Hotton, a typical village in La Famenne

Limestone and blue stones make up a significant part of the habitat. Rue Haute is a fine example of this. Several limestone houses dating from the 18th century stand side by side. Among these are two listed buildings, the Moulin Faber and the Maison Godenir, which houses the Royal Tourist Office.
The Aïve Cave/Neolithic cave, Ti Château/Roman camp, Trou Fré Djame... are other places you will encounter along this route.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 317 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 315 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 389 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 174 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park in front of the Tourist Office on Rue Haute in Hotton.

(S/E) With the Tourist Office on your right, head towards the bridge and cross it. Continue along the main road, Rue de Parfonry. After 400 metres, turn left onto the road towards Menil and immediately turn right onto the paved path that runs behind the gardens of the houses. This path becomes a grassy trail after 100 metres. After walking alongside meadows, enter the woods. Cross the stream (which may be dry) at the junction and continue along the path on the left.

(1) Climb up to Croix Gaillard and continue. The path leaves the woods and becomes a road. Ignore the forest path on your left and continue along the road.

(2) At the top, there is a beautiful view of the valley. Continue along the road. A few metres further on, at the top of the embankment, there is a cross on your right. Ignore the road on your right. At the end, turn right to see the Notre-Dame de Lourdes chapel. Retrace your steps and continue straight ahead. Follow the main road and, at the bend, go straight on towards Grimbiémont.

(3) Just before the picnic area, turn left and walk past the water collection building. There is a 180° view of the valley. Enter the forest. Ignore the path on the right. Ignore the next path on the left.

(4) Cross the GR® trail and continue straight ahead. At the large crossroads, continue straight ahead.

(5) At the Y junction, take the path on the left. The GR® trail leaves us here. Pass the sign for the place called "le réservoir" (the reservoir).
Follow the main forest path. You are now entering a DNF Quiet Zone. You are not permitted to take the paths on the right or left, and you are certainly not permitted to cut across the forest. Continue to follow the main path until you reach a fork.

(6) Turn left. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead, leaving the path on your right. Go downhill and follow this path, turning right and then left. Continue downhill and leave the woods. The forest path becomes a road. Go downhill, passing the cemetery. At the fork, turn right at the bottom of the road. Then take the road on the left, passing in front of the school. Continue and turn left. Further on, ignore the path coming from the left and continue on the concrete slab path. When you reach the road, cross at the pedestrian crossing on your right. Be careful, as this is a busy national road, which you follow to the right for a few metres.

(7) Turn left and cross the bridge over the Ourthe. Walk along the meadow where the tree-top adventure course ends. Ignore the paths on your right. Continue along the meadow and cross the small bridge if the Isbelle is in water. Take the path immediately on your right, following the stream bed. A few steps further on, you will see the resurgence on your right.

(8) Return to the path and continue along it. Walk along the meadows; a path will join you on the left. Continue on your right.

(9) Cross the bridge made of beams over the Isbelle. Walk up to Route Nationale 807.
(10) Do not walk along the RN to the left ( there is no footpath and cars drive fast), but cross and turn right. Pass a cross and then a monument honouring the parachute battalion. At the crossroads, turn left. Continue along the road for 300 m.

(11) Turn onto thesecond forest path on your left and, at the end of the path, cross over. Take the path almost opposite. Follow the main path and, further on, on your left, you will see the path with the sign for the cave. Take the path on the left and you will arrive at the entrance to the Grotte de l'Aïve.

(12) Retrace your steps to the wide path and turn left. Further on, a path joins you on your left. Continue straight ahead. At the fork, turn left. At the next fork, turn right. Then take the path on the left. Go downhill and, further down, take the path on the right that goes uphill. Cross Ti-Château and arrive at the back of the post indicating the Roman camp.

(13) Turn left. In front of the slate pyramid, turn left. Further on, on your right, there is a viewpoint overlooking the Rochers de Rénissart. Retrace your steps and continue downhill. At the crossroads, turn left. At the bottom of the short descent, take the path on your right, which is the steepest. Ignore the path on your left and head towards the rock.

