Celles
Condroz

Nestled in a valley carved into the Condroz Plateau, the Celles was founded by a monk in 669, soon to be Saint Hadelin. Follow the steps of pilgrims: the Saint-Hadelin hermitage is reached by a footpath lined with crosses, offering views on the village and the Romanesque Church.

The church and the ancient limestone habitat are bundeled and the valleys bed, calm public spaces coffer an sence of charm and friendliness to the village. Take time to discover the original decorative elements: the old gates, anchors and metal clasps, locks, shrines, door knockers... At the village enrtance, the German tank "Panther " recalls the advance of the German Army during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II

Two miles away, the feudal castle of Vêves proudly guards the region and is definatly worth a visit.

Any appetite? How about enjoying the local specials:  a hot "chausson cellelois" together ... a cuvée St. Hadelin ...!

© Photographies: 1 Christian Collet / 2 Aerialmedia / 9,12 Gérard Michel / 3,6-8,11,13-14 Mark Rossignol / 4,10 François Delfosse / 5 PBVW

Links

 

Informations

Tourisme et Culture de Celles asbl
12 Rue St-Hadelin
5561 Celles
Tél. : +32 (0)497 30 73 34 
www.houyet.be

Office de Tourisme de Houyet
15 Rue de la station, 21A 
5560 Houyet
Tél. : + 32 (0)82 22 32 14
www.tourismehouyet.be

Antenne Maison du Tourisme Famenne-Ardenne Ourthe et Lesse
Place de l'Etang, 15
6900 Marche-en-Famenne
Tél. : + 32 (0)84 34 53 27
www.famenneardenne.be 

 

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Condroz

Landscape

Limited by the Sambre and Lower Meuse valley on its north side, the landscape of the Condroz can be described as a long wave-shaped plateau, spit in half by the High Meuse valley. Erosion has sculpted Condroz' terrain in regular undulation, where sandstone crests alternate with limestone depressions, giving Condroz a unique landscape. The vegetal overlay emphasises the impact of the topography : the slopes are plowed, the muddy creek beds are flanked with meadows, while the windy and rocky crests are covered by woods.

This typical countryside landscape defines a mixt Openfield model. This organisation of space shows an open, agrair landscape, dedicated to both meadows and non-closed farmings. Based on a circular structure, it shows a living center, surrounded by a meadow ring, followed by another ring dedicated to farmings and finally, a last ring covered by forests. But Condroz' geology brings us yet another enlightenment. The bottom of steep, limestone slopes welcome meadows, while smoother, well watered and silt-full (thus full of nutritive elements) slopes are meant for farmings, and finally, sandstone hilltops, making infertile grounds, get covered in woods.

Condroz' villages, often set on the bottom of the slopes, or slightly below the hilltops, are characterised by a dense group of buildings, stretching along the waves. Other villages take place on ledges. The placement of houses is rather variable and is more tending to give houses a nicer orientation towards the sun, than trying to follow the pattern shown by the roads. Though some houses are attached, villages keep a very open, well aerated structure, within which wooded areas can appear. Outside of these, living spaces are rare, and is mostly represented by big farms and castles, spread in the landscape, which affirm their cultural Heritage.

Sources : FRW - CPDT

Typical coutryside habitat

The typical Condroz' house, high and without length, shows a relatively broad facade. They are generally two (sometimes up to two and a half) floors high, under a two-sided, symmetric roof. To this one-ridgepiece model, gathering all functions under a same roof, get added more complex units, made of smaller, additional buildings, sometimes aligned with the main lines of the central building. This organisation defines a circulating and working space, under the form of an open yard.

In bigger farms, a wall closes the yard, thus only accessible through a fence or a gate. Condroz' traditional houses are built from local materials, which are extracted from several quarries in the area. The grey, slightly shiny aspect of limestone, and the warmer shades of blond sandstone, embellish the walls of these houses along with, in some places, the presence of white facing. Grey tiles and slate make it as most of roof covering materials; as red tiles are used more seldom in Condroz.

Sources : FRW - CPDT

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