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W7 Sur la route des Ardennes
Expert
207 km
De Lanaye (Visé) à Bouillon
The W7 long-distance regional route crosses the provinces of Liège and Luxembourg from north to south. As you go along, you will wonder at three of the loveliest valleys in Wallonia.
You start your journey on the RAVeL along the banks of the Meuse between Visé, the city of the goose, and Liège, nicknamed the Cité Ardente, reflecting its warm, welcoming and lively atmosphere. You then follow the winding Ourthe river through Durbuy, known as the world’s smallest city. As you approach La Roche-en-Ardenne, an unmissable part of any tourist stay in the region, steep-sided valleys abound in fascinating aquatic and floral life. Crossing the very heart of the Ardennes, you reach Bouillon and the Semois valley.
In addition to a beautiful natural landscape of great geological and heritage value, the Ourthe valley offers you the opportunity to explore the remains of its old canal and its locks, as well as typical and often well-restored homes bearing witness to the quality of life here in the past. The further south you go, the more the forests and picturesque villages tempt you to daydream, enveloping yourself in ancestral legends. Your journey ends in the land of Lord Godfrey of Bouillon, first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
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Route Stages : W7 Sur la route des Ardennes5
De Lanaye (Visé) à Liège (stage 1)
On the Meuse RAVeL
This stage runs mainly along its own safe path, starting at the Lanaye lock complex. Thanks to the new wide lock, 9,000-tonne boats can now pass between the inland waterway networks of Belgium and the Netherlands.
On your right is the ‘tranchée de Caster’, a wide cut through the limestone at the foot of the Montagne Saint-Pierre nature reserve. On your left, the Frayères de Lanaye natural site is the perfect place to relax. It is worth mentioning that in May 1940, the German troops entered Belgium through this region. The marks of this invasion are still clear to see in the forts of Eben-Emael and Aubin-Neufchâteau.
Family
24 km
De Liège à Durbuy (stage 2)
On the Ourthe RAVeL and connecting cycle paths
Starting from Liège, known as the Cité Ardente owing to its warm, welcoming, lively atmosphere, you can enjoy a breath of fresh air along the rural route that follows the curves of the Ourthe river. The RAVeL takes you as far as Comblain-la-Tour, a former jazz hot spot.
You will discover outstanding rocky massifs such as the Rochers-du-Bout-du-Monde or the Roche-aux-Faucons while flirting with the remains of the old Ourthe canal, a project that began in the early 19th century and was to link the Meuse to the Rhine via the eastern Ourthe, the Frayne, the Woltz, the Sûre and the Moselle. If you wish, you can stop in Esneux, Hamoir or Barvaux, all three tourist centres with dwellings typical of the region.
Expert
64 km
De Durbuy à La-Roche-en-Ardenne (stage 3)
The pearl of the Ardennes
Starting from Durbuy, the world’s smallest city, you leave behind you a particularly well preserved historic centre with buildings of limestone from the region’s quarries. You can admire the superb landscapes sculpted by the Ourthe, a peaceful river that still resounds with tales and legends of the Ardennes.
Medium
33 km
De La-Roche-en-Ardenne à Libramont (stage 4)
On the minor roads of the Ardennes
A last look at the mysterious La Roche and you head off through steep-sided valleys and wooded hills towards Erneuville and its vast grassy plateaux. You follow a pleasant route with a gentle slope along the delightful Ry de Bronze.
Medium
48 km
De Libramont à Bouillon (stage 5)
On the minor roads of the Ardennes
Along this final stage you leave Libramont, a small provincial town where life is good, to unwind in the heart of the Ardennes. Quaint villages with old shale and sandstone farms are dotted all along the way and from time to time, the smell of salted foods and Ardennes game will make your mouth water.
As you go through Offagne and Fays-les-Veneurs, you enter Paliseul, a haven of peace renowned for its local products, which invites you to make a gourmet stop.
Medium
37 km
