226 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp271–3 and pp297–9

Durbuy, sheltered by the forested Ardennes, often cited as one of the prettiest towns in Belgium

Arrays of stalactites on the ceiling

of Grottes de Hotton

Durbuy i

17 km (11 miles) S of Modave. Road
Map E3. * 10,700. @ n Place
aux Foires 25; (086) 212428. http://www.
durbuyinfo.be

Established by charter in 1331,
Durbuy is built on an intimate
scale and calls itself the world’s
smallest town. Its cobbled
streets of stone houses wind
down to a bridge over the
River Ourthe under the gaze
of an 18th-century château.
The main visitor attraction,
the Parc des Topiaires, takes
the art of topiary to surreal
extremes: the box-tree hedges
here have been sculpted into
250 subjects including croco-
diles, birds, a mermaid, and
even the Manneken-Pis.

Environs
Near Wéris, 7 km (4 miles) to
the southeast, there are two
dolmens and many menhirs
and megaliths dating back to
the Neolithic era. There is
also a Musée des Mégalithes.

Y Parc des Topiaires

Rue Haie Himbe 1. Tel (086)

219075. 
        

        Feb–Dec: daily. & 7

        
        

• http://www.topiairesdurbuy.be

spur known as the Deister.

Destroyed by the Austrians

in the late 18th century, the

château provides a dramatic

backdrop when illuminated

at night during the summer

months. The pottery museum,

Les Grès de la Roche, explains

the history and practicalities

of making traditional blue

stoneware, called grès. It

also covers local culinary

traditions, most notably the

manner of curing hams to

make jambon d’Ardennes.

La Roche was damaged by

bombing during the Battle of

the Bulge (see p231). This

action is remembered in a

collection of uniforms, weap-

ons, vehicles, photographs

and maps in the Musée de la

Bataille des Ardennes.

Environs

River Ourthe winds through

one of the most beautiful

valleys in the Ardennes. The

most scenic stretch runs from

Houffalize, 25 km (16 miles)

east of La Roche, to Liège,

95 km (59 miles) north of La

Roche. Kayaking is a popular

pursuit here and equipment

can be rented at La Roche

and other locations.

P Château Féodal

Rue du Vieux Château 4. Tel (084)

411342. 
        

        daily (Nov–Mar: Mon–Fri).

        
        

        & = http://www.chateaudelaroche.be
        E Les Grès de la Roche
        Rue Rompré 28. Tel (084) 411878.

        
        

        Apr–Oct: Tue–Sun; Nov–Mar:

        
        

        Mon–Fri. & 9 0 http://www.gdlr.be
        E Musée de la Bataille
        des Ardennes
        Rue Chamont 5. Tel (084) 411725.

        
        

        Apr–Dec: Wed–Sun; Jan–Mar:

        
        

        Sat & Sun. 7 http://www.batarden.be

        
        

caves. Over the millennia, the

river has carved out chasms,

which are draped with stalac-

tites, stalagmites and sculptural

concretions and mineral for-

mations of the utmost delicacy.

Staircases and walkways lead

down through a series of illu-

minated chambers to Belgium’s

largest cave gallery – 200 m

(656 ft) long and 35 m (115 ft)

high. The gardens at the head

of the cave have a path lead-

ing to fine views of the area.

Grottes de

Hotton o

11 km (7 miles) S of Durbuy.
Road Map E3. Tel (084) 466046.
@ # Apr–Oct: daily; Nov–Mar:
Sat and Sun. 8 - = http://www.
grottesdehotton.be

Located on the River Ourthe,
Hotton has some of the area’s
most impressive limestone

La Roche-en-

Ardenne p

16 km (10 miles) SE of Hotton.

Road Map E3. * 4,300. @

n Place du Marché 15; (084)

367736. http://www.coeurdelardenne.be

Set in a deep valley on a loop

of the River Ourthe, La Roche

provides an attractive base for

exploring the Ardennes. The

grim ruins of the imposing

11th–12th-century Château

Féodal (Feudal Castle) over-

look the town from a rocky