A living heritage, past and present!

Chaumont, city of the Counts of Champagne

Castle keep
Viaduct
National Centre for Graphic Design
Grand Pardon

In Chaumont, the ancient city of the Counts of Champagne, history is told through the façades and buildings of the town centre, and is perpetuated through festivals such as the Grand Pardon.
The French capital of graphic design has been welcoming graphic designers from all over the world for over 20 years. Meet them at the poster festival, now a biennial event, and on the walls of Le Signe, its Centre National du Graphisme. They give the city an international reputation.
On its doorstep, nature offers a wide choice of outdoor activities, on land or in the water. Come and discover them all. Good food and cosy beds, we'll welcome you and share with you the treasures of our heritage and our land.

Visit the historic centre of Chaumont

Chaumont, the "Bald Mountain", has stood on its rocky spur since the 11th century.

Climb to the top of the Comtes de Champagne keep. From the top of its 45 m, it still watches over the Suize valley.

The turret trail takes you back in time to the Middle Ages. Look out for the staircases leading out of the buildings. Cramped between the town's ramparts, the bourgeoisie made the most of their floor space.

As a lover of religious heritage, admire the masterpieces of the Basilique Saint Jean-Baptiste and the Jesuit chapel.
Finish your historic tour with one of the most remarkable engineering structures of the second half of the 19th century in Europe: the viaduct. Its first floor is open to visitors.

Photo, © Donjon-Chaumont - Richard Pelletier

Le Signe

National Centre for Graphic Design

Open the doors of the first permanent venue devoted to graphic design in France! Since 2016, Le Signe, Centre National du Graphisme, has been drawing on a collection of 45,000 documents, including the best works of recent decades, to organise exhibitions several times a year.

Workshops, training courses and artist residencies also contribute to the development of the discipline. This work has been recognised by the award of the "Centres d'art contemporain d'intérêt national" label in 2020.

Landmark events

The International Graphic Design Biennial

Come and discover the graphic arts at the International Graphic Design Biennial. Since 2016, this international competition has brought together graphic designers from all over the world. Each work submitted is kept and added to the 45,000 posters on display at Signe, the Centre National du Graphisme.

For several months, Chaumont will be alive with a host of events: conferences, exhibitions, guided tours, summer universities, etc. It's the perfect time to discover the town from a very contemporary angle.

The Grand Pardon

Chaumont has been celebrating the Grand Pardon since 1475. The Grand Pardon? A plenary indulgence granted by Pope Sixtus IV to all those who went to confession and took communion in the collegiate church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Chaumont when 24 June, Saint John the Baptist's Day, fell on a Sunday.

From a religious festival, the event has become a cultural highlight of Chaumont's heritage. Lectures, walks, shows, historical re-enactments, knights in combat, concerts, workshops... Come and take part in the next edition. It will take place in... 2029!

The Medieval Festival

Every two years, alternating with the Grand Pardon, Chaumont's Medieval Festival brings the Counts of Champagne back to life. The streets of old Chaumont are transformed into a living medieval village. Feast in the company of troubadours, villagers, craftsmen and acrobats!

A wide choice of sports and leisure activities

Quality of life is a concept that makes sense here.

Surrounded by nature, Chaumont enjoys a privileged setting, far from the stress of the big cities.

Just outside the town, the Corgebin forest is criss-crossed by 9, 12 and 20 km hiking trails. You can take them on foot or on horseback. The Cercle hippique stables offer rides. You might just come across a roe deer, a wild boar or a squirrel...

On the water, the Ancre association offers boat trips to discover the canal between Champagne and Burgundy. The nautical centre brings together volunteers for kayaking, slalom, hiking and freestyle activities.

In town, the Palestra centre is the venue for aquasport activities. A swimming pool and relaxation area, it is also a multi-purpose hall that hosts sporting events and shows.

Where to stay?

Our selection of accommodation

Put your bags down in Chaumont for a stopover or a holiday. Charming hotel, bed and breakfast or campsite, choose as you wish.

Opt for the authentic charm of a former coaching inn at Les Remparts or the fresh vintage decor, comfort and design of the Ibis Style.

Do you prefer the charm of a bed and breakfast? The " Côté donjon " suite in an 18th-century town house should be just the thing. Unless you prefer the leafy setting of the Corniche gîte, on the edge of the woods.

In the town centre or in the Chaumont countryside, you have a wide choice of accommodation.

Our specialities and good food

Food lovers, have you discovered the Chaumont ideal? Made with an almond meringue and praline cream, this cake is a speciality of the town and can be sampled in the town's many patisseries.

The forests around Chaumont are teeming with game, which you'll find on restaurant menus. Some even serve Haute-Marne truffles in season.
At Les Remparts, you'll enjoy fine, tasty home-cooked cuisine.

Gastronomic or "à la bonne franquette", discover all our fine restaurants.

Organise your getaway

Where to sleep, where to eat, what to do?

From the must-sees to the best walks, we'll point you in the direction of our favourite activities. Visiting for several days? Discover our accommodation and restaurants: in the heart of nature, by the water or in the heart of a historic town, all you have to do is choose.