(14) Le Trou Fré Djame, view of the Ourthe. Climb up to the left at the exit of the hole to go up a steep path or retrace your steps. Turn left and begin the descent. You will see a shelter on your left. You will arrive at the foot of the Rochers de Rénissart.

(15) Continue along the path, passing the start of the climbing routes. When you reach the road, turn left. Cross the bridge near the Moulin Faber and head to your right towards the playground. Go around it and head towards the stairs near the kiosk. Cross the bridge and you will arrive at the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 179 m - Tourist office car park. Towards the bridge at - Ourthe (rivière) - Belgique
  2. 1 : km 1.36 - alt. 217 m - Croix Gaillard
  3. 2 : km 2.26 - alt. 267 m - Viewpoint
  4. 3 : km 3.06 - alt. 282 m - Picnic area
  5. 4 : km 3.96 - alt. 372 m - Crossroads with the GR
  6. 5 : km 4.23 - alt. 384 m - Fork
  7. 6 : km 5.41 - alt. 369 m - Fork
  8. 7 : km 7.55 - alt. 181 m - Leave the N833 and turn left
  9. 8 : km 8.18 - alt. 186 m - Resurgence of the Isbelle
  10. 9 : km 8.74 - alt. 203 m - Beam bridge
  11. 10 : km 10.47 - alt. 267 m - National road on the right
  12. 11 : km 10.95 - alt. 267 m - second path on the left
  13. 12 : km 12.3 - alt. 243 m - Aïve cave
  14. 13 : km 13.52 - alt. 235 m - Ti Chateau post
  15. 14 : km 13.96 - alt. 197 m - Trou Fré Djame
  16. 15 : km 14.12 - alt. 194 m - Renissart rocks
  17. S/E : km 15.09 - alt. 179 m - Car park in front of the tourist office

Notes

The only difficulty is the climb to the Grotte de l'Aïve.

From October to January: don't forget to check the hunting calendar.

We take part of the numbered walks 8, 9, 10 and 13. We follow various markings, but never long enough to be able to refer to them, so I haven't noted them down.

(2) Bench after the Hampteau cemetery.
Picnic area at (3) and (15).

Worth a visit

During
Croix Gaillard

Isbelle resurgence: depending on the time of year, the bed may be dry (as was the case in September 2016)
Grotte de l'Aïve: Neolithic cave meaning "high door" or also known as Grotte Moureau. The entrance porch is approximately 6 m wide with a height varying from 1 m to 1.4 m. This entrance was completely blocked before the first archaeological excavations in 1907. The entrance porch is 6 metres wide and varies in height from 1 metre to 1.4 metres. The thickness of the rock forming the vault (the roof of the porch) before entering the first chamber is 1.3 metres. The first chamber (excavation chamber) is quite large (10 m in diameter) and it is possible to stand upright in it following the clearing work carried out during the excavations. It extends into a lower chamber with some concretions and a right-angled gallery. Passing through two narrow passages in this gallery led to the discovery of a straight corridor with numerous concretions. In total, this fossil cavity, formed at a time when the Isbelle river must have flowed at the level of the porch and having undergone a long phase of filling and accumulation of sediments and collapses of blocks from the vault, which resulted in the complete sealing of this network, is horizontal in type and offers a total development of 53 m.
The cave was the subject of archaeological excavations in 1907-1908 by de Loë and Rahir, and later by L. Dierick (1956). The first excavations focused on the porch and terrace (discovery of a Neolithic burial site), as the few test pits dug in the cavity proved fruitless.

