Bovigny

Bovigny is a small village with about 250 inhabitants and it is located in the Ardennes.

Already in 871 there was mention of 'Bovennias'. This name is said to have been derived from “Boviniacae villae”, which means “farms for raising oxen”.

Bovigny is an enclosed village that overlooks the valley of the Glain and also includes the former hamlet of Longchamps - on the other side of the viaduct. The main attraction of the village is the architectural ensemble formed by the church, the rectory, and the neighboring houses. The image is enhanced by the presence of a remarkable monument dedicated to the victims of the two wars, flanked by a howitzer from 14-18.

Excavations in the area by the Cercle Ségnia testify to the presence of significant Roman habitation and various Roman villas, including a royal villa in the nearby Beho.

Opposite the church stands the Sevrin house, an unmistakable architectural testimony of the houses from the early 19th century and a testament to the simple and hard life of the local inhabitants. Many other houses from the 18th and 19th centuries (with slate upper lintels) are also worth a look: Bastin, Duchène, Beaupain, Barbette, and Jacob.

In the Bois de Ronce, on the right bank of the Ewe di Ronce, an important tributary of the Glain, stands a steep rock whose appearance once startled the hearts of people from the surrounding villages. You can still see gaping square holes and remnants of rock paths there! According to legend, these holes were once inhabited by the “Nûtons”.

On the heights of the village, overlooking the old schools, in the “Solzès Montis” district, an impressive concrete cross was erected in 1935 by the “Raphaélistes”, a group of Christian railway workers.

Every four years, in the middle of spring, Bovigny rediscovers the old-fashioned charm of the small rural crafts of the past, when the atmosphere reenacts the village of yore during the event “à bon vî timps”.

Playground
Recently, a remarkable park was established in the heart of the village, with a playground and an extensive resting place.

Water trough
Next to this park, you can still see a simple hardstone water trough that is currently still fed by a spring.

Jan Rymenams