The Henri-Fontaine stream valley between Orp and Grand-Hallet

The Hesbaye region of Liège is not only characterised by its rich agricultural plain, but also by its charming sites, consisting of wetlands, copses and sunken paths. This route, which starts in the village of Petit-Hallet, offers views of the vast plain, but above all allows you to discover pleasant places in the heart or on the outskirts of the villages that stretch along the Henri-Fontaine stream. A few farmhouses and castles can also be seen along the way.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.75 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 89 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 89 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 119 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 71 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park near the church in Petit-Hallet.

(S/E) With your back to the church, go straight ahead along Rue Maria Gilles, cross Rue de Wansin and continue along Rue Arsène Flaba until you reach a grassy path in the middle of the fields. This path soon curves to the left and leads to a concrete farm track. Turn right, making a 300° angle.

(1) After about 200 m, leave the farm track, which curves to the right at this point, and continue straight ahead along the end of the farm track towards the copse at the edge of the valley. The farm track turns into a footpath and begins to descend into the valley, ending at a slightly wider footpath. Take this path on the right and follow it to the village street (Rue d'Orp, village of Wansin). Turn left onto Rue d'Orp and cross the Wansin stream.

(2) Turn right onto the stony farm track. This track joins the top of the valley, curving to the right, and then runs parallel to it towards the village of Orp-le-Petit. After one kilometre, this track begins to descend towards a pumping station, which you go around on the left.

(3) After the station, continue straight ahead at the next crossroads. The farm track continues along a street (Rue de Merdorp) and joins the village's main street (Rue Joseph Jadot) at the football pitches and motocross track. Follow Rue Joseph Jadot to the left for about a hundred metres.

(4) Turn right immediately after the stream onto a street that quickly turns into a path (GR® 579). Follow it to the village of Petit-Hallet. Once in Petit-Hallet, turn right onto Rue Joseph Triffaux, ignore the street that goes up to the right and continue for 150 metres.

(5) Turn right onto the path that crosses the Henri-Fontaine stream and joins the upper street of the village (Rue de la Fusion). Walk up this street to the left for 300 metres.

(6) Just after number 13 (bus stop), take the path on the left that descends into the valley and leads to a mill.

(7) Cross the stream and continue along Rue du Moulin Rassart, then take a quick right/left at the crossroads to take a path that climbs up the other side of the valley and ends in the middle of the fields (ignore the first path on the right). At the crossroads of the consolidation paths, turn right and continue for one kilometre to reach the first houses of the village of Grand-Hallet.

(8) At the crossroads, go down to the right and keep left into Rue Trixhe à l'Arbre. At the bottom of the street, take the main street (Rue de Houtain) on the right for about 30 metres, then turn left into Rue des Fontaines, then take the first left (Rue Hombroeckx) which leads to a farm, goes around it and turns into a narrow, grassy farm track, then becomes passable again and emerges onto a road (Rue Ruart).

(9) Turn left onto this road for 50 metres and continue straight ahead into Rue Trixhe des Bois (or Rue Belle-Vue), which soon turns into a concrete farm track.

(10) When you reach the first house and a crossroads, turn right onto the path (GR®) which follows the stream and runs alongside the Sept Fontaines site for about one kilometre. When you reach the tarmac road, take the sharp left turn (Rue du Condroz) and continue to the three-way junction (Chapelle Sainte-Thérèse à l'Enfant Jésus).

(11) Turn right onto Rue de l'Épinette. After the houses, turn left onto the path.

(12) At the end of the path, turn right onto the tarmac road, then left (chapel) towards the village of Petit-Hallet.

(6) On the same road, continue along the farm track that branches off to the left just before number 12 (bus stop). This track winds its way between orchards and fields.

(13) About a hundred metres before the road and the cemetery, turn right onto the hollow, partially wooded path (chavée) which leads slightly backwards and back to the village church. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 105 m - Petit-Hallet Church
  2. 1 : km 0.92 - alt. 109 m - Farm track. On the left
  3. 2 : km 1.67 - alt. 96 m - Entrance to the farm track towards Orp
  4. 3 : km 2.85 - alt. 86 m - Pumping station
  5. 4 : km 3.87 - alt. 72 m - Orp-le-Petit. GR trail entrance towards Petit-Hallet
  6. 5 : km 5.91 - alt. 85 m - Petit-Hallet. Entrance to the chavée
  7. 6 : km 6.43 - alt. 98 m - Petit-Hallet. Crossroads of the circular loop
  8. 7 : km 6.68 - alt. 84 m - Petit-Hallet - Ancien Moulin Rassart, Petit-Hallet
  9. 8 : km 8.83 - alt. 118 m - Chapelle Sainte-Rita
  10. 9 : km 9.79 - alt. 112 m - Rue Ruart
  11. 10 : km 10.78 - alt. 105 m - GR. On the right
  12. 11 : km 12.16 - alt. 102 m - Chapelle Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus, Grand-Hallet
  13. 12 : km 13.2 - alt. 99 m - Tarmac
  14. 13 : km 14.48 - alt. 116 m - Petit-Hallet - Chavée entrance to the church
  15. S/E : km 14.74 - alt. 105 m - Petit-Hallet Church

Notes

This route is best travelled in the direction described here, as the possibilities for shortcuts are mainly present in the second circular section.

Worth a visit

Discover the Site of Great Biological Interest (SGIB) of the Seven Fountains between the villages of Grand-Hallet and Avernas-le-Bauduin. (Internet: http://biodiversite.wallonie.be/fr/2875-...).
In the local language, "chavées" refers to the tree-lined sunken paths that run around the edges of villages.

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Inaya
Inaya

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk. Ideal for getting back into the swing of things after winter. Charming, idyllic spots interspersed with vast, hopelessly flat stretches along concrete farm track. I’m glad I did it for the lovely little spots I discovered, but I don’t think I’ll do it again. But thanks to whoever suggested it for introducing me to a part of the region I knew little about.

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Lesceux
Lesceux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Interesting, well-documented site

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Simon M.
Simon M.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

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Simon M.
Simon M.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route, varied...
A very varied hiking route. Worth doing again and again!

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MumRose
MumRose

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied route... don't miss the artisan ice cream parlour at point 5... delicious!
At point 6, the path could do with some maintenance over a hundred metres or so: the nettles are growing up to your arms... it's passable, but not ideal!
Worth doing or doing again!

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Randos2022
Randos2022

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike in glorious sunshine.
The descriptions were very clear and the route marked on the map was perfect.
The scenery was magnificent, passing through fields, small villages and along streams.
We particularly appreciated how well maintained and clean the paths and streams were.
Highly recommended!

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DieMannschaft
DieMannschaft

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, alternating between superb views of the Hesbaye plain and bucolic passages through wooded paths. What's more, as we were accompanied by a child, the figure-eight shape of the route meant that one adult could do only part of the circular route.

Highly recommended.

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