Yvoir - Annevoie-Rouillon (The ruins of the medieval castle in Poilvache )

À Yvoir

A - Poilvache Fortress

The year is 1214. By building this fortress, the Count of Luxembourg aimed to control the territory of Luxembourg, the boundaries of which were defined in the Treaty of Dinant in 1199. This treaty put an end to the conflict between Namur and Luxembourg. Building a castle opposite the powerful Count of Namur, represented by Bouvignes fortress and the town of Dinant, which depended on the Principality of Liège, was quite a challenge! So he made sure he had the necessary means. On the rocky spur, he had a huge fortress built, encompassing a town and surrounded by ramparts stretching over 300 metres. Poilvache was considered to be a real “state fortress”, so powerful that it struck its own coins! But its life was fleeting. The claims of the Count of Luxembourg hardly pleased the Prince Bishop of Liège. In 1430, the people of Liège and the people of Dinant laid siege to Poilvache… The castle was pillaged and sacked. The walls were demolished and used as a quarry: a grievous fate for a fortress that caused all the earldoms of the Middle Ages to tremble.

Enter History

Did you know?

The Trojan horse was emulated…To enter the fortress without attracting the attention of the besieged, the soldiers are said to have covered themselves with cowhides and hidden among the cattle as they returned.

Walk

To realise the extraordinary power once wielded by Poilvache, leave the village of Houx at its feet and climb the limestone hillside.

Practical details
Distance: 3 km
Waymarking: red and blue rectangle leading downwards
Difficulty: easy
Duration: 1h
Start: Go through the village of Houx, towards the cemetery. The path climbs towards the cemetery, running alongside the nature reserve. From the summit, you can return to Houx by following the blue and red rectangles.

À Yvoir

B - The nature reserve Voir sur la carte

The nature reserve of Champalle-Poilvache covers 51 hectares on the southwest side of the rocky hill and on the wooded plateau. It has calcareous grassland and some of the plants found there normally grow in the South. A trail runs across the protected area and across the woods at the edge of the cliff.

À Annevoie

C - The gardens Voir sur la carte

Annevoie, Belgium’s only water garden, invites you to stroll through a permanent display where water flows, pours and gushes forth from the fountains and waterfalls that cover the gardens. In season: picking red fruits in the raspberry house, buying vegetables in the kitchen garden and discovering old rosebushes in the various borders ensure a superb day packed with enjoyment. The little ones will be delighted by a playground made entirely out of wood.

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