Ardon Gate

The Porte d'Ardon, in Laon

The Porte d'Ardon is one of the old fortified gates of Laon, a vestige of the ramparts of this former royal city. The Laon audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this witness of the medieval history of the town, formerly the favourite residence of the Carolingians.

The gate of the former royal city

If Laon is no longer among the great towns of France, it was nonetheless a royal city, favourite residence of the Carolingians, this dynasty that reigned over Europe in the early Middle Ages, of which Charlemagne was the most illustrious figure. Perched at the summit of a mound that dominates the plain, the town occupied an exceptional defensive position and was, at that time, one of the most important of the kingdom. The Porte d'Ardon, which opens the entrance of the city, is the old gate that controlled one of the accesses to the upper town, through its powerful ramparts. A vestige of the medieval fortifications that surrounded Laon, it testifies to the glorious and strategic past of the town. To cross this gate is to penetrate the perched historic city, with its old alleys and its remarkable heritage, foremost of which its famous cathedral. The gate recalls the time when Laon was a stronghold and a centre of power. A witness of the royal and medieval history, the Porte d'Ardon is a fine stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

Here you discover the old fortified gate that controlled one of the accesses to the upper town of Laon, a vestige of the powerful medieval ramparts of this royal city perched on its mound, favourite residence of the Carolingians and strategic stronghold of the kingdom, by which you penetrate the historic city and its remarkable heritage. The Porte d'Ardon is a witness of the history of Laon. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Porte d'Ardon lies at the entrance of the upper town of Laon, reachable on foot. It is an open-air vestige, freely accessible. You discover it during a walk along the ramparts and in the historic city.

What is the Porte d'Ardon in Laon?

The old fortified gate that controlled one of the accesses to the upper town of Laon, a vestige of the powerful medieval ramparts; it recalls the time when the town, perched on its mound and favourite residence of the Carolingians, was a strategic stronghold and a centre of power of the kingdom.

Where is the Porte d'Ardon in Laon?

At the entrance of the upper town of Laon, in France.