From the gare SNCF, place Ducale is a five-minute ride away on bus #1, #3 or #5; the gare routière is a couple of blocks northeast of the square, between rues du Daga and Noël. The regional tourist office for the Ardennes is at 22 place Ducale (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 10am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm & 1.30–7pm, Sun 2–7pm; tel 03.24.56.06.08), with Charleville-Mézières' tourist office at no. 4 (Sept–May Mon–Sat 9.30am–noon & 1.30–6pm; June–Aug Mon–Fri 9.30am–noon & 1.30–7pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am–noon & 1.30–6pm; tel 03.24.55.69.90).Three fairly central hotels that are worth trying are the Hôtel de Paris, 24 av G.-Corneau (tel 03.24.33.34.38, www.hoteldeparis08.fr; €40–55); the Central, 23 av du Maréchal Leclerc (tel 03.24.33.33.69, fax 03.24.59.38.25; €30–40); and Le Relais du Square, 3 place de la Gare (tel 03.24.33.38.76, fax 03.24.33.56.66; €40–55; closed Sat & Sun), a smart three-star hotel in a tree-filled square near the station. the town campsite (tel 03.24.33.23.60; open May–mid-Oct) is north of place Ducale, over the river and left along rue des Paquis. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in Charleville. For something a bit special, La Côte à l'Os, at 11 cours Aristide-Briand (tel 03.24.59.20.16), specializes in fruits de mer and local cuisine, in which juniper-flavoured game is the star; daily chalkboard menus cost from €12.50. La Cigogne, at 40 rue Dubois-Crancé (tel 03.24.33.25.39; closed Sun eve, Mon & first week Aug), also serves good regional dishes, with menus from €13. At 33 rue du Moulin, La Clef des Champs offers menus from €15 and is known for family cooking. Worth checking out for a drink or a coffee is the Ideal Bar on rue de la République – a characterful, down-to-earth local despite its chandelier-style lights and dark wood interior.
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