Tintigny, Habay, Etalle (Tintigny, Habay, Etalle )
À Tintigny
A - Walking
The ‘Seignory of Vilmont’ walk
The Seignory of Vilmont walk clearly reflects this region, fluctuating as it does between the Ardennes and Gaume. The passage through the wood is superb and leads to Vilmont Castle which, despite that fact that it now look like a small manor house, was totally destroyed in 1914.
Practical details
Distance: 6 km
Waymarking: red triangle
Difficulty: easy
Time: 1.30 h
Start: place de Tintigny, follow the signs towards Bellefontaine.
Wist u dit?
A few kilometres away, in neighbouring Rossignol Castle, the Countess Van der Straeten welcomed the Red Cross: two hundred wounded soldiers were tended there during a battle in August 1914. Today, this castle is pervaded by the sound of blues during the Gaume Jazz Festival.
À Rulles
B - Meet and savour - The traditional brewery in Rulles
In the Ardenne of yesteryear, breweries were integral parts of the landscape, as it is the case for rivers and forests, which are immutable. Each village had its own brewery. Therefore, in Belgium, there were more than 3000 of them! Fortunately, this heritage did not break and went through the tribulations of history. Nowadays, some young brewers took up the challenge and brew refined beers of good quality. An obstinate guy from Tournai decided in 2000 to revive that tradition by creating “the Rulles”. The adventure starts with the lager “Rulles”, a non- filtered refreshing beer with a second fermentation in the bottle. The yeast comes from Orval, seed of numerous Luxembourg beers… With experience, the brewery produces the “Triple” and the “Estivale” that achieve great export success, thanks to their high hop content in particular. Thanks to breweries such as “the Rulles”, the Gaume becomes a land of brewing again.
Blonde, Brune, Triple, Estivale, Meilleurs Vœux or Grande Dix: the master brewer settled here in the year 2000 for the quality of the water. Why not pre-book a visit with a tasting session, and he’ll tell you of his passion for his work with enthusiasm and good humour.
More information :
rue Maurice Grévisse, 36 - 6724 Habay
+32(0)63/41.18.38
À Marbehan
C - The Mellier Forges
1716. The heart of the great forest reverberated with the deafening sound of hammers and stamps pounding iron at the Mellier forge. Beside it, the blast furnace, devourer of charcoal, rose to over 1,400 degrees. For over 140 years, the forge had been consuming this vast forest, not to mention those of Rulles and Habay, nearby. It took over 65,000 steres a year - far too much. The forest was battered, emptied. The blacksmiths had exaggerated. Further to the north, coal from the Liège and Charleroi basins sounded the death knell for these Ardennes forges.
Did you know?
In 1854, the forest code promulgated the reforestation of the Ardennes forest, which had virtually disappeared by then: unfortunately, too many spruce trees were planted, a species unknown at the time…
Walking
The Mellier forges are silent now. Nature took its revenge, cutting off the site. The forest is once again luxuriant, as you will see along the ‘Mellier Forges’ walk, starting from the village.
Practical details
Distance: 9 km
Waymarking: yellow triangle
Difficulty: average
Time: 3 hrs
Start: from Marbehan railway station
Reception and tourist information site:
Syndicat d'initiative de Marbehan – www.marbehan.be
À Habay
D - The Mageroy site
Habay is home to several Roman remains: the Gallo-Roman villa of Mageroy lies between Nantimont and Habay-la-Vieille, on the Mageroy plateau. A major Gallo-Roman farmstead (villa) once stood just here, occupied from the first to the fourth century AD. It included several rooms for the master of the house, workshops, a well… and a lime kiln a few dozen metres from the villa.
www.villamageroy.com
Walking
Six walks with an audio guide can be downloaded from the website www.parcnaturel.be using an iTunes application. Listen to the history of Habay and the surrounding area as you enjoy the Mageroy walk.
À Habay
E - The valley of iron
Habay’s hour of glory came in the 17th and 18th centuries thanks to the iron industry and the forges of La Trapperie, the Pont d’Oye, Châtelet and Bologne. The abundant forest near Rulles provided fuel for the forges (charcoal), while the river supplied hydraulic power. As the forest was exploited, people settled in remote villages at the heart of the woods.
Did you know?
The decline of Habay iron, once exported throughout Europe, began in the first half of the 19th century with technological progress. The steam engine replaced hydraulic power and coke supplanted charcoal. From then on, minerals were worked where they were extracted: Athus, Longwy and Seraing were, in turn, to enjoy their hour of glory…
Walking
Go through the courtyard of a castle
During this walk, you will come across this industrial heritage that remains very much part of the landscape and of this superb forest – what a contrast! The pools of water created for the forges have now become magnificent, peaceful lakes that radiate an atmosphere of romance. As does Pont d’Oye Castle, where you can delight in passing through the porch and across the inner courtyard!
Tip
As well as stepping back into the industrial past of Habay-la-Neuve, the highlight of this hike comes as you go through the courtyard of Pont d’Oye Castle, now a charming hotel.
Practical details
Distance: 7 km
Waymarking: red rectangle
Difficulty: easy
Time: 2.30 hrs
Start: Go behind the town hall, ‘Le Chatelet’, and then walk alongside the first lake.
Did you know?
The fate of the Marquis of Pont d’Oye is more than a legend. It is an illustration of the insouciance displayed by the wealthy forge owners who were unable to grasp the significance of the economic upheaval that occurred at the end of the 18th century. The Marquis Du Bost-Moulin and his wife succeeded in squandering a small fortune in the space of about twenty years.
Meet and savour
Jean le Chocolatier
Besides plain, white and milk chocolate, this craftsman creates chocolates with herb teas and aperitif chocolates. Others can be savoured with a fine regional beer…
À Habay
F - Reception and tourist information site:
Syndicat d'initiative 'Portail de Lorraine'
rue du Luxembourg, 3 - 6720 Habay-la-Neuve
+32 (0)63/42.22.37
info@habay-tourisme.be
Open :
every day in July and August from 2pm to 6pm
others months : from Tuesday to Saturday from 2pm to 6pm
Syndicat d’initiative du Grand Etalle – www.sietalle.be
À Etalle
G - Reception and tourist information site
Syndicat d'initiative du Grand Etalle
rue du Moulin, 20 - 6740 Etalle
+32 (0)63/45.67.87
si.etalle@skynet.be
Open every day of the week from 9am to 1pm
From 15th July to 15th August, also open during weekends : from 10am to midday and from 2pm to 4pm
À Léglise
H - Reception and tourist information site
Office du tourisme de Léglise
rue du Luxembourg, 46 - 6860 Léglise
+32 (0)63/57.23.52
o.t.leglise@gmail.com
- Summer Holidays : from Tuesday to Sunday based to flexible schedule.
- the rest of the year : open on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday based to flexible schedule
- on Sunday durins Christmas and Easter holidays from 9am to 1pm
À Tintigny
I - Reception and tourist information site
Syndicat d'initiative de Tintigny
grand'rue, 76 - 6730 Tintigny
Tél. : +32 (0)63/44.02.11
ingrid.schrondweiler@tintigny.be
Open all year round from Monday to Friday from 8am to 11am
From 15th July to 15th August : open everyday
