Sedan
197 km
Tuesday 8 September
© ville de Margny-lès-Compiègne
Margny existed in prehistoric and then Gallo-Roman times, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that it acquired its present-day name. Situated one hour away from Paris, close to Compiègne and to Roissy and Beauvais-Tillé airports, and presenting the additional attraction of a magnificent forest, Margny enjoys all the quality features of a « happy Provincial » locality and, nestled in the heart of the Oise, is a vibrant and developing town.
Spanning 700 hectares and with a headcount of close to 8,000 inhabitants, Margny, the second largest town in the Compiègne Regional Urban Area, counts 55 clubs and associations.
Margny is an exceptionally dynamic city that has been modernized with the construction of the Jean Moulin Multimedia Library and its Regional Collection of Children’s Books, but also the Marcel Guérin leisure centre, the Gérard Ségura City Stadium, football stadiums, the Edith Piaf municipal centre and restaurant, and the Youth Club and associations. New neighbourhoods are also being created in the town.
Margny remains faithful to the local saying: « A flourishing city, a forward-moving city ».
© Ville de Sedan
Positioned at the crossroads of northern Europe’s major transport routes, Sedan is the second largest town in the Ardennes. With its high-speed rail station (TGV), the A34 motorway and bordering the River Meuse, the town boasts a privileged geographical location that situates it only a few hours away from all major European hubs. A position that favours economic development, sustained by a municipal renovation project committed to a fourth remodelling of the city’s urban environment and to building a Sedan set to embrace the 21st century.
Sedan is, however, primarily 20,000 Sedanais (native inhabitants) who love sport. Of course the town boasts the CS Sedan-Ardennes football squad, cheered on by the locals at the Louis Dugauguez Stadium, but a wide choice of sporting disciplines is also available to Sedan’s 4,000 licence holders, via its 60 sports clubs.
In Sedan, the arrival of a cycling competition is always a major event. Following the Tour de France in 2003 and the French Cyclo-Cross Championships in 2006, the Sedanais are delighted to welcome the 2009 Tour de l’Avenir.
