Florenville

A maximum of 5 km south of Florenville, on the French border, is the small hamlet of Chameleux, in the past located on the Roman road from Reims to Trier. This route, built around the year 30, was bordered every 15 km by an inn or point of release for riders, who often had to move quickly from one point to another. Chameleux, occupied from the first to the fifth century, also housed such a relay, composed at the beginning of wooden buildings, but since the third century also of stone houses, connected to each other with a wooden collonade. The relay of Chameleux has been unearthed: you can still see some vestiges of buildings and interesting information panels.

DISTANCE
10 km.

TYPE OF ROAD
Bitumen for the first mile and a half, followed by a road with base surface for about a mile and a half. Then there is only for bitumen, except outside the wood when you go up, about a kilometer before Florenville (there you walk on a road with base surface). It is finally possible to take strollers or wheelchairs after a dry period and provided that you have help for steep slopes.

MARKUP
At present (March 2004) the first six kilometers are marked with blue circles (or balls if you like) on the facades, enclosures, etc. They are sometimes rare, but abundant on other stages. From the Roman ruins you follow the white-red lines of the Ardennes-Eifel Hiking trail for a long time, until you leave the Bituminée road, beyond a ruinous construction. You return to the starting point without any others, except for street names.

PARKING

You can store the car on Place Albert Ier, the road junction of Florenville, full of places, but essential during intense tourist seasons. Free parking on the square, but with parking disc in the surrounding streets (see signs).

TOPOGRAPHIC MAP
IGN 67/7-8. Then also the IGN Chiny / Florenville / Herbeumont walking map (1/25,000), but most of the new or renewed signs as indicated on the map, still have to be installed on the ground: a job that will still take time.

INFORMATION
Maison du Tourisme du Pays de la Semois entre Ardenne et Gaume, place Albert Ier, 6820 Florenville
Tel. 061 31 12 29
Fax 061 31 32 12