Dept 08 Rank #84 / 96
Ardennes
Grand Est · Nearest city: Charleville → Reims (~40 min)
🚄 TGV
Meuse valley, Ardennes forest
Why this score · reflects your priorities
Ardennes offers very cheap property and low natural-hazard exposure, but dull grey skies, almost no tourism and heavy rainfall weigh heavily. Les Ardennes offrent un immobilier très bon marché et une faible exposition aux risques naturels, mais un ciel gris et maussade, un tourisme quasi inexistant et des pluies abondantes pèsent lourd.
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Climate
Sunshine
1,686h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: gained ~17 sun hours each year.
p6 of 96
Sunny days
125/yr
days >50% sunlit
p6 of 96
Rain days
139/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 2 fewer rain days each year.
p98 of 96
Annual rainfall
884mm/yr
total volume
p83 of 96
Heavy rain
5/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
p58 of 96
Torrential
0.1/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p36 of 96
Hot days >30°
12/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 fewer hot days each year.
p15 of 96
Winter mildness
3/10
0.7 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
p18 of 96
Wind
2.7m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p29 of 96
Muggy days
3/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p34 of 96
Avg max temperature · °C
5
J
7
F
11
M
14
A
18
M
21
J
24
J
24
A
19
S
15
O
9
N
6
D
2050 outlook TRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C ~+2 days · +1 so far
Tropical nights ~+6 nights · 0 so far
Frost days ~-24 days · -17 so far
Dry-soil days ~+27 days
Landscape
Landscape score
4/10
p38 of 96
Max elevation
504m
p45 of 96
Forest cover
28.7%
p47 of 96
Characteristics
🌾 Rural
Meuse valley, Ardennes forest
Identity
Ardennes is the birthplace of Arthur Rimbaud (écrivain).
Notable figures born here
Arthur Rimbaud — écrivainHippolyte Taine — philosopheNicolas-Louis de Lacaille — mathématicienYannick Noah — chanteurBaudouin II de Jérusalem — dirigeantJean Meslier — philosopheÉtienne Macdonald — officierFélix Savart — physicienHenri de La Tour d'Auvergne — officierYves Congar — écrivain
Terroir & appellations
Ardennes lies within protected appellation areas, including Boudin blanc de Rethel, Jambon sec des Ardennes, Volailles de la Champagne.
Boudin blanc de RethelJambon sec des ArdennesVolailles de la Champagne
Distinctions
Plus Beaux Détours de France (1)
- Arthur Rimbaud
- Paul Verlaine
Station classée de tourisme (1)
Risks
Safety score
8/10
Flood risk
Very low
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p10 of 96
Fire risk
Low
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p33 of 96
Seismic exposure
Low
% in a seismic zone (most of France is)
p36 of 96
Major risks present
⚛ Nuclear nearby Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
Ground movement Low 31.2% p31 of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Low 29.5% p26 of 96
Flooding Low 26.1% p28 of 96
Earthquake Low 24.8% p36 of 96
Nuclear Very low 4.9% p81 of 96
Wildfire Very low 3.6% p51 of 96
Radon Very low 2.2% p64 of 96
Industrial hazard Very low 1.6% p28 of 96
+1 more
Dam failure Very low 0.9% p22 of 96
Transport
Transport
9/10
1.5 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
Yes
Direct TGV station
Highways
2
A34 · A304
Work locally
30.4%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Charleville → Reims (~40 min)
✈ Airport
Chalons Vatry airport (XCR) · ~99 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
1.5h direct
🛣 Highways
A34, A304
Services
Healthcare
6/10
APL 3.5
p48 of 96
Schools
3/10
Brevet 81%
#4 lowest brevet of 96
Fiber coverage
96%
p43 of 96
Intl schools
1school
International programmes available
p31 of 96
People
Population
266,349
p21 of 96
Density
51/km²
Mixed
-37% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
-0.5%/yr
-0.7 pts vs median · p5
Median income
$23,700
standard of living · $/yr
p6 of 96
Poverty rate
19.4%
below 60% of median living standard
p92 of 96
Unemployment
14.8%
active population out of work
p94 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 87 residents
p12 of 96 · 3,072 beds
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
14%
15-24
11%
25-39
12%
40-54
14%
55-69
20%
70+
29%
Office professionals
9.1%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
#2 lowest of 96
Remote work
4.8%
télétravail · works without commuting
p64 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
9.1%
At-home trades
Farmers
2.4%
Artisans & shopkeepers
6.2%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
25.5%
Clerical & service staff
28.3%
Manual workers
28.6%
Real estate
Median
$1,270/m²
$550 $2,310
House $1,320 Apt $1,170
+2.3%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
—m²
Taxe foncière
49.05%
typical commune rate · TFPB
p75 of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
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