Liaison - Hierges - Vireux - Hargnies
À Hierges
A - The castle of Hierges Voir sur la carte
In the vicinity - HIERGES. The castle
Its paved streets blend in with the stone houses: Hierges is without doubt one of the loveliest villages in the Ardenne. Forming a backdrop, the castle, erected in the 9th century, became a Mosan Renaissance castle in the 16th century, characterised by its red bricks and blue stones. It was destroyed during the French Revolution. On the other side of the nearby roundabout, the pretty village of Aubrives on the Meuse is worth a brief visit…
08320 Hierges
Tel : 0033(0)3 24 41 75 94
Walk
From the entrance to the village, a path runs along the walls of the huge fortress. Return via the 13th-century mill and the village centre.
Guided tours of the castle / tourist office / groups / reservation.
Did you know?
This Mosan-style castle is an exact copy of Beauraing Castle in Belgium.
À Vireux-Molhain
B - Vireux : the Roman camp Voir sur la carte
Historians consider Mont Vireux to be the missing link in a little-known period that has left few traces. This oppidum represents a time when the world moved from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages: humanity changed radically as a result.
Guided tours of the camp / tourist office / groups / reservation.
75€
08320 Vireux molhain
Tel : 0033(0)3 24 42 92 42
Web : http://www.valdardennetourisme.com
Tip
The site can be accessed free of charge throughout the year. Explanatory panels tell of the various peoples who have occupied the site down the centuries. A short educational guide is available from the tourist office.
À Vireux-Molhain
C - St Ermel’s collegiate church Voir sur la carte
This building is said owe its existence too Pepin the Short who passed through the region in 762. Some even claim that he was buried here. It is adorned with a series of tombstones, a decor and furniture representative of the Italian renaissance, some admirable polychrome wooden statues dating from the 16th century and a 17th reredos.
Guided tours of the site / tourist office / groups / reservation
À Vireux-Wallerand
D - The castle
This 18th-century castle, in the Classical Mosan style, was built by the local lord in 1714, set within a sumptuous park. (Monument close to the public).
À Hierges
E - Meet and savour Voir sur la carte
La Causerie des Lilas
At the foot of the castle and in the heart of the medieval village of Hierges, this restaurant offers dishes created using local produce and an indescribable atmosphere
15€
30 rue Roger Renard
08320 Hierges
Tel : 0033(0)3 24 41 10 51
À Vireux-Wallerand
F - Reception and tourist information site
Office de Tourisme Val d'Ardenne Tourisme
Place du Château
08320 Vireux Wallerand
Tél. : +33 (0)3 24 42 92 42
À Hargnies
G - The butcher’s village Voir sur la carte
There are as many butchers’ shops as streets in the village of Hargnies! Since the time when the butchers came down into the valley in carts to sell their pigs, their fame has spread beyond the borders of the Ardennes. Half a century ago, there were 17 butchers; now there are just four, but they sell the most delicious boudin sausages and terrines.
À Hargnies
H - La Table du Pays Voir sur la carte
The village restaurant is renowned for its delicious recipes. Here, there is no need to travel 50 kilometres to offer menus based on fresh, local produce.
16€
11 rue des Gros Chênes
08170 Hargnies
Tel : 0033(0)3 24 40 42 46
Web : http://www.latabledupays.fr
À Les Hauts-Buttés
I - The Marshes Voir sur la carte
They add still further to the end-of-the-world atmosphere! Thirty hectares of nothing but moorland and peat. The peat bogs are covered in peat moss, which can hold over ten times its weight in water. This grandiose site is imbued with the scents of peat moors, bog bilberry, purple moor grass and common heather.
Did you know? Voir sur la carte
The Konik Polski breed of horse came from the Przewalski, the last wild horse in Europe. This rustic pony appreciates the cold climate of the plateau.
À Les Hauts-Buttés
J - The Celestial Chariot Voir sur la carte
Here we reach the peaks. Although it is not really very high, at 500 metres, the influence of the continental climate that pervades the area transforms the village of Les Hauts-Buttés into a high-altitude region. This is the end of the world. From the Celestial Chariot to the place called ‘Aux Six Chaînons’, the view over the forest is magnified. You can see for miles: no houses, no human presence disrupts the endless scene. It’s a landscape well worth seeing, and everyone will find their way: the forest that leads you there gives clear directions.
Walking Voir sur la carte
A waymarked walk leads to Croix Scaille through the remote villages of Vieux-Moulins-de-Thilay and La Neuville-aux-Haie: it is part of the Semoy network.