La Roche-en-Ardenne

La Roche-en-Ardenne is a small town known for the ruins of its feudal castle which overlooks it. Surrounded by the Ourthe and wooded hills, its rugged beauty attracts many hikers and lovers of outdoor activities.

This tourist capital in the north of the province of Luxembourg is tucked away in a bend of the Ourthe.
This hilly landscape of dense forests has long attracted generals and castle builders.
The first 'tourists' were the Celts, followed by the Romans, the Counts of Namur, the Dukes of Luxembourg, the Burgundians, the Austrians, Emperor Charles and Philip II.
Then came Louis XIV, who thought the castle looked like nothing. He quickly had it demolished and asked a student of Vauban to build a new version.
In December 1944, the city was largely destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge, but then bravely rebuilt.

La Roche-en-Ardenne is located in the eastern Ardennes on the upper reaches of the Ourthe river.
Particularly worth seeing is the 11th-century castle, the church of St. Nicholas and the Sherman tank in the central square, which is said to commemorate the liberation in 1944.
Otherwise there are picturesque streets, squares and nice restaurants.