Winding journey along meandering streams, old chapels, and impressive panoramas in the land of The Battle of the Bulge.

Text and photo Stan Verelst

The route

With the church of Flamierge on your left, you start your journey (V). You cycle past a war memorial for the 17th Airborne Division, which fought here in January 1945 during The Battle of the Bulge. You may park your car here, as there are few options near the church. ● At the end of the road, turn left towards Tronle. Ignore the street to the right and cycle past a chapel with a picturesque turret. Leave one road to the left and continue straight ahead towards Salle, Tronle, and Troismont. Exiting the village, you enter the open countryside among the scattered buildings. ● You ride past the end of the agglomeration sign of Flamierge and the agglomeration sign of Tronle, enjoying the impressive, gently rolling landscape. At the junction in the square with the bus shelter, continue straight ahead, still towards Salle. ● You pass the end of the agglomeration sign of Tronle and cycle further between meadows and fields. At the first small crossroads after the agglomeration sign of Troismont, go straight ahead to Givroulle. Here, turn right onto Rue Al Béole. ● Ignore the side roads and cycle out of the village among scattered buildings, past the end agglomeration sign of Troismont and further through the meadows. After a while, you can already see the church of Givroulle in the distance. Continue until you reach the N826 from Libramont-Chevigny to Houffalize. Turn right and left before the church. Cycle around the church and turn left at the T-junction. ● Cross the Ruisseau de Givroulle. To the left of the street is a sign with Petit-Moulin on it. To the right, next to the stream, there has been a watermill active since before 1700. In 2004, it was converted into a holiday home.

Chapel nearby

Ignore a dead-end side road on the right and climb with a curve to the left until you reach the junction with a white Notre-Dame de Lourdes chapel (1) from the 19th century. Leave one road to the left and continue straight ahead. After a fairly long climb among the meadows, where you can enjoy a 360° panorama, you arrive at a five-way intersection. Ignore the road to Berhain on the right and take the second road on the right, towards Wyompont and Wigny. You descend a bit through the forest and, when you come out, enjoy a nice panorama on the right. ● At the first junction, turn right, towards Wigny. First, you cycle along the edge of the forest, with an impressive view on the right featuring the ferme de Berhain. Then it continues among the fields. You pass a field cross and the sign for Wigny and arrive at a T-junction. Turn right, through Rue de l’Ourthe. ● Ignore the small street on the right and cycle past the Chapelle Saint-Joseph de Wigny (2) from 1721. The chapel was built because the residents of the hamlet of Wigny were more than an hour's walk from their parish church in Roumont. Curve with the road to the right and cycle out of the village. It continues among the meadows and along the edge of the forest, now with a nice view to the left. Then, you enter the forest and descend until you can turn left to cross the Pont des Gattes over the Ruisseau de Givroulle. On the other side, turn right towards Givroulle. Along the stream, there are many weekend homes.

Covered picnic area

Continue until you reach the T-junction. Turn left towards Houffalize. Now comes a necessary piece of connecting road, on a busier road without a bike path. It also goes uphill. Ignore the road to Givry on the right and continue climbing through the open country with beautiful views. You cycle past the sign and agglomeration sign of Gives and then turn sharply right onto the first road towards Givry. ● Via Rue du Lutin, you cycle out of the village again. After a pleasant winding stretch among the meadows, you pass the agglomeration sign of Givry. Immediately after, turn right onto Rue Al Virée. At the T-junction, turn left and cross the Ruisseau de Givry via the bridge. Then turn right onto Rue Maurice Laforge and climb to a small crossroads. Continue straight ahead on Rue de la Croiselle. At a junction, keep left and continue climbing to the end of the street. ● Turn left. It now goes steeply downhill. Ignore a small street on the right and left, cycle past a small square and a triangular chapel, and cross the Ruisseau de Givry again. On the bank is a covered picnic area. Then turn right onto the road to Bastogne. Follow this until you reach the junction with the church of Givry. Continue straight and, at the next junction, turn left into Rue de la Maladrie, towards Rouette, Longchamps, and Bastogne.

Sacred Heart statue under a roof

You cycle past a Notre-Dame de Lourdes chapel with a small staircase in front and the end of the agglomeration sign for Givry, cross the Ruisseau du Trou du Ry, and continue alongside a meadow with a few large ponds. ● After the agglomeration sign for Rouette, ignore a street on the right, and turn left at the Sacred Heart statue under a roof onto Rue Trou du Ry, towards Fays. Cross the Ruisseau de Rouette, which has a lovely picnic area, and turn left at the end of the road. At a T-junction, continue following Rue du Moulin to the right. ● Now comes a steep climb, and you cycle past the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bon Secours (3) from 1836. You ride past the agglomeration sign for Fays and then turn, opposite an old signpost, onto the first road on the right. This is Rue de la Hestroulle. You cycle past the end of the agglomeration sign for Fays and can then descend with an impressive panorama in front of you. After a short climb, you arrive at a priority road. Turn right. ● Now comes another necessary piece of connecting road along a wider road. Where the road bends to the right, ignore a street on the right and follow the street that runs parallel to the busier road. After the bend, you return to that road. Turn right and continue straight until the church of Longchamps. Ignore the road opposite the church on the right, leave the road to Compogne on the left, and cycle straight along the cemetery towards Bastogne. ● Shortly after, take the first road diagonally to the right; this is Rue de la Magire. After a short climb, turn left onto Rue du Monument. At the next small crossroads, turn right.

Sherman tank from WWII

You cycle past the end of the agglomeration sign for Longchamps. On the left, a winding stream flows through the meadows. Further on, cross the Ruisseau de Rolle-Champs. Then you cycle through the forest and along the agglomeration sign for Champs until you reach a small crossroads. On the right, you can see the church of Champs. ● On the left, there is an information board for the Historical Route of Bastogne and a gun turret (4) from an American Sherman tank from WWII, as a reminder of the Battle of the Bulge. Turn left. Then, opposite the white chapel of Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice with a staircase in front, turn right onto Rue des Cawettes. At the corner is a war memorial in memory of the civilian and military victims of both world wars. ● You climb along the end of the agglomeration sign for Champs into the open landscape with wide views. Ignore side roads until you can turn right towards Flamisoul and Flamierge. Keep ignoring all side roads and cycle past the agglomeration sign and the church of Flamisoul. Leave another side road on the right and ignore the road to Tillet on the left at the junction. ● Cycle diagonally to the right towards Flamierge. You ride along the end of the agglomeration sign for Flamisoul and continue to cycle through the meadows, gently rolling through the open landscape. After the agglomeration sign for Flamierge, turn left onto the first street and cycle back to the starting point.