Bètche Woods at the Rocks and Widow's Wood

The locality of Spy gained international fame following the discovery in 1886 by Mr. De Puydt and Mr. Lohest of two Neanderthal skeletons in the Bètche-al-Rotche cave. Other prehistoric and historical finds would follow, but they never overshadowed those of the 'men of Spy,' whose remains now rest in a vault of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences! The site, now classified, is located on the left bank of the Orneau, not far from the confluence point with the old Sambre. It includes a steep limestone slope covered with woods, some bodies of water, and wetlands (meadow-sedges, alder forest, etc.). Several karst phenomena (resurgences, caves, etc.) can be observed there. One of the multiple interests of the place is that one is in the presence of both Viséan limestone rocks and Coal Measures shales and sandstones, leading to great contrasts in vegetation. Thermophilic calcicole communities alternate with silicicole communities. The fauna includes numerous mammals, including several species of bats that hibernate in small numbers in the cavities of the massif. The avifauna is also rich, notably with the European kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and the grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). The presence of the common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) and the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is also worth mentioning.

Public Access: Fires at the entrance or in the caves
Type: Site of Great Biological Interest (SGIB)

La biodiversité en Wallonie