The Transardennaise

Program

Day 1

La Roche-en-Ardenne
Welcome in La Roche-en-Ardenne in the afternoon and handing over of the complete file. Possibility to visit the village of La Roche and its castle. Evening meal included.

Day 2

La Roche-en-Ardenne – Sainte-Ode (22.2 or 25.3 km; +537 m)
The departure is from the Place du Bronze in La Roche-en-Ardenne. This first stage presents no difficulties, apart from a fairly steep climb out of La Roche-en-Ardenne, to convince you from the outset that there’s more to Belgium than the “Plat Pays” sung by Jacques Brel. You then pass through open countryside and undergrowth towards the commune of Sainte-Ode. You arrive at your accommodation on foot.
There’s a shorter version of this stage, 22.2 km long (+505 m).

Day 3

Sainte-Ode – Saint-Hubert (20.3 km ;+ 365 m)
This stage takes place mainly in undergrowth and has a relatively hilly profile. It will allow you to discover the Great Forest of Saint-Hubert and is, without doubt, one of the most pleasant stages of La Transardennaise for those who love solitude and the invigorating air of the great forests. You will arrive at the end of the stage in Saint-Hubert, European capital of nature and hunting, where you can enjoy a drink on the terrace facing the famous basilica. You arrive at your accommodation on foot.

Day 4

Saint-Hubert – Nassogne (21.6 or 27.5 km ;+722 m)
Today’s stage ignores the flat: climbs are followed by descents and vice versa, but effort is rewarded as it passes through some of the most beautiful forests in the Ardennes, forests of beech, oak and especially conifers. You will also pass by the magnificent site of the Fourneau Saint-Michel with its museum of iron and rural life. You will arrive in the evening in Nassogne, a charming village on the border of the Ardennes and the Famenne. You can shorten the stage to 23 km by turning left before Fourneau Saint-Michel. You arrive at your accommodation on foot.
There is a short version of this 21.6 km stage (+503 m).

Day 5

Nassogne – Mirwart (17 or 23 km; +493 m)
Sensibly shorter than the previous ones, this stage includes a few descents and a few climbs, but the gradients are less steep than before. Although it is still partly wooded, there are more and more fields and meadows. At the end of the stage, you arrive in the village of Mirwart, classified as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Wallonia”. There is no accommodation in Mirwart. You’ll need to walk to your accommodation in a nearby village.
The total distance of the stage from accommodation to accommodation is +/- 23 km (+652 m).

Day 6

Mirwart – Daverdisse (22 km ; + 500 m)
On this day, the itinerary takes you from the provincial domain of Mirwart to two exceptional natural sites: the Valley of Marsoult at Mirwart and the Valley of Haute-Lesse shortly before Daverdisse. The itinerary also takes you to the splendid village of Redu, renowned as the book village and one of the sites of the European Space Agency. You arrive at your accommodation on foot.

Day 7

Daverdisse – Paliseul (22 km; + 550 m)
This stage between Daverdisse and Paliseul is not the most tiring of La Transardennaise because it only includes a hill worthy of the name, at the exit of Daverdisse. For the rest, it falls between contour lines 340 and 390 (meters of altitude). It is one of the prettiest, however, as it takes you through the small villages of Porcheresse and Our, home to a Michelin-starred restaurant. You arrive at your accommodation on foot.

Day 8

Paliseul – Bouillon (20km or 27 km; + 450 m)
After spending the night in Paliseul, you join the path that takes you to the hiking finish point. You finish with a spectacular view of Bouillon before arriving in town by a steep path ! Congratulations, you’ve done 160 km in 7 stages. Possibility to visit the town and the castle. You can choose to take the return trip when you arrive in the late afternoon or relax for an extra night in Bouillon!
There’s a shorter version of this 20.0 km stage (+283 m). This short route takes you past the Giant’s tomb!!!