Cross-border walk in Hierges

Park in the town hall car park.

(S/E) Head towards the town hall (car park entrance) and turn right onto the main street of Hierges, which you follow to the left, until you reach Place de la Fontaine with its fountain, restaurants and the Croix du Duel.

(1) Turn left and cross the square.

(2) Take Rue du Huit Mai, which climbs to the right. Beautiful view of the castle’s western towers. Cross the border and continue straight on. Cross Rue de Jonquière and head towards the Grotte Notre-Dame de Lourdes.

(3) Turn right onto the small road, then cross the road at right angles to take the path on the left that leads into the forest, on the other side of the stream. Follow the stream upstream on the left bank until you reach the junction with a wider path.

(4) Take this path to the right, then the stony path to the left, for about 150 m.

(5) Turn left onto the path that runs alongside the clearing and go round the wooded area, which joins the stony path to the north of an isolated building.

(6) Turn left here too, and head down towards the centre of Doische, passing the Saint-Georges Fountain.

(7) Just before reaching the church, climb the steps on the right towards the old cemetery (restored in 2022) and continue along the right-hand side of the cemetery, following a path that leads up to Rue de la Pireuse. Turn right at the small square.

(8) Continue straight ahead along the country lane. Cross the border and head towards Foisches.

(9) At the entrance to the village, turn left towards the Ferme des Templiers, which you go round to reach the church square. Then turn into Rue des Écoles until you reach Place des Boucards.

(10) Place des Boucards, take your pick:
- turn immediately right onto Chemin de Vaucelles and follow it to the old quarry.
- or cross the pedestrian area of the square and then turn right just after the square to rejoin the main route. A fine boundary marker, marked FRANCE/LIEGE, is located about a hundred metres to the north (off the route), at the side of the country road, just before the old quarry. 
At the small road, turn left for 50 m.

(11) Turn right, cross the border and head towards the former Carrière de la Montagne, a magnificent natural area overlooking Vaucelles with a viewing tower and a few information boards.

(12) At the end of the nature reserve, turn left onto the path, head towards and cross through Vaucelles to the cemetery.

(13) Turn left and head up the wooded hill to the first crossroads after the border.

(14) Take the sharp right-hand bend and head up to the heights of Hierges, following the local fitness trail. At the top, at the crossroads, take the small path leading downwards straight ahead.

(15) Take the path on the right that leads uphill, then the next one on the left, which leads to the beautiful church of Hierges. From there, return to the car park at the starting point via a left-right turn. (S/E)

A flat, quiet stretch except for the last kilometre, which is a bit noisier due to the former N51 below.

Places to see during the walk:

• The church, the castle and the lovely square in Hierges.
• The curious Notre-Dame de Lourdes Grotto in Vaucelles.
• A spring and its bubbling pool where tiny bubbles rise almost constantly from the bottom to burst on the surface.
• The beautifully renovated old cemetery in Doische.
• The Templar farm and the charming square in Foisches.
• The boundary markers, at least one of which still bears the words FRANCE on one side and LIEGE on the other; the Franco-Belgian border in this region dates back to the late 18th century.
• A small section of the Calestienne and the old Carrière de la Montagne, with its observation tower overlooking the village of Vaucelles.