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Neufchâteau

Libin

Abissage – 15th-century agricultural engineering

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Belgium

Wallonia

Wallonie

Neufchâteau

Libin

Abissage – 15th-century agricultural engineering

Recommended by 18 hikers out of 19

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Location: Libin, Neufchâteau, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

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Tips

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

November 19, 2023

At this location, a few metres behind the information board, you can see traces of a 15th century agricultural technique called Abissage. This technique was widely used in the past centuries. It is the precursor of irrigation technology. In reality, the idea was to enrich the infertile meadows of the valley slopes with silt and mineral salts deposited by dug canals or ditches that were diverted from the streams. These ditches were called "Biefs" in French, which became "Bys" in Walloon.

Abissage was a job for the winter or early spring. The landowners dug permanent canals for the water supply that were on average 30 cm to 1 metre wide and 30 to 60 cm deep. They extended over a length that varied from 10 metres to 1 kilometre, following the contour lines.

Abissage was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century with the arrival of fertilisers.

On the information board you can read even more interesting information about this special medieval agricultural technique.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 330 m

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Wednesday 24 September

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Libin, Neufchâteau, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

Abissage – 15th-century agricultural engineering

1. Picnic Area by the Lake – Smuid Village loop from Smuid

2. Saint-Roch Church – Domaine Provincial de Mirwart loop from Poix-Saint-Hubert

3. Clear Stream – Beautiful Forest Corner loop from Poix-Saint-Hubert

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