x220.jpg)
Mézières, its ramparts and the Notre Dame d'Espérance Basilica
The history of France is inscribed in each of the stones of Mézières, a tenth century city and a hub of northern European commerce throughout the Middle Ages.
Its ramparts were proudly defended by the knight Bayard against the armies of Charles V in 1521.