Bellevue Castle

Bellevue Castle, locally known as Château de Bellevue, lies west of the city of Sedan, in the Ardennes department in France.

I could not find out when or by whom Bellevue Castle was build. I suspect it to be 18th or 19th century. It has a rectangular plan and is situated on a hill with views to the east of the city of Sedan and to the west over the river Meuse. The square towers at its opposite ends with their attached round turrets are of earlier date than the middle portion of the building.

Bellevue Castle is known as being the site where, in 1870, the French Emperor Napoleon III came to surrender to William I, the German Emperor, after the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War. Napoleon was first met here by Otto von Bismarck, the German General and Chancellor, who forced him to sign his capitulation papers before William arrived. Hours later, William arrived and Napoleon handed over his sword.

Bellevue Castle is private property but I do not know what the present state of it is. When I visited it looked closed and disused but on the internet I later found out it was available as a holiday apartment. A very nice little château. The castles of Villette and Sedan and the Old Subprefecture are nearby.

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