In the Seigneur vineyards, on the slopes of the Meuse

A lovely walk along the Meuse hillsides. Where there are hillsides, there are slopes, and where there are slopes along the Meuse, one might expect vineyards. And there are plenty!

Details

4371429
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 195 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 186 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 205 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 76 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The starting point is located in a large car park near a dog training club. To get there, leave Rue Alphonse Libert in Java and turn left onto Rue Nestor Evrard. Immediately after the railway bridge, turn left and follow the road to the end (dog training club).

(S/E) Keeping the dog club on your left, take the small path opposite (north), half-hidden in the scrub. Cross the stream at the ford and turn left (west), heading uphill along a stony path bordered by a slope on the right-hand side.

(1) At the junction, turn right and continue uphill. At the fork, ignore the left-hand branch and continue straight ahead. You will reach the Trouée de Vivaqua, perpendicular to the path (sign saying ‘private property’).

(2) Turn left into the clearing, a wide, straight, treeless, grassy path. The clearing is blocked by a cable that prevents vehicle access but is open to pedestrians at the sides. Along this path, you will cross one track on the left and then four on the right. Begin a steep descent, cross the Ruisseau de Fréraine and climb up the other side to a junction of dirt tracks.

(3) Turn left and head downhill. Ignore the first dirt track on the left, then a private track leading to a house. Join a tarmac road and follow it to the right.

(4) When the road bends to the left, take a path on the right and head back up into the woods. This path, initially stony, turns into a dirt track. Cross the Vivaqua clearing (not shown on the IGN map) and continue along the path (north-north-west).

(5) At the junction (path blocked slightly to the left), turn right. Stay roughly level and cross a barely visible stream. You’ll reach an open area from where you can see the distant view towards the Meuse. At the first junction, continue straight on until you reach a crossroads.

(6) Turn left onto a forest track. At the next junction, go straight on. Leave the woods and continue straight on.

(7) You’ll come out onto Rue des Theysses; follow it to the right. After passing several houses on the left, continue along a dirt track between the vineyards. At the first junction, continue straight ahead. At a fork, take the left-hand branch. At the next crossroads, turn right onto a magnificent forest path. You will soon reach the junction with the Trouée Vivaqua, which you took on the way out.

(2) Go straight downhill and ignore the paths branching off to the right.

(1) Turn left and continue downhill (watch out for a few sections where the rock is exposed and may be slippery). This will take you back to the starting car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 76 m - Car park near a dog training club
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 130 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 0.76 - alt. 147 m - Vivaqua clearing
  4. 3 : km 1.32 - alt. 159 m - Crossroads
  5. 4 : km 2.1 - alt. 89 m - Path starts on the right
  6. 5 : km 3.14 - alt. 181 m - Junction. View over the valley of the - Meuse (fleuve)
  7. 6 : km 3.89 - alt. 181 m - Crossroads
  8. 7 : km 4.62 - alt. 205 m - Rue des Theysses
  9. S/E : km 6.29 - alt. 76 m - Car park near a dog training club

Notes

The paths on this walk are partly difficult and very muddy after heavy rain.
Like many paths on these hillsides, they are frequently used by mountain bikers who enjoy the stony, rutted terrain, which does not help their condition!
Passage through the Vivaqua clearing (private land),which is blocked by a cable, is permitted for walkers.

Worth a visit

Between points (2) and (3), in the Vivaqua clearing, you cross the valley of the Ruisseau de la Fréraine.

From (7), the route runs alongside numerous vineyards.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Dominique55
Dominique55

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy and varied little walk. Very pleasant paths. A real gem!

Machine-translated

Gregouille
Gregouille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I’m always quite surprised by comments like “muddy”… Well, yes, that’s nature for you… For those who find it a bother, there’s the Ravel cycle path along the Meuse…

Machine-translated

Gregouille
Gregouille

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A relatively large mixed woodland with some conifers for the region, offering the option to extend this lovely walk further through the woods – starting with wide grassy paths before narrowing into forest tracks... beautiful natural surroundings; not strictly primeval forest, but relatively rich in a variety of tree species... a very pleasant spot for nature lovers in the Meuse Valley...

Machine-translated

jeansmetz
jeansmetz

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A walk that takes place largely through wooded, enclosed countryside, popular with many mountain bikers. Numerous ascents and descents that add little of interest. Why not turn right at point 3 to reach point 6 without having to make the rather pointless descent to point 4 and climb back up to point 5? A detour into the countryside of the Surlemez plateau would have provided a welcome change of scenery

The route description is sometimes lacking in detail; examples: - between point 1 and point 2, I didn’t see a fork where the left-hand branch should be ignored
- before reaching point 4, the tarmac road is a continuation of the dirt track
- after point 4, the path does not change from stony to earthy
- between point 5 and point 6, the open space on the right is becoming increasingly blocked by growing birch trees
Fortunately, this description is compensated for by a sufficiently precise and detailed map.
These few comments are intended to be constructive!

Machine-translated

KroBland
KroBland

Overall rating : 2.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

I set off on the walk but unfortunately didn’t feel like continuing.
At point 4, after attempting to make my way towards point 5, I turned back and decided to return to the starting point along the banks of the Meuse, which was just as relaxing, at least on a Sunday. During the week, I wouldn’t have ventured there! The return journey, with views of life on the river (birds, fish and barges) and the walkers, offers a different perspective that might even appeal more to some less adventurous hikers.

Why did I give up? Mainly for the same reasons as the two reviews posted on 11 January 2021.
In detail:

  • The section between the start/finish point and point 2 is mainly along a very steep, narrow path that can become VERY muddy. The view is very limited and offers almost no interest. This same section is also frequented by a huge number of off-road motorbikes. Forget the peace and quiet and the fresh air of the forest. In a 15-minute walk along this stretch, I breathed in more engine oil and exhaust fumes than I had in the last six months, during lockdown.
  • The section between point 2 and point 3 is very beautiful and had started to reassure me about the route. The downside is the feeling of being on private property (water catchment area) and therefore of being on the borderline regarding access permission.
  • The section between point 3 and point 5 is generally lovely but is very muddy due to heavy use by mountain bikes and agricultural machinery.
  • Some sections are marked as off-limits to motor vehicles, but motorbike tracks are clearly visible. I can accept the presence of agricultural and forestry machinery, but this once again makes the mud even worse.

Best avoided in wet weather, then. I might give it another go in dry weather and during the week...

Machine-translated

michelfinoulst
michelfinoulst

Thank you for your comment. It’s true that all the paths on this side are in a terrible state! It’s a walk best enjoyed in summer and in dry weather.

Machine-translated

mars-ouin
mars-ouin

What a mess, what a mess! We completed this walk in two hours. The route starts on a path that’s ‘legally’ used by motorbikes and bikes for a return journey, which at this time of year causes ‘a huge amount’ of mud, especially in the narrow, sunken sections of the trail. You’ll need to dig deep if you’re doing this walk – for older people like us, without walking sticks after the snow and rain. You’ll need sturdy boots and a hell of a lot of determination to tackle this walk, over 87% of which is mud, because apart from the motorbikes, there are plenty of ruts left by motorised forestry vehicles that are damaging the paths. Above all, don’t be put off – get some fresh air and a ‘bit’ of mud on your shoes. This wonderfully wooded landscape is well worth the detour! See you later.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.