Editing Sedan, Ardennes

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{For|other uses of Sedan|Sedan (disambiguation)}}
{{Expand French|topic=geo|Sedan|date=December 2008}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name               = Sedan
|commune status     = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Sedan (Ardennes).svg
|image              = FR-08-Sedan03.JPG
|caption            = Sedan in mid-September 2007
|arrondissement     = Sedan
|canton             = [[Canton of Sedan-1|Sedan-1]], [[Canton of Sedan-2|2]] and [[Canton of Sedan-3|3]]
|INSEE              = 08409
|postal code        = 08200
|mayor              = Didier Herbillon<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref>
|term               = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality   = [[Ardenne Métropole|CA Ardenne Métropole]]
|coordinates        = {{coord|49.7034|4.9388|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m        = 157
|elevation min m    = 149
|elevation max m    = 301
|area km2           = 16.28
|population         = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
'''Sedan''' ({{IPA|fr|sədɑ̃|-|Fr-Paris--Sedan.ogg}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Ardennes (department)|Ardennes]] [[Departments of France|department]] and [[Grand Est]] [[Regions of France|region]] of north-eastern [[France]]. It is also the [[chef-lieu]] (administrative centre) of the [[Arrondissements of France|arrondissement]] of the same name.

Sedan is notable as the site of two major battles between the armed forces of France and Germany, both of which were won by Germany. The [[Battle of Sedan|First Battle of Sedan]] in 1870 sealed the fate of the [[Second French Empire]] and paved the way to the foundation of the [[German Empire]], leading to the subsequent annual celebration of "[[Sedan Day]]" in Germany. The [[Battle of Sedan (1940)|Second Battle of Sedan]] in 1940 achieved a decisive breakthrough by ''[[Wehrmacht]]'' forces in the [[Battle of France]] and ultimately led to the collapse of the [[French Third Republic]].

==Location==
The town is situated about 200&nbsp;km from Paris, 85&nbsp;km north-east of [[Reims]], and 10&nbsp;km south of the border with [[Belgium]]. The historic centre occupies a peninsula formed by a bend in the river [[Meuse]]. [[Sedan station]] has rail connections to Charleville-Mézières, Reims and Longwy. The [[A34 autoroute]] links Sedan with Charleville-Mézières and Reims.

==History==
Sedan was founded in 1424. In the 16th century Sédan was an asylum for [[Huguenot|Protestant]] refugees from the [[French Wars of Religion|Wars of Religion]].

Until 1651, the [[Principality of Sedan]] belonged to the [[La Tour d'Auvergne]] family. It was at that time a sovereign principality. Their representative, [[Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne|Marshal Turenne]], was born at Sedan on 11 September 1611. With help from the [[Holy Roman Empire]], it defeated France at the [[Battle of La Marfée]]. Immediately after its victory, Sedan was besieged and its prince, [[Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon]], submitted to France. It was annexed to France in return for sparing the prince's life after he became involved in a conspiracy against France.

Sedan was the birthplace of [[Jacques MacDonald]], a general who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 1840s, American composer-pianist [[Louis Moreau Gottschalk]] got his start in Europe with a successful concert in Sedan, including the original piece "Souvenir des Ardennes."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://imslp.org/wiki/Souvenir_des_Ardennes_(Gottschalk%2C_Louis_Moreau) |title=Souvenir des Ardennes |access-date=2023-02-03}}</ref>

During the [[Franco-Prussian War]], on 2 September 1870, French emperor [[Napoleon III of France|Napoleon III]] was taken prisoner with 100,000 of his soldiers at the [[Battle of Sedan (1870)|First Battle of Sedan]]. Due to this victory, which made the [[unification of Germany]] possible, 2 September was declared Sedan Day (''[[Sedantag]]'') and a national German holiday in 1871. It remained a holiday until 1919.

