The Ardennes
The region known as the Ardennes stretches across
southern Belgium and into Luxembourg, France and
Germany. Located south of the River Meuse, it com-
prises forested hills and valleys cut by a network of
winding, picturesque rivers, notably the Lesse, Semois,
Ourthe and Amblève. Namur, Liège and Dinant are
the main urban centres, but the Ardennes is predomi-
nantly rural and sparsely populated, with river-basin
farms and small villages, and areas of upland pasture.
The Romans named this forested land after the local
Celtic goddess Arduinna. For centuries, it was a back-
water, but today its large expanses of unspoilt nature
attract numerous visitors who come to walk, cycle,
canoe or simply to motor and enjoy the views.174 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION
The River Meuse (see p206) forms the natural northern boundary
to the Ardennes region. This navigable waterway links the cities of
Dinant and Namur to Liège. Beyond that, it leads eventually to the
North Sea. When Wallonia was the centre of Belgium’s old heavy
industries, the river was a vital transport artery.Han-sur-Lesse (see p211) has the
best of the many caves that are
open to public. Over thousands
of years, water has drilled away
the limestone rock, creating
spectacular tunnels and galler-
ies dripping with stalactites.Kayaking (see p313) is a major holiday pursuit on rivers such
as the Semois, Amblève and Ourthe. Often too rocky for larger
boats, they provide excellent kayaking conditions as they
wind their way through steep, picturesque valleys.AN ASTONISHING LANDCAPE
Beauty and variety of landscape:
these are the principal attractions of
the Ardennes. In places, the rivers
and hills conspire to produce dra-
matic effects, as seen at the famous
Tombeau du Géant (The Giant’s
Tomb), a strangely regular wooded
hill almost encircled by a typically
extravagant loop of the River Semois.LOCATOR MAP
Ardennes.FV
TF(^4) FN
PJT
(^0) V
SU
IF
"N
CMÒWF
4 BN
CSF
BELGIUM
FRANCE LUX.
#SVTTFMT