Arbrefontaine

Arbrefontaine is a village in the Belgian province of Liège and a part of Lierneux.

The name is thought to derive from Albam Fontanam (666), later Albam Fontem (814), which stands for white spring. The river Wez runs through the area. The lands along the banks were initially owned by monks from Stavelot and Frankish princes, later by stewards of Lierneux. The County of Salm acquired the area in the 13th century.

The parish was established in 1628, dedicated to Saint Mauritius. Before that, there was a chapel, dedicated to Saint Anthony in the 16th century.

During the French Republic, in year III, Arbrefontaine was part of the canton of Vielsalm in the department of Ourthe and moved to the arrondissement of Malmedy in year VIII. In 1814 it was included in the merged department of Meuse-et-Ourthe. After the French period, Arbrefontaine was integrated into the Dutch province of Liège on October 2, 1815; in 1818 it became part of the province of Luxembourg.

In 1852, the village of Goronne was separated from Vielsalm and added to Arbrefontaine. This doubled the area of the municipality and increased the population by over 200. In the municipal mergers of 1977, Arbrefontaine was annexed to Lierneux and moved back to the province of Liège. The hamlet of Goronne, on the other hand, was reattached to Vielsalm and remained part of the province of Luxembourg.

Jan Rymenams