Sedan was occupied by the Germans for four years during [[World War I]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wir-rheinlaender.lvr.de/engl_version/firstworldwar/sedanasasymbol.htm |title=First World War |publisher=Wir-rheinlaender.lvr.de |access-date=2012-12-13}}</ref> On 13 November 1917, the German [[Wilhelm, German Crown Prince|Crown Prince]] paraded the [[13th Division (German Empire)|13th Infantry Division]] over the course of "[[Alsace-Lorraine|d'Alsace-Lorraine]]".

From May 12 to 15, 1940, during [[World War II]], German troops [[Battle of Belgium|invaded]] neutral [[Belgium]] and crossed the river [[Meuse]] by winning the [[Battle of Sedan (1940)|Second Battle of Sedan]]. The battle allowed them to win the [[Battle of France]] by bypassing the [[Maginot Line]], which was the French fortification system, and entrapping the Allied Forces that were advancing east into Belgium, as part of the Allied [[Dyle Plan]] strategy.

==Points of interest==

===Castle===
{{Main|Château de Sedan}}

Today Sedan is known for its [[castle]], which is claimed to be the largest fortified medieval castle in Europe with a total area of {{convert|30000|m2|acre}} on seven levels.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}} Construction started in 1424 and the castle's defences were constantly improved over the ages. It is the only remaining part of the once enormous fortifications in and around the town.

<gallery>
File:Sedan 4juni2006 064.jpg|Sedan Castle
File:Sedan Castle 20060212 panorama.jpg|Central courtyard of the castle
File:Mémorial 1917-18 450.JPG|War memorial at the castle's Turenne gate
</gallery>

===Other points of interest===
* [[Jardin botanique de Sedan]]
* Festival médiéval de Sedan in May

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|align = none
|cols = 2
|percentages = pagr
|source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|35814|Sedan}}</ref> and INSEE (1968-2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-08409#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
|graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |12033
|1800 |10634
|1806 |10838
|1821 |12123
|1831 |13806
|1836 |14536
|1841 |15585
|1846 |14635
|1851 |16759
|1866 |13793
|1872 |14039
|1876 |16593
|1881 |19556
|1886 |19306
|1891 |20292
|1896 |20163
|1901 |19349
|1906 |19599
|1911 |19516
|1921 |17509
|1926 |18298
|1931 |18908
|1936 |18559
|1946 |13514
|1954 |17637
|1962 |20336
|1968 |23037
|1975 |23995
|1982 |23477
|1990 |21667
|1999 |20548
|2007 |19691
|2012 |18430
|2017 |16428
}}

==Economy==
A centre of cloth production, begun under the patronage of [[Cardinal Mazarin]], supported the town until the late nineteenth century.

==Sport==
[[File:StadeLouisDugauguez.JPG|thumb|[[Stade Louis Dugauguez]]]]
[[CS Sedan Ardennes]] is based in the town.

==Notable people==
* [[Charles Baudin]] (1792–1854), [[admiral]]
* [[Frédéric Brillant]] (born 1985), professional football player
* [[Élise Bussaglia]] (born 1985), professional football player
* [[Pierre Cartier (mathematician)|Pierre Cartier]] (1932–2024), mathematician
* [[Jean de Collas]] (1678–1753), architect  
* [[Yves Congar]] (1904–1995), French Dominican theologian and cardinal
* [[Robert Debré]] (1882–1978), physician
* [[Michel Fourniret]] (1942–2021), serial killer
* [[Frederick V of the Palatinate|Frederick V]] (1596-1632), Count Palatine and Elector of the Palatinate from 1610 to 1623 and King of Bohemia (as ''Frederick I'') from 1619 to 1620
* [[René Guyon]] (1876–1963), jurist
* [[Marie-Jeanne Larrivée Lemière]] (1733 - 1786), [[dramatic soprano]]
* [[Étienne-Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre MacDonald]] (1765–1840), Marshal of France
* [[Yannick Noah]] (born 1960), former professional [[tennis]] player
* [[Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne|Vicomte de Turenne]] (1611–1675), [[Marshal of France]]

