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(Out and back) From the car park at Mazures Abbey, take the time to visit the chapel and the spring said to cure children suffering from rickets (the only remaining parts of the 13th-century abbey).
Head right towards the woods; a few signposts indicate the ‘Dames de Meuse’ viewpoint, as do green-painted arrows.
Cross the Route Forestière de la Plaine aux Cochons and continue straight on along the path.
(1) Turn right. You’ll come to a first footbridge which allows you to cross the fence. The owner of the wild boar park allows walkers to cross his property.
Walk along the right-hand side of the fence for about 800 metres.
(2) Turn left at the second major track; a sign indicates the direction to follow. Pass under a power line and continue straight on.
(3) At a large crossroads, turn left for about twenty metres, then turn right onto the path leading to the Dames de Meuse viewpoint (about 700m). Just before the viewpoint, another footbridge allows you to cross over the fence.
(4) Enjoy the view, 230 metres above the Meuse valley and the village of Laifour.
Retrace your steps, cross the footbridge again and follow the fence to the left. 1 km further on, it turns at a right angle, then another footbridge appears; cross it.
(5) Signposts on the left point towards Laifour.
Take the path which descends very steeply at the bottom of the slope and enter Laifour.
(6) Cross the D1 and continue straight on. At the next junction, turn left, then right, and head towards the railway bridge.
(7) A footbridge is attached to it, allowing you to cross the Meuse (a lovely view of the Meuse, this time from the bottom of the hill!).
At the end of the bridge, head down onto the greenway and continue the walk to the left. Pass under the D1 bridge.
(8) Carry on along the Meuse, past the dam keeper’s houses.
(9) About 400 m after the last house, head up a small path signposted ‘Sentier des Crêtes’.
(10) Cross the D1 and head uphill opposite, following a path called the ‘Sentier des Crêtes’ alongside a fence. This path is very steep.
(11) At the first junction, turn left onto a wide path that leads back down towards the D1.
Before reaching the D1, continue to the right through the undergrowth (the path no longer exists) and follow the D1 for about 500 m. On the other side of the road, you will see a fence running alongside the road; stay in the undergrowth.
(12) Cross the D1 at the end of this fence. Head down the path on the right, join the railway line and follow it.
(13) Cross via the footbridge, which takes you to the greenway (former towpath) on the right.
(14) Continue along the greenway to the right, as far as the Anchamps bridge. Just before the bridge, turn right onto the D1 and head for the bridge.
(15) Cross the Meuse on the bridge and carry on left along the D1B to Anchamps.
(16) At the first major junction, turn right onto the road that crosses over the railway line and leads to the cemetery. Walk alongside the cemetery and carry on straight up the hill. The path climbs between low walls topped with trees.
(17) It leads to another footbridge which takes you back into the wild boar reserve. Head down to the right along the fence, then turn left onto the gas pipeline route (marked by numbered yellow signs) from number 93 to number 88.
(18) At number 88, turn left onto a wide stony path that runs along the ledge of the Dames de Meuse rocks. Gaps in the Ardennes woodland offer views of the rocks. The path enters the woodland again and turns at a right angle.
(19) Join the gas pipeline and follow it again, keeping to the left from number 80 to number 76. Turn left onto the forest track.
(20) Turn right at the first major crossroads. An oak tree marked ‘XIII’ in red, along with gas marker 73, serve as landmarks.
Continue along the wide path to the fence, turn right and you’ll soon reach the first footbridge of the day.
(1) Cross it and return via the same route as on the way out.
When you reach the Route Forestière de la Plaine aux Cochons again, take it on the right, then turn left at the second path. At the end of the path, continue 20 metres to the left, then immediately turn right onto the path which leads to the abbey car park (S/E).
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