Starting from Lac de Neufchâteau

Parking at the Tanneries Sports Hall or a little further along the Chemin du Lac.

(S/E) Facing the fountain, with Folon’s statue “Les Truites”, head straight towards the Keppler Mill. At the foot of the mill, take the stairs on the right. Turn right again towards the wave-shaped bench. Take the path to the left of the bench leading up to the shelter. Once there, turn left and exit the park.

(1) On the paved path, turn left, walk past the mill and, after the^second building, turn right into the Étang de Bergh area. Walk around the pond via the wooden walkways and turn left once you come out. Walk past the mill again and you’ll reach the road and its car park. Continue to the left.

(2) Take the towpath, ignoring the road leading uphill to your left. Walk along the lake to the playground. Turn left.

(3) Then turn left onto the path where a sign indicates that you are entering a private track but that walkers are permitted. Head up through the forest and pass a clear-cut area.

(4) At the^first path on the left, turn and head uphill. At the top, turn right. Ignore all the side paths and stay on the main path for just under 1 km.

(5) Leave the woods and head right towards the farm.

Blue Rectangle 1 signpost

(6) At the multi-way junction, at a place called Ferme du Bois d’Ospau, turn right onto the grassy path.

(7) At the fork, go up to the left and, when you reach the road, continue straight ahead. On your right is the German mausoleum. Wait until you reach the end of the fence to access the monument, as the gate latch is broken. At the bend in the road, go straight ahead onto the farm track.

(8) At the junction with another farm track, turn right. Change of signposting.

Signposting: Blue Rectangle or sometimes PurpleTriangle

At the road, turn left and pass the farm. At the junction with the chapel on your left, continue straight ahead. At the next junction, level with the church, continue straight ahead. A path branches off to your right; keep left. At the crossroads, cross the road and the N85.

(9) Take the road to the left leading to the two houses and running alongside the N85. Continue along the Chemin de Straimont below the N85. After the last house, the road turns into a dirt track. Ignore the path branching off to the left and continue along the farm track.

(10) At the crossroads, take in the view of the astronomical centre and carry on straight ahead. The path bends sharply to the right. Ignore the path on the right and carry on straight ahead. The path bends sharply to the left and then to the right. Stay on the main path, pass the hamlet of Les Evets and, at the stream, cross the bridge. The path becomes a track and turns to the right. Follow the track, which becomes a road, uphill.

(11) At the junction with a road, turn left and then immediately right towards the Grotte Notre-Dame de Lourdes. Follow the Way of the Cross, pass a chapel and you will reach the replica of the grotto. Then head down towards the church and, at the road, turn left. The signposting ends here.

No Signposting

(12) Cross over and take the road on the right, Rue Sérésiat. Go under the slate quarry bridge. There is a wash house on the left after the bridge. Ignore the^first road on the left and take the next one, Rue des Vanettes. Go uphill and past the last houses. The road becomes a dirt track.

Blue Rectangle Triangle Markings

At the T-junction, turn right. At the road, turn left, cross over the stream and, after the bridge, take the path on the right. Cross the footbridge and follow the path up through the meadows.

(13) At the junction, turn left. Pass through the hamlet of Malhomme. At the road, cross over and take the path towards the campsite. At the fork, turn right and head uphill.

(14) At the top, at the edge of the meadow, turn left. Stay on the main path.

(3) Continue to the lake.

No signposting

Turn left, then after the buildings, turn right and follow the footpath on the right leading to the footbridge and cross over. Then continue right along the towpath. At the end of the lake, keep to the right.

(15) When you reach the tennis courts, take the footbridge on the right and go back up onto the road. Turn left and return to the car park (S/E).

Flood zone around Étang de Bergh
Bench at the Lourdes Grotto
Much of the walk is in open country
Please note the hunting season from October to December. We will be taking part of the Bois d'Ospau nature trail as well as the Promenade des Vanettes.
No water along the route. Brasserie by the lake.

During
Keppler Mill
Bergh Pond
Neufchâteau Lake
Ospau Wood
German Mausoleum at Montplainchamps: built from local schist stone and originally surrounded by 12 lime trees. In August 1914, on the 20th at Longlier and the 22nd at Neufchâteau, fierce fighting took place between the Germans and the French. The casualties from both sides were initially buried in mass graves.
Grapfontaine Astronomical Observatory: Wallonia’s only permanent public observatory dedicated to astronomy and nature.
Neufchâteau Stream
Notre-Dame de Lourdes Cave in Warmifontaine
Warmifontaine and the remains of former slate quarries: a high wall built in the early 1880s at the Sainte-Barbe slate quarry, featuring a remarkable wash house. The small opening to the left of the wash house provided access to the worksite situated above. The footbridge connected the infrastructure to the slag heap.

Nearby
Model of Neufchâteau Castle near Saint-Michel Church.