Page 67 - Traveling 71 eng

The Ardennes Forest:
the great lung of the
south
Everything in Wallonia begins and
ends with its forests. The Arden-
nes, with their gentle hills covered
in oaks and beeches, have long
served as refuge and frontier, a
backdrop for tales of smugglers,
soldiers, and monks. Today, this
vast green expanse —the largest
in Belgium— offers hundreds of ki-
lometres of marked trails for unhu-
rried walks, immersing visitors in a
rich biodiversity that has withstood
the test of time.
The Parc Naturel des Hautes
Fagnes-Eifel, in the east, is the
natural jewel of the region. Its peat
bogs and open meadows are home
to species rarely found in Western
Europe, such as the capercaillie or
the black stork. The area is ideal for
birdwatching, nature photography,
and the simple pleasure of walking
in silence, hearing only the crunch
of leaves underfoot. Many of these
natural areas feature interpretation
centres, guided routes, and infor-
mative panels that invite visitors to
discover the importance of conser-
vation and ecological balance
Stone Villages, Time
Stilled
Wallonia is a land of small villa-
ges, almost frozen in an old post-
card. Durbuy, on the banks of
the Ourthe, proudly calls itself the
“smallest city in the world,” with its
cobbled streets and a castle rising
behind the river. Rochefort, La Ro-
che-en-Ardenne, Crupet, Dinant,
and Sohier preserve the traditional
architecture of low grey-stone hou-
ses, Romanesque churches, and
squares where markets still set the
rhythm of daily life.
Here, life moves to a different pace.
Breakfast is bread with butter and
local honey, conversations unfold
on sunny terraces, and devotion is
paid to artisan beer and cheese
ECO DESTINATION
Rural tourism, with family-run ac-
commodations and agrotourism ex-
periences, allows travellers to take
part in fruit harvesting, milking, or
working in the vegetable garden—
reviving a connection to the land that
seems forgotten elsewhere.
Green routes: Wallonia
by bike or rail bike
Exploring Wallonia by bicycle is the
best way to leave nothing behind.
The RAVeL network (Autonomous
Network of Slow Ways) repurpo-
ses old railway lines, towpaths, and
quiet rural roads, adapting them for
cyclists and walkers. It stretches
over 869 miles of greenways, all
well signposted, safe, and acces-
sible, winding through forests, va-
lleys, and villages.
Hiking trails of varying difficulty levels
Routes along old railway lines in unique draisines
The town of Durbay, listed as the smallest in the world
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