FREE PATH THROUGH THE GOURMET LAND - Over the RAVeL from Aachen to Liège

The cycle route Aachen-Liege follows the disused railway lines 39/38 and is part of the so-called RAVeL route network (Réseau Autonome des Voies Lentes) of the Walloon Region. The name says it all, the paths are autonomous and dedicated to non-motorized slowness, including e-bikes. By bike, horse, and on foot, it is important to share the route considerately, ringing the bell is explicitly encouraged, pedestrians have the right of way.

Once you have reached the Three-Country Point, the route is marked by the past railway. Along the way, railway relics tell of the active times of passenger and freight transport, which have been out of service since 1986. At Hombourg station, we succumb to the morbid charm of old carriages, and in Aubel, a decommissioned locomotive greets us. In Herve, railway history merges with the gourmet image of the region. In the old station building, you can learn about the cultural landscape of the Herve region with its typical meadows, hedges, and orchards and have the opportunity to taste the regional products. On "Gourmet Saturdays," local producers in Hombourg, Aubel, and Herve invite visitors to tour and taste cheese, beer, syrup, and cider, while on Sundays, the regional weekly market in Aubel is a draw.

Almost in a meditative state, we leisurely ride our bikes through the countryside following the traces of the former railway line. We pass through tunnels, bridges, a viaduct, and enjoy magnificent views over the "superbe région de bocage," as the Herve region is referred to in tourism advertising. The typical hedge structure once served as a property boundary. After a period of decline, there was a return to the value of the landscape, which has now become a characteristic feature again. Tall apple and pear trees, formerly planted to provide shade for livestock, provide the basis for local syrup, a natural product made without any added sugar.

We pass by the mining heaps of Retinne and Micheroux, then are guided by the Weser and Ourthe rivers to the Meuse, where we are welcomed by Parc La Boverie on an island. Across from it lies the railway station artwork by Spanish architect Calatrava, the Gare Liège-Guillemins, which we can use for the return journey after a rewarding city stroll.

Highlights along the route
Three-Country Point
Maison du Site Minier, Rue du Chemin de Fer 25, Plombières (B)
Old Station, Hombourg (B)
Brasserie Grain d'Orge, Plombières (B)
Siroperie Meurens, Rue de la Kann 2, Aubel (B)
Artisanal Syrup Maker, Rue Saint-Antoine, 16, Aubel (B)
Fort de Battice, Rue d'Aubel, Battice (B)
Cidery, Press and Distillery, Atelier Constant-Berger, Rue de Herve 102b, Battice (B)
Meule du Plateau Cheese Factory, Rue de Charneux, 32, Herve (B)
Espace des Saveurs, Place de la Gare 1, Herve (B)
Tourism House of Pays de Herve, Herve (B)
Old Station, Micheroux (B)
Hasard Halde, Retinne (B)
Petit Museum de Fléron, Fléron (B)
La Boverie Museum, Calatrava's Guillemins Station, City Center, Liege (B)