Torgny

À Torgny

A - The air of the south Voir sur la carte

You can almost hear the cicada! The magic of its micro-climate makes this a unique spot in Belgium. Protected from northern winds by the Ardennes massif and built on chalky soil that captures the heat, the village enjoys hours of sunshine that make it the envy of Belgians shrouded in grey. Standing halfway up a slope, Torgny spreads out in terraces. In the evening, the walls of the limestone houses are bathed in shades of gold. The red tiled roofs are inspired by the ‘imbrex’ - curved, overlapping tiles used by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. As in all Gaume villages, a space is left in front of the building: this was once occupied by the ‘usoir’ where wood for heating and manure were stored.

Did you know?

A real ‘wasps’ nest’: the wash house in Torgny has an odd name! When the village hummed with the noise of the beaters and the gossip of washerwomen, this was their ‘house of representatives’ or ‘wasps’ nest’….

Walking

The South walk

In Torgny, the Roman-tiled roofs radiate the sun. As soon as you approach, you can sense the magic of the micro-climate: it is so mild here! The route climbs due south and there, all becomes clear. The slopes stretch out before you. A winegrowing tradition, born in Roman times, continues today with the production of a delicious white wine. Here the walk enters the forest. Beech and oak reign supreme, unlike the spruce of the Ardennes. The rich, silty soil is ideal for selection forestry. In the wood, the path twists and turns, plunging down towards Lamorteau. Shortly afterwards, this lovely, southern walk draws to a close along a pretty, shady road.

Did you know? Thanks to its hours of sunshine, Torgny is home to sub-Mediterranean flora and fauna found nowhere else in Belgium. The nature reserve to the north of the village has chalky fields of grass where the mountain cicada, the blue-winged grasshopper, flit in and out among the finest orchids: a truly magic spot!

Practical details

Distance: 6.5 km

Waymarking: yellow rectangle

Difficulty: easy

Time: 2.30 hrs

Start: from the village square, go towards the nature reserve on the slopes of Torgny.

Did you know?

Thanks to its hours of sunshine, Torgny is home to sub-Mediterranean flora and fauna found nowhere else in Belgium. The nature reserve to the north of the village has chalky fields of grass where the mountain cicada, the blue-winged grasshopper, flit in and out among the finest orchids: a truly magic spot!

À Torgny

B - Savour

The wine of the south

The special geographic position of the Torgny hillside ensures an exceptionally warm, dry micro-climate. It is sheltered by the wooded ridge and faces due south, while the granular, chalky soil heats up very quickly in spring, retaining the heat until late in the autumn.

Did you know?

The current production of around 5,000 bottles comes from the ‘Poirier du Loup’ vineyard. The vines include Auxerrois, Pinot noir and Pinot blanc, 400 Chardonnay and 350 Rivaner, covering a total surface area of 90 ares.

À Torgny