The municipal area of over 50 km² extends from the left bank of the Meuse in the east to the watershed in the west, which leads to the catchment area of the Seine. The Rocroi fortress lies at 380 meters above sea level, almost at the highest point in the municipality. The Maas tributary Eau Noire rises north of Rocroi, to the southwest the Sormonne, which also drains to the Meuse, and west of the Oise tributary Gland.
In order to be able to withstand the power of Charles V, the French King Henry II had Rocroi expanded into a fortress. As it is today, the community was then located on the border, at that time still to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
Battle of Rocroi
The Battle of Rocroi took place south of the city in 1643 as part of a long war between the French and the Spanish. Despite the majority of the Spanish troops, the Duke of Enghien, also known as the Grand Condé, managed to deal a crushing blow to the Spaniards. In 1653, however, the Spaniards were able to occupy Rocroi and hold it for six years. During this time, the Rocroi fortifications were further expanded.
The famous fortress builder Vauban had the town of Rocroi expanded and protected in 1675 in such a way that it received a five-pointed fortress wall in the shape of a star, which was a typical rampart for the time. Vauban created two entrances to the city: the Porte de Bourgogne in the northeast and the Porte de France in the southwest. The then French King Louis XIV stipulated that the Champagne would be protected against enemy troops in the future.
Source: Wikipedia