border department, the Ardennes draw their essence from the same massif as the Belgian and Luxembourg Ardennes. This is probably why, despite their different nationalities, these three Ardennes have so many points in common. Whether you are in France, Belgium (south of Wallonia) or Luxembourg (north, Eislek/Oesling), they actually form only one: the Ardennes without S.
A dense and mythical forest
The singularity of this territory is born from its geology and its forest, dense and mythical. Under the protection of goddess Arduinna, the Celts reigned there leaving behind them a pagan culture swept away by Christianity. However, legendary beings still haunt the place: nutons, elves, pie-pie-van-van or the 4 sons Aymon, their fairy horse Bayard and the enchanter Maugis. And then today, the legend continues to be written, around Rimbaud and Verlaine, two poets intimately linked to the Ardennes.
The ideal meeting place for nature outings
Otherwise, this luxuriant and abundant nature makes the Ardennes a point of ideal meeting place to have fun in the middle of nature. Alone, as a duo, with family or friends, there are many ways to enjoy the benefits of the Ardennes. Leisure parks, sport-nature outings, hiking of all kinds, trail running, mountain biking... Including on the water, because many lakes and rivers feed the massif: the Meuse, the Sambre, the Semois/Semoy, the 'Ourthe, the Chiers, the Sûre...
Territory of history and memory
The Ardennes still share a rich historical heritage, around the abbeys and magnificent castles who swarm the territory. An important tradition of conviviality ensues, during major events such as the medieval festivals or just around beer and Trappist monks and other typically local productions. On the other hand, the Ardennes constitutes a essential destination for remembrance tourism. Places of commemoration and museums (War and Peace, Bastogne, etc.) pay tribute to the fighters who defended freedom (1870; 1914-1918; 1939 to 1945).
