Bazeilles lies at the outlet of a broad valley formed by the Meuse and its tributaries, the Chiers and Givonne, on the edge of the Ardennes Forest. The landscape provides a setting for two distinct discoveries: memorial sites connected with the history of 1870 and designated natural areas. As you plan your stay, these highlights can guide your choice of what to explore in Bazeilles.
The Musée de la dernière cartouche
The Musée de la dernière cartouche is housed in the former Auberge Bourgerie. A central feature of the permanent exhibition is the painting “La dernière cartouche,” which Alphonse de Neuville painted in 1873. The specific presentation may change. The museum’s collection also includes firearms, bladed weapons, helmets, equipment and mementos recovered from the battlefield.
A special place in the museum is the preserved room from which the famous “last shot” was fired. It has been kept in its original condition. The exhibition thus brings together a painting, objects from military life and a tangible historic space preserved from the past.
Memorial sites from 1870
The Ossuaire militaire de 1870 holds the remains of 998 French and 1,061 Bavarian soldiers who were killed on 31 August and 1 September 1870. The Croix de Mac-Mahon marks the spot where Marshal Mac-Mahon was wounded during the fighting on 1 September. The two sites commemorate different aspects of these events: the ossuary remembers the soldiers who were killed, while the cross marks the place where the marshal was wounded.
To access the crypt of the Ossuaire militaire de 1870, you must request the key at the Musée de la dernière cartouche. Check the arrangements before your visit, as this access procedure may change.
Church and château architecture
The new Église Saint-Martin is Neo-Gothic and was inaugurated on 28 April 1904. Its stained-glass windows depict the lives of Saint Martin and Saint Louis. One of the windows honours the soldiers who fell defending Bazeilles in 1870. In this way, the church connects its architecture with a remembrance that is also visible at other sites in the town.
The surviving remains of the Château de Turenne include a drawbridge, an elaborately decorated portal, a gallery with seven arches, two gardens surrounded by moats and a wall with 17 loopholes. The portal is listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. The château is privately owned and can be seen from the outside; check locally for access options before planning a visit.
Nature and waterways
According to an INPN entry dated 11 June 2025, Bazeilles is one of the communes that includes the ZNIEFF Type 1 “Forêt domaniale de Sedan et bois associés au nord de Pourru-aux-Bois et de Francheval.” The area is designated as a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive. Its forest and wetland habitats include areas of identified ecological interest for regionally protected plants as well as birds, amphibians, mammals and dragonflies. This information relates to the designated area and gives the natural environment its own significance alongside the memorial sites.
The AAPPMA “La Fraternelle” de Bazeilles lists public stretches of the Meuse, the Remilly diversion channel and the Ennemane, as well as a private stretch on the Givonne, as fishing waters. Check access and the applicable regulations before fishing.
Tours and planning your visit
The association Les amis du château de Lamécourt offers guided tours of the Château de Lamécourt. If you plan to visit, check the tour dates and booking arrangements before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Mouzon, Rancennes, Sedan, Bayonville, Donchery, Semuy, Vrigne-Aux-Bois, Fromelennes.
For the broader travel overview: Ardennes.
