Le Fondry (c) J. Wallemacq

Nature Park Viroin Hermeton

Nature Park Viroin Hermeton

The Viroin Hermeton Nature Park is located in the Ardennes and Calestienne, on the border with the Ardennes Regional Nature Park.

Landscape of the nature park Viroin Hermeton (c) T. Biard

The authenticity of the rural heritage

 

The Viroin-Hermeton Nature Park includes all the territories of the communes of Couvin, Philippeville and Viroinval, it is 48,350 hectares of exceptional landscapes.

 

If you enjoy the tranquility of a generous nature, if you are a gourmet of enchanting landscapes, if you like the authenticity of the rural heritage, then walk on our paths, walk the thread of the memory of the men and the nature and discover the soul of a country.

Forest of Couvin (c) Jean Pierre Padovani
Sautour Porte du Midi (c) Luc Selleslagh
the bell tower bridge (c) T. Vigneron
From Philippeville to Samart (c) Luc Selleslagh
Landscape of the nature park Viroin Hermeton(c) P. Potie

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The Viroin Hermeton Nature Park is rich in sub-Mediterranean fauna and flora that are astonishing and diverse, with exceptional and varied landscapes. The density of Natura 2000 areas and nature reserves is the highest in Belgium, which fully justifies its recognition as a natural park. This area includes about four hundred karst phenomena (caves, adugeoirs, "fondrys" ...), limestone hills and a particular vegetation with many wild orchids.

Flora, nature park Viroin Hermeton(c) Philippe Derselle Flora, nature park Viroin Hermeton (c) Anne Chantrenne

The flora that covers the natural areas of Wallonia is very rich and some varieties have unique characteristics. So, did you know that Sphagnum, a kind of star-shaped moss, can absorb up to 25 times its weight in water! It is found in peatlands and plays an important role in resistance to pressures on ecosystems.

 

The linaigrettes are plants that are specific to wetlands. These are spring-like seeds that strangely resemble cotton, which gives completely unpublished landscapes.

The park is home to several species emblematic on its territory

limestone lawns (c) Thérèse Cambier

The park in numbers

Area: 48,350 ha
3 cities: Couvin, Viroinval and Philippeville
Number of sites Natura 2000: 13
Number of landscape units: 5
Marked hiking trail: 724 km
Marked mountain bike trail: 189 km
Specifics of natural environments: Ardennes forest massif, maple grove, alder, calcareous beech, white beech forest, oak charmaia, buxay, peat swamp, cavities and slate, rivers and wetlands, rocky escarpments, limestone drylands, shisteuses, dolomitic ...
Symbolic species: Black Woodpecker, Greater Horseshoe Bat, Corncrake, Crested Newt, Red-backed Shrike, Osprey, Black Stork, Wild Orchids (and especially the Two-leafed Fringed Orchid)

More infos

Natural Park Viroin Hermeton, Rue d'Avignon 1, B-5670 Viroinval
Tel.: +32 (0) 60 39 17 90
secretariat@pnvh.be
www.pnvh.be (available in french)