The Ardennes are the green heart of Wallonia, a rolling landscape of dense deciduous forests, deep river valleys and villages with slate roofs. The region spreads across the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur and Liège, continuing into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and northern France. For anyone wanting to escape the crowds of Bruges and Brussels, this is Belgium at its most unspoilt: here deer and wild boar are part of the scenery, the air smells of moss and pine, and a medieval castle appears around every bend.
Rivers that shape the land
Three rivers give the Ardennes their character. The Meuse carves an impressive passage through the limestone cliffs at Dinant and Namur. The Semois winds in graceful loops through the forests around Bouillon, beloved by kayakers and photographers. And the Ourthe links the villages around La Roche-en-Ardenne, where the water runs low enough in summer to paddle for hours.
- The Meuse: broad and majestic, edged with cliffs and citadels
- The Semois: intimate and twisting, through tobacco and forest villages
- The Ourthe: perfect for families who want to kayak or swim
Castles and historic towns
Bouillon is dominated by the oldest and most impressive castle in Belgium, once the domain of Godfrey of Bouillon, the crusader who in 1096 sold his estates to finance the First Crusade. The fortress climbs across three rocky spurs and offers a spectacular view over the Semois.
La Roche-en-Ardenne raises the ruins of an 11th-century feudal castle above the Ourthe. In Dinant the citadel rises steeply above the rock; below it stands the Gothic collegiate church of Notre-Dame with its distinctive pear-shaped bell tower. Dinant is also the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, who patented the saxophone in 1846 — the town honours him with statues and music festivals.
Durbuy likes to bill itself as the smallest town in the world: a medieval core of cobbled lanes, a castle and an enchanting setting inside a bend of the Ourthe. And in Redu, the book village, second-hand bookshops fill the old farmhouses — a paradise for bibliophiles.
Caves and high moorland
Underground lies another world. The Han caves (Grotte de Han) at Han-sur-Lesse are among the finest in Europe: a historic tram carries visitors to the entrance, and the route then passes through colossal chambers and dripstone formations, sculpted by the river Lesse over hundreds of thousands of years.
In the far east lie the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes), the largest nature reserve in Belgium. This broad peat plateau, with its wooden boardwalks, bog pools and rare plants, feels almost Scandinavian. Here too is the Signal de Botrange which, at 694 metres, is the highest point in the country, marked by a stone staircase that symbolically crosses the six-hundred-metre line.
Nature in motion
The Ardennes are an outdoor playground all year round. In summer, families float down the Ourthe and the Lesse by kayak; walkers follow waymarked trails through the woods; mountain bikers and gravel riders find thousands of kilometres of routes.
- Kayaking on the Ourthe, the Lesse and the Semois
- Hiking and trail running through beech woods and along river meanders
- Cycling and mountain biking on the extensive RAVeL path network
- Wildlife watching: deer, wild boar and beavers
The Ardennes kitchen
Regional cooking is hearty and honest, rooted in the forest and the river. Game is king: venison, wild boar and pheasant fill the menus from autumn onwards. The famous Ardennes ham is slowly cured and lightly smoked over juniper wood; it is served thinly sliced with bread and pickles. From the clear streams comes trout, often prepared à l'ardennaise with bacon and cream. Finish with a local beer or a small glass of péket, the Walloon gin, and you will taste the soul of the region.
Whether you come for the castles, the caves or simply the silence of the forests, the Ardennes reveal a side of Belgium that many travellers never discover. Take your time, stay in a village inn, and let the rhythm of the rivers carry you along.