Hidden behind the small shale farms, "Pépé crochet" sits at the edge of the watering hole. He tells us about life in the days of this charming rustic village's tobacco drying sheds and washhouses.
Leaving Vresse and the bridge over the Semois, Laforêt can be seen behind a canvas of greenery: a small, rustic and wild village, which commands tranquillity. This is undoubtedly due to the legends and mysteries that dot its alleys: from the fountain, the wild hunter, the white lady, the “verbouc” (half-man half-goat) and the “nutons” (ancestral elves) appear at the corner of a path or a bend.
The wide and deep houses are built in schist around the church of St. Agatha. This habitat is covered by large and very special roofs, known as “faisiaux” (slate quarry waste). A typical Ardennes decor completes the whole: low entrances, lucky and protective hearts on the barns, a bull’s eye in shale, wooden doors and windows frames. Once surrounded by tobacco fields, Laforêt still has drying sheds, a reminder of the region’s wealth. Other witnesses to the organisation of daily life in the past abound: washhouses, watering places and fountains. Below the village, in summer, a woven wooden (lattice) footbridge is thrown over the Semois. It’s the heritage of the tobacco planters who used to reach the fertile farmland along the river without making a detour.
As part of the publication of our triple topo-guide "GRAND TOUR DES PLUS BEAUX VILLAGES DE WALLONIE PAR LES GR", discover the routes via organised walks on the GR paths.
The Chairman, the members of the Board of Directors and the "PLUS BEAUX VILLAGES DE WALLONIE" team wish you all the best for the New Year!
On Wednesday 05 July, the heart of Crupet was in the spotlight...
The "rock walk" was recently inaugurated. Educational panels, signposting, benches and equipment now line the route, to the delight of the village community and everyone else!
Trois Beaux Villages vous attendent au court de cette balade au cœur de l'Ardenne profonde : Laforêt, Our et Gros Fays
Pour paresser en deux roues, rien ne vaut ce petit tour en Hesbaye. Là, pas besoin de pousser fort sur les pédales : cette région faite de bas plateaux présente un relief doux ou légèrement ondulé.
In the image of its neighbour Mélin, Saint-Remy-Geest has a white glow throughout its streets and alleys.
Laforêt, an Ardennes village in the commune of Vresse-sur-Semois, is situated on the left bank of the Semois.
The aptly named Laforêt is located along the Semois in the heart of the Ardennes woodland.
This 90-kilometre tour reveals the beauties of 4 beautiful and authentic villages for discovering one of the most emblematic regions of Wallonia.
The association Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie (The Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia) oversees a network of 32 villages, bearers of a strong territorial identity and reflecting traditional architecture. It is committed to promoting the rural, cultural and natural heritage of Wallonia and is a part of the development of local and responsible tourism.
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