Ardennes

What is a typical Ardennes village?

Ardennes villages often seem like a drop in the middle of uninhabited plains. In a time when people had limited travel options and access to neighboring villages was difficult, each entity had to be virtually self-sufficient. For example, until a few decades ago, each village still had its own church and school.

The current typology of Ardennes villages actually dates only from the 18th and 19th centuries. Before that, the Ardennes had already suffered various scourges, such as wars and the plague that ravaged the region in the 17th century. Economic recovery was therefore relatively slow.

Historically, the houses were half-timbered. From the 18th century onward, stone houses gradually became more prominent in the landscape. The roofs, which were thatched under the Ancien Régime, are now largely covered with slate.

Post-war reconstructions offered the opportunity to use new materials. The number

The number of farms is declining, and many are seeing their original purpose redefined. For example, some large buildings are being divided into apartments or converted into guesthouses to meet the growing demand for tourism in the region. Our regions, isolated from major transportation networks, have indeed been able to open up to tourism thanks to the democratization of new modes of transport such as the car.

In the countryside, traditional dwellings are primarily farmhouses. Note that the Ardennes, due to the poor soil, is primarily a region focused on livestock farming; few crops are grown.

The classic Ardennes architectural style, however, is based on the model of the so-called "multi-cell" or, more commonly, "three-cell" farms. This means that the farms are literally divided into three parts: the house, the stable, and the barn... all under one roof.

Dromos