==Twin towns==
* {{flagicon|DE}} [[Eisenach]], [[Germany]], since 1991
* {{flagicon|US}} [[Sedan, Kansas]]

==Climate==

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Sedan ([[Douzy]]) (2002–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present)
|Jan record high C = 15.8
|Feb record high C = 19.6
|Mar record high C = 25.5
|Apr record high C = 28.6
|May record high C = 32.1
|Jun record high C = 36.2
|Jul record high C = 40.3
|Aug record high C = 38.6
|Sep record high C = 34.9
|Oct record high C = 27.0
|Nov record high C = 19.6
|Dec record high C = 16.0
|Jan record low C = -14.8
|Feb record low C = -14.4
|Mar record low C = -11.7
|Apr record low C = -7.0
|May record low C = -3.8
|Jun record low C = 1.1
|Jul record low C = 3.7
|Aug record low C = 3.0
|Sep record low C = -1.2
|Oct record low C = -6.6
|Nov record low C = -8.6
|Dec record low C = -14.4
|Jan high C = 5.5
|Feb high C = 6.8
|Mar high C = 11.4
|Apr high C = 16.3
|May high C = 19.5
|Jun high C = 23.4
|Jul high C = 25.1
|Aug high C = 24.2
|Sep high C = 20.7
|Oct high C = 15.4
|Nov high C = 9.8
|Dec high C = 6.3
| year high C = 15.4
|Jan mean C = 2.8
|Feb mean C = 3.3
|Mar mean C = 6.4
|Apr mean C = 10.0
|May mean C = 13.4
|Jun mean C = 17.1
|Jul mean C = 18.8
|Aug mean C = 18.2
|Sep mean C = 14.6
|Oct mean C = 10.9
|Nov mean C = 6.8
|Dec mean C = 3.6
| year mean C = 10.5
|Jan low C = 0.0
|Feb low C = -0.2
|Mar low C = 1.3
|Apr low C = 3.6
|May low C = 7.3
|Jun low C = 10.8
|Jul low C = 12.4
|Aug low C = 12.1
|Sep low C = 8.5
|Oct low C = 6.4
|Nov low C = 3.7
|Dec low C = 0.9
| year low C = 5.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 89.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 70.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 62.3
|Apr precipitation mm = 47.2
|May precipitation mm = 68.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 77.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 62.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 81.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 46.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 72.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 75.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 104.0
|year precipitation mm = 857.0
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 13.8
| Feb precipitation days = 11.6
| Mar precipitation days = 10.9
| Apr precipitation days = 8.6
| May precipitation days = 10.9
| Jun precipitation days = 9.2
| Jul precipitation days = 9.6
| Aug precipitation days = 10.9
| Sep precipitation days = 7.1
| Oct precipitation days = 10.0
| Nov precipitation days = 12.4
| Dec precipitation days = 14.2
| year precipitation days =129.2
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=8145001
|title=Normales et records pour Douzy (08)
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>}}

==See also==
* [[Communes of the Ardennes department]]
* [[CS Sedan Ardennes]], [[football (soccer)|football]] club based in Sedan
* [[French Towns and Lands of Art and History]]
* [[Sedan chair]]
* [[Stade Louis Dugauguez]], a multi-use stadium in Sedan

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sedan}}
* [http://www.sedan.fr Sedan city council website] {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040225141639/http://www.onwar.com/maps/wwii/blitz/1fsedan40.htm The German breakthrough in 1940]
* [http://www.fortified-places.com/sedan.html Webpage about the fortifications of Sedan]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080131140938/http://battlefieldseurope.co.uk/sedan.aspx Article on the Battle of Sedan at 'Battlefields Europe']

{{Ardennes communes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sedan, Ardennes| ]]
[[Category:1424 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:1420s establishments in France]]
[[Category:Communes of Ardennes (department)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1420s]]
[[Category:Subprefectures in France]]
[[Category:Champagne (province)]]
[[Category:Ardennes communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Vauban fortifications in France]]