Ti-Château: Roman camp, Oppidum: the double walls on the east side can still be seen

Trou Fré Djame or Trou du Frère Guillaume, named after a monk who is said to have lived there as a hermit in the past, is perched 20 metres above the Ourthe, with an opening that plunges directly into the void. This remnant of a tunnel piercing through the rock was formed several million years ago.
Rénissart Rocks: climbing
Moulin Faber: guided tours all year round. Information at the tourist office

Nearby
Cave of a Thousand and One Nights in Hotton
Hotton Arboretum with a tower offering a panoramic view of the town
The Labyrinth in Barvaux
Durbuy, Belgium's smallest town
Wéris and its megaliths

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 23 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 22105342

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

please note that the section before the big climb is not really passable, as there are lots of brambles and the path is no longer visible.
If you are afraid of heights, this section is very steep, so take the longer route of +/-3km.

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lazzerini
lazzerini

Hello Arina,

Since 2016, the year of my hike, it is quite possible that the trail at (9) has been closed. To avoid the very steep climb to access the cave, there is an explanation in the practical information. Best regards

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ArinaTomberg
ArinaTomberg

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very charming and picturesque walk, mainly through forest, with a few rare passages through pretty villages full of character. Very few people encountered, even on a weekend. However, the path indicated after point 9 does not exist. Instead, we had to make our way through nettles and brambles as tall as a person. It is better to cross the bridge near point 9 and continue along the parallel path. As for the climb to the cave at point 10, it is very difficult. I think it is best to avoid it.

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Ivo
Ivo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Great hike...beautiful scenery.
Moderate hike... active endurance required given the elevation gain...

Please note: before reaching point 9, there is a 200 m stretch of impassable or even non-existent path due to fallen trees... Either force your way through, walking in the dry stream, or take the parallel path, but as mentioned in the description, this adds an extra 3 km.
Solution chosen: from point 8, head straight towards point 12... GR path uphill... just as pleasant, but reduces the hike by 2 km

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Yudansha63
Yudansha63

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We discovered a beautiful region thanks to this hike. It makes us want to come back. There are a few challenging climbs where hiking poles are not a luxury.
But don't worry, nothing too difficult.
Varied landscapes, very pleasant to walk through.

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Philippe Degeye
Philippe Degeye

In preparation.

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marielemoine1
marielemoine1

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy and varied walk.
You pass through different places: woods, hamlets, fields. You stay close to the "civilised" world, so for true adventurers in search of wilderness, this may not be the ideal walk.
Perfect for children or a mixed group.
Thank you

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Aukan1961
Aukan1961

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A quiet, hilly circuit; it's a shame that part of the route was closed due to the extension of the hunting season

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Dubois Thérèse
Dubois Thérèse

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Wonderful walk. Unfortunately, points 1 and 2 were not completed: the path was blocked by hunters (on a Sunday!). We reached point 3 by road, which allowed us to pay our respects at the beautiful military cemetery. Like others, we found some of the directions unclear; at the end of point 6, we got lost and had to take a detour of almost 1 km. Points 11, 12 and 13 caused a lot of hesitation, but there are so many paths that it is difficult to be precise. So, hikers, beware of the hunting season and take a good GPS with you.

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ArinaTomberg
ArinaTomberg

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with many points of interest.

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CrossFit6120
CrossFit6120

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Despite mediocre weather, a lovely romantic hike.
The route was perfect. Nothing to complain about. On to new adventures...

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Joel Bogaert
Joel Bogaert

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice hike with very little walking on roads.
The climb to the cave is steep but very short; however, it should be avoided in rainy weather.
The description is not always easy to follow, and a smartphone proved useful.

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lazzerini
lazzerini
• Edited:

Good evening, etx61,

thank you for following many of my suggestions for walks/hikes.
However, it would be useful to expand on the "vague" locations.
As always, I try to complete the descriptions if I am given the information to do so.

Best regards

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etx61
etx61

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, with a varied route through woods, countryside and villages.
The climb to the cave is fairly strenuous but very short, although it should be avoided in rainy weather.
The description is relatively vague in several places, so you have to pull out your smartphone to choose the right path, which is a shame.

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Arnaud 1180
Arnaud 1180

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike at the end of February (2021), so the forest wasn't green and the route was a bit monotonous. We'll do it again in the summer

the elevation gain is not very challenging, as the paths are in good condition.

we found two places where we could get a drink.

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