Hike, walk or ramble ?

Active Leisure

The province of Luxembourg is very conscious of the exceptional value of its unspoilt nature, be it on the high plateaus of the Ardennes or in the pleasant valleys of the rivers Lesse, Ourthe, Semois or Salm.

Numerous footpaths have been created to allow all to wander as they please, following the whim of the moment or the curiosity of discovery.

The walkers

Family walkers come to our forests for the relaxation and the pleasure of going for walks with their kids, for the pleasure of opening their eyes to nature.

They progress slowly through the woods because there are many reasons to stop and look or to stop and rest in a shady environment or a sunny glade.

The Tarpan network was set up, as were set up all the footpaths created by the local tourist offices, to allow these walkers a pleasant walk along signposted paths to the discovery of a historical site, a mysterious cave, a chapel or a breathtaking viewpoint .

The ramblers

The present day rambler is rarely alone, due to the popularity of the "return to nature" concept he very often joins organised groups of fellow nature lovers. Ramblers can follow the Ardenne-Eifel G.R. or the n° 14 G.R. from Paris to Liège, which both cross our regions. Other long distance itineraries exist in the province, such as the "Transardennaise" and the "Transgaumaise", both signalled by yellow and white markings. A new long distance itinerary has recently been added: the "TransSemoisienne" joining Arlon to Monthermé. An increasing number of ramblers wish to get off the beaten tracks but without having to deal with maps to find their way. These will book a guided ramble, with a guide who has criss-crossed the region for so long that he knows every little corner of it and loves to share its marvels with others.

The hikers

Hikers are sports people, more interested by the stop-watch than by the environment.

Depending on age and physical condition, itineraries are set up for them over 5 to 20 Km, 40 or even 100 Km. A.D.E.P.S. is the main organiser of such hikes as is the "French speaking Federation of Popular Marches".

Whatever we are, walkers, ramblers or hikers, it's good to remember the "good old days" when we travelled on foot or horseback. Let's pay tribute to all these pedestrians who, since the dawn of time and now more than ever, guarantee the conservation of our rural paths so that they never disappear from our landscapes.

- Tourist Federation of Belgian Luxembourg - Quai de l'Ourthe, 9 - B-6980 La Roche-en-Ardenne - info@ftlb.be - +32(0)84/41.10.11 - Imprint -