Direction to Belgium, in one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe, which remains yet unknown. The valley of the Meuse, crosses Wallonia from the south to the north, then from west to east. In its first part, this is the scenery still wildlife that the river has eroded into steep cliffs. Then, the valley bears witness to the industrial past of the region. The whole is discovered through the RAVeL (Autonomous Network of Slow roads), a set of paths that Wallonia reserve for pedestrians and cyclists. Along the Meuse, it is mainly tow paths and a few old tracks refurbished. We can thus follow the course of the Meuse from the French border at Givet, up to the border of the netherlands on the side of Maastricht.
also read : a short guide to prepare for its first adventure to véloUn heritage exceptionnelPassage in the village of Anseremme . WBT / Christine Masuy
The river Meuse between Belgium and the south of the country, at the doors of Ardenne. Once left Givet , you follow the river on its left bank through the commune of Hastière . In a corner of greenery, we see first the abbey-church Saint-Pierre, and then, at the end of a meander, the château de Waulsort . In this village, we always find a smuggler to water, which takes its tray along the cable to the arm strength. This public service is assured from 1871 to allow the inhabitants to move from one bank to the other.
The limestone cliffs facing the castle of Freÿr. Christine Masuy
Stay on the left bank to cross the one of the most spectacular of the valley, with its high limestone cliffs. The place is one of the favorite spots of the mountaineers of the flat country. It is in this grandiose setting that appears in the castle of Freÿr , which is classified as exceptional Heritage of Wallonia. You approach then d’ Anseremme , and then you see the Bayard Rock that marks the entrance to Dining .
tunes card postaleLa collegiate church and the citadel of Dinant. WBT / Anibal Trejo
Hemmed in the valley, Dining has the air of a post card. The city is very popular among tourists. It comes from the whole world because it is here that is born Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the… saxophone. Dinant is also the last town on the meuse to have a cable car. The top of the citadel, the view of the valley will enjoy the path traveled upstream… and the one that you have to discover by following the river. The output of Dinant, on the right bank, lies the discreet abbaye de Leffe . His silhouette is familiar with the logo of the beer of the same name, even if it is not brewed there. A little further, you’re not dreaming, these are a few hectares of vineyards on hillsides. That is fifteen years, vineyards have returned to life in the region.
Here the valley is wider, but it remains steep. At the top of a rocky outcrop are the ruins of an old medieval castle : Poilvache . On the other side, we visit the Gardens of Annevoie and water games. You then go Godinne and its lovely villas in the meuse region, and then Profondeville whose name foreshadows the terrain. The river Meuse winds its way and it will lead you to Wépion , a village renowned for its cultivation of strawberries. In season, there floats a perfume that does not mislead the foodies.
Change of capNamur with the Vauban citadel built at the confluence of the Sambre and the Meuse. Simon Schmitt / Wallonia unusual
half-A-dozen kilometres later, here we are, Namur . Dominated by the citadel of Vauban built at the confluence of the Sambre and the Meuse, Namur is the capital of Wallonia. Its institutions are installed to both sides of the river. On the left bank of the Parliament , opposite the Presidency nicknamed “the Élysette”. Namur is a charming small town, largely pedestrianised. From there, the course of the Meuse, leaving its south-north axis to take you from west to east. The river separates the Hesbaye Condroz .
This change of direction comes a change of scenery. We press it as soon as the output of Namur, on the road d’ Andenne , in the sight of a shipyard and careers. Because soon, we will leave the province de Namur, belgium for one of Cork , and its coal basin. Victor Hugo described this metamorphosis of the landscape during a trip in the region in the summer of 1840 : “After Andenne, the mountains diverge, the valley becomes plain, the Meuse goes away from the road through the prairies. The landscape is still beautiful, but one sees there appearing a little too often in the chimney of the plant, this sad obelisk of our industrial civilization…”
iron and Steel industry and cristallerieÀ Huy, the collegiate church and the fort. FT, Province of Liège
Before beginning the most industrial of the trip, we made a stop in another city on the meuse, fortified : Huy . The name may sound unmistakable to the ears of the lovers of the bike… The Wall of Huy is one of the mountain passes of the cycling classics. With a height of 128 meters and a length of 1.3 km, it is almost a 10% slope. In his section the most difficult, it is even 26% ! Don’t worry, the Mur de Huy is not on your itinerary. You continue to follow the river Meuse and, as had been noticed Hugo, she then loses in the campaign. You made an incursion into the villages of Ramioul and Ivoz-Ramet before reaching Seraing , country of Cockerill and iron and steel. It is also here that is located the cristallerie du Val Saint Lambert . Still a few strokes of the pedals and Cork offer to you.
Installed at the leading edge of the port of yachts in Cork, the Diver and to his bow, (1939) is the work of the Romanian sculptor Idel Ianchelevici. Eric Martin / Le Figaro
You cross the parc de la Boverie , you follow the recent Tower Finance – the tallest building in Wallonia, and you’re in the heart of the ardent City. With his quartiers lively at any time of the day and night, Cork is worthy of its name. At the exit of the city, your itinerary continues on to the RAVeL of the river Meuse and the Albert Canal – the channel that connects Cork to the port of Antwerp and the North sea. Your journey is coming to its end. You go through Covered , the last city of wallonia, before arriving at the complex lock of Lanaye , lying on the border between Belgium and the netherlands. Maastricht is a small ten kilometres away, but it is another trip…
read also : The time found in the waters of SpaLa “Meuse à vélo”, info pratiquesÀ Profondeville, on the RAVeL between Dinant and Namur. WBT / Bruno D Alimonte
DIFFICULTY
The complete itinerary allows to follow the river Meuse through belgium, Wallonia, on 147 km . The greater part of the journey is plotted in its own site, away from car traffic. It is most often towpaths. These paths are flat, and their coating generally smooth. The course is therefore suitable for cyclists of all levels and of all ages. It is accompanied by a specific signaling “Meuse à vélo”. It is particularly useful when it comes to move from one bank to another or crossing a city.
PREPARATION
On the web site of the RAVeL, the route is divided into 5 steps, so as to browse between 24 and 40 km per day. For each step, the site puts at your disposal the itinerary explained, a map GPS/GPX, a series of practical information (where to stay, where to eat), as well as other bike rides possible in the corner.
TOURISM
If you wish to complete the route by bike with visits to the most touristic, consult visitwallonia.be, the site for the promotion of tourism wallonia.
IN ADDITION
This route along the river Meuse through belgium, Wallonia, is part of the route EuroVelo 19. This road follows the river Meuse from its source at Pouilly-en-Bassigny on the plateau of Langres in France, to its mouth in the North sea, near Rotterdam in the netherlands. On its portion of belgium, the course will essentially be in its own site, in close proximity to the river. We find a configuration quite similar in the French Ardennes with the green Track Trans-Ardennes, a bike path that follows the Meuse river on the old towpath between Sedan, Charleville-Mézières and Givet. But the progression is not anywhere as quiet. Upstream, there are even places where the course of the river is underground.
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