Eight from La Roche-en-Ardenne

The route starts in La Roche-en-Ardenne, a tourist village on the banks of the Ourthe. It can therefore be occupied here in high season. However, as soon as you leave the village, the roads quickly become quiet. Near La Roche-en-Ardenne there are some steep climbs such as the Pied Monti and the most difficult slope in Belgium (according to the Encyclopedia Cotacol): Côte de Haussire. But this route avoids all steep climbs.

The route comes in the form of an eight and there are also eight climbs waiting for you. The first loop southeast of La Roche-en-Ardenne is dominated by forests. However, after passing the hamlet of Cabrehez, the landscape becomes more mixed (forests and meadows). After 51 km, you will arrive at La Roche-en-Ardenne.

The second loop northwest of La Roche-en-Ardenne can be characterised as a typical agricultural landscape of the Ardennes. In this part there is also a long climb: via the rather steep Côte de Beffe in Dochamps (but strictly speaking, these are two climbs with a flat part in between). In both loops there is an ascent with more than 350 altimeters. The following 8 ascents are on the route:

- Béresminil Coast

- Côte du Barrage de Nisramont (easy climb, average climb of nearly 5%, maximum 8%)

- Côte de Hives (a short climb beautifully located)

- Ascent to Cielle (the ascent is not difficult and goes through a very winding road)

- Warisy-Hodister Coast (max. 11%)

- South Waharday Coast (max. 13%)

- Côte de Beffe (gradients between 8 and 12%). The road sign that says 16% is wrong because it never exceeds 12%.

- Côte de Dochamps (slopes generally 4 to 6%), it is a continuation of the previous ascent (Côte de Beffe).

The roads are generally quiet, with the exception of the N69 which is followed once in a climbing direction for four kilometres and once in a downward direction for a distance of about 8km. In addition, the N833 in the Ourthe valley north of La Roche-en-Ardenne is also a slightly busier road, but this road is only followed twice over a distance of one and a half to two kilometres.