Natuur

Natural environment

Landscapes

The tiny village of Ronzon lays against the Ardennes-foothills like a buckle at the belt of a sleeping giant. You can rush from it downward, like the Dutch poet Jacques Perk used to do, "to embrace the beloved, the cheerful river Ourthe". The Ourthe-valley is not everywhere as narrow as it is at Ronzon. Upstream, between Marcourt and Jupille, the large and flat floor of the valley indicates that the Ourthe sometimes strives to be more powerful, like in some winters with abundant rainfall, as the river deploys all of sudden a beautiful maze of interconnected currents. Here the Ourthe wanders in a free and natural way, without the constraints of dams, as that of Nisramont, 12 miles to the south-east. Going that way, you can lose yourself in the unpolished heartlands of the Ardennes, dominated by forests that stretch beyond the most distant horizon. Downstream from Ronzon, the Ourthe gains the more open and undulating Famenne landscape, where farmsteads and sleepy villages are plentiful and where every twist or summit in the road reveals new surprises.

2 pictures of the same Ourthe. 10 minutes from the Fermette. Left, a vein going trough the Arboretum and on the right a wonderful basin where you can swim deliciously!

Locally, as seen at Hampteau and at Nadrin, the Ourthe had to push a harder to work its way. That is how steep cliffs evolved, like the Hérou at Nadrin. The slopes of the river valleys guarantee challenging climbs and descents. Little has changed since the days that Julius Caesar reported on the endless extent of the Ardennes forest. To date it is still possible to wander from Bouillon at the French border to the border of Luxemburg and Germany without leaving the forest, except for an occasional river or highway crossing. This doesn't imply that you have to, for it is far more interesting to look for the variation offered by villages, meadows and other open spaces.That would allow you also to enjoy the magnificent vistas, like the one you will find at a mile distance from Ronzon at the base of the chapel of Saint Thibaut (altitude 320 m; 1000 feet), a climb not to be missed for those who are new to the region because it offers an overview of it.

Geology

The origin of the Ardennes dates back to the same geological period wherein most mountains in the United Kingdom as well as those in the eastern United States were thrust up during the Caledonian upheaval , i.e. from the Silurian until the Pennsylvanian, several hundreds of millions years ago. The orientation of the resulting ridges is roughly parallel to that of the valley of the Meuse between Namur and Liege (see local stratification between La Roche and Deulin). After denudation, the subsequent Varistic upheaval restored part of the mountainous character. As a result of the wearing down of previously covering layers, the oldest exposed layers are found in the south-east, like in La Roche.

Devonian layers of the Ourthe-valley (©B.N.Blom)

formation	age (x million yr)	appearance	description
Lochkovien (Gédinnien)	Early-Devonian -408	SE of Maboge	terrestrian; slate and sandstone
Praguien (Coblencien)	Early-Devonian -406	between Maboge and Jupille	deep marine: phyllite and sandstone
Praguien (Coblencien)	Early-Devonian -402	between Jupille and Ronzon	marine: slate
Emsien (Burnotien)	Middle-Devonian -395	between Ronzon and Hamoul	shallow marine: slate, shales and conglomerate
Eifelien (Couvinien)	Middle-Devonian -386	between Hamoul and Hampteau	marine: calcareous schists and sandstone
Givetien	Middle-Devonian -377	between Hampteau and Hotton	marine: limestone and shales
Frasnien	Late-Devonian -373	between Hotton and Deulin	marine: calcareous schists and claystone
Famennien	Late-Devonian -362 milj.jr.	N. of Deulin	marine: schists and sandstone

The origin of the Ardennes dates back to the same geological period wherein most mountains in the United Kingdom as well as those in the eastern United States were thrust up during the Caledonian upheaval , i.e. from the Silurian until the Pennsylvanian, several hundreds of millions years ago. The orientation of the resulting ridges is roughly parallel to that of the valley of the Meuse between Namur and Liege (see local stratification between La Roche and Deulin). After denudation, the subsequent Varistic upheaval restored part of the mountainous character. As a result of the wearing down of previously covering layers, the oldest exposed layers are found in the south-east, like in La Roche.

When one follows the road from La Roche to Ronzon during frosty periods in winter, the sight of beautiful draperies made of icicles on the mountain-sides is striking. This is caused by the presence of interrupted aquifers between the impermeable layers of shoal and slate. Quite different from the properties of shoal and slate are those of the limestone rocks at Hampteau and Hotton. These are very permeable and have allowed subterranean rivers to form, like the Lisbelle in its course near Mélines. Behind the Hotton quarry you will find the splendid Hotton caves in the so called "Calestienne-formation". In the growing season, differences in sub-soil content of limestone show the huge differences in the composition of the vegetation.

Botany

The richness in geology and landscapes is reflected by its counterpart in botanical variation.
The mysterious appearance on roadsides on chalk of the livid green flowers of the Hellebore heralds the end of the winter. A spring stroll along the Ourthe is made joyful by the abundance of Wood Anemone, Wild Daffodil, Pilewort and Bluebell and you can strike it rich by finding Marsh Marigold. The places to visit for a summer gold rush are the watersides of the small brooks and torrents: don't be surprised to find both of the Golden Saxifrages, the Opposite-leaved and the Alternate-leaved.
True wildflower lovers live up to their delight when they hear of chalk grasslands and of natural deciduous forests on base-rich substrates.

At a distance of a few miles to the north of Ronzon you can hit the famous "Calestienne-zone" where you will find prime examples of these vegetation-types with orchids like White Helleborine, Blue Butcher and Twayblade and the possibility of stunning encounters with both Daphne-species, i.e. the Spurge Laurel and Mezereon. Bryologists are enthusiastic of the diversity of moss species, both Musci and Hepatics.
There is an outspoken wealth of Fern species, in particular at natural cliffs and stonewalls.

Mycology

They still exist, and not only in Eastern-Europe. We are not referring to witches but to professional mushroom-hunters, without stating that you can make an all-year-round living of it, but it allows these people to achieve a considerable raise in income during the season. For here, in the Ardennes, it is still lawful to do so, given the infinity of woods and the huge mushroom crop. When you stay at our place you can have a delightful share in the local production. Most plentiful of edible species are of the genera Boletus (with a little luck you can pick over 10 kilos within an hour !), Russula, Lactarius (amongst them the delicious Orange-Green) one and of genera of a more widespread reputation like Cantharellus, Morchella (Morel) and Agaricus. That the latter ones are nor all edible neither smelling well is shown by the disapproving look in the face of local amateur mycologist Conny van der Zwan at the picture below.
Of course you should never eat mushrooms of which you are not perfectly sure that their consumption is not hazardous, like in the case of the genus Amanita, which contains edible species next to the most deadly ones.

Can we help you ?

"Fermette Les Beaux Arts" is happy to assist you if you would like to gather knowledge and experience in the determination of local plant- and fungi species. You can ask your host Boudewijn what materials and services are available (handbooks, microscope, help in determining species, online species lists). Two or three times a year Boudewijn organises excursions for interested persons, sometimes in relation to a workshop. Have a look at the list of coming events to be informed. You will also find dates of local mushroom excursions organised by other local guides.