Etalle (Belgique) walks

La Gaume, this beautiful hilly region in southern Belgium, is known for its mild climate. However, we have no idea if the area is very popular with hikers... There are hiking signs all along the route. It is possible to encounter few or no people.

This very natural route takes you on a journey of discovery through the wooded hills on the border between the Batte (Belgium) and Coulmy (France) valleys.Anyone with even a passing interest in the region's industrial history will also discover its mining and steel-making past, highlighted by the Transfrontier Iron Mines Trail and a number of information panels along the route.The trail passes by some of the iron mines that brought prosperity to the region in the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the Musson slag heap, which over time collected all the slag from the mines on the Musson and Halanzy sides. Now cleaned up, it has been turned into a nature reserve managed by the DNF (Nature and Forestry Division).

The mines, the mines of yesterday, the iron mines... this is the main theme of this hike.Fond-de-Gras is the most informative site on this subject: it was the station where narrow-gauge trains converged to unload iron ore into standard-gauge wagons bound for the steelworks and blast furnaces of Pétange, Differdange and others in Belgium and Germany.

Set off to explore Banibois, in the heart of the woods crossed by the stream of the same name. This walk will take you through hundred-year-old oak trees, majestic beech trees and spruce plantations. You will also enjoy vast meadows on the edge of the woods.

This magnificent walk takes you on a journey of discovery through the former mining sites operated by the A.R.B.E.D between Esch-sur-Alzette, Schifflange and Kayl. It is offered by the CFL (Luxembourg's railway company) as part of its Hike & Rail range of hiking trails from station to station and has been slightly modified by us at the start and finish.

This unpretentious walk allows you to wander around the villages of Freux and Bras, through pastures and along country roads. The walk starts in front of the church in Freux, where there is a large car park.

This beautiful hike in Sainte-Ode takes you on a journey of discovery through the valleys of the Ourthe, Baseille and Laval streams, alternating between forest and pretty panoramic views of this region of the Ardennes, with a return trip through the Orti Nature Reserve.

Starting from Michelau station (free parking, free access by train or bus from anywhere in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), the walk heads south, crosses the Sûre (a river similar to the Ourthe and Semois in Belgium) and climbs up the right bank, following its course along a forest path, a small country road and a slightly steep trail.

Discover the wild Haute Lesse from Redu, passing through La Roche aux Chevaux and the Notre-Dame de Walcourt chapel in the village of Lesse.

A climb from Clervaux to a superb view of the abbey bell tower and the valley, then a route mainly through forest, finally returning along the Irbich river on country roads or dirt tracks. You can shorten the walk by continuing from (6) to Drauffelt station (6 km in total) and returning by train (free on the GDL).