The best mountain hikes around Somme-Leuze

Ideal resting place during a longer hike.

Important opportunity to change banks

A beautiful bridge with a view of the castle

Beautiful view with a relatively easy climb

Beautiful and stately, gorgeous

Durbuy is first mentioned in 1078 (as Dolbui) and in 1084 (under the current name). The first traces of habitation are found during excavations in the Anticlinaal cave by Count Pierre d'Ursel. The d'Ursel family still inhabits Durbuy Castle. Before the current castle, there were already others. Based on the archives of Luxembourg, a castle was destroyed and in the eleventh century, another was built by Henry II the Lame, who had received the domain from his mother Rageline, sister of Pope Stephen II, and her husband Albert II of Namur. Around 1156, that castle was severely damaged by flames and during the succession wars of the Duchy of Limburg, it was destroyed several more times. From 1412, Durbuy came into the hands of the House of Burgundy and at the end of the fifteenth century, the then-existing castle was destroyed by Maximilian of Austria, like all the castles of the la Marck family: besides Durbuy, these also include the castles of Logne and La Roche. In 1628, Baron Antoine Schetz of Grobendonck leased the Durbuy estate for 40,000 gold marks, a very considerable sum. Besides being a baron, he was also Count of Grobbendonk, Lord of Tilburg and Goirle, Pulle and Pulderbos, and Wezemaal. He was in the service of the Spanish and had led the defense of 's-Hertogenbosch during the Eighty Years' War. At the age of 71, he was also governor of the city of Leuven during the Siege of Leuven. And he was the first in a long line of the d'Ursel family who, to this day, inhabit the castle. In 1731, the castle was rebuilt by the then Duke of Ursel. Countess Auguste d'Ursel, who acquired the d'Ursel family's possessions in Durbuy, then modernized the castle from 1880 to 1882 with the help of architect Thirian from Namur. During the Second World War, the castle was occupied several times and in 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, it was used as a field hospital by the American liberators, with the billiard table serving as an operating table. Sources: historical overviews in Word documents on the website of Count Jean-Michel d'Ursel, current resident, at https://www.chateaudedurbuy.be/historique.html

On the side of the bridge, you'll find a four-language (FR/NL/DE/UK) information board with the information about the bridge Herwig mentions. It could use replacing. Other interesting facts about the bridge with visible remains: the metal cross, surmounted by a cast and painted iron statue of Christ on the railing, dates from the eighteenth century. As mentioned, the limestone base inscribes the construction years of the various successive bridges: 1725, 1909, and 1954. The base of the cross itself has also been replaced. The previous one, also part of the city's small heritage, stands on the side of the church next to the old graves. This stone stood there between 1909 and 1940 and was blown up during the war. It was replaced in 1954, just like the bridge. If you go down the stairs towards the parking lot on the other side of the bridge (the side with the information board), you will see another reminder, remains and information about the mill.

At approximately 37 meters, the top of the Anticline, also known as the Homalius Rock and especially the Falize Rock, is literally the highest point in Durbuy. It has been a highlight for many visitors for years, thanks in part to the surroundings and beautiful water features. The rock is somewhat older than the average visitor. It's said to be more than 300 million years old. However, the rock layers are much older: around 375 million years old. The name Anticline comes from the geological phenomenon known as an anticline. It's the opposite of a syncline. While the former is a fold formed over many years, with the innermost layers being the oldest and the folds running downwards, synclines have folds running downwards. Such folds can form for various reasons and range from very small to large, as seen here. Originally, everything was, of course, horizontal. The inverted U-shape created by uplift in Durbuy is not only beautiful to see but also special. And Durbuy has beautifully highlighted this. Another beautiful anticline can be found in Han-sur-Lesse, also in the Famenne-Ardenne region, albeit in the province of Namur (here we are in Luxembourg), where it has been given the name "Tête de bouc" (Tick of the Rock). There's a waterfall and a large water feature at the end of the expansive pond in front of the rock, which you can also climb. And everywhere there's space to admire it all while sitting and relaxing—or enjoying the water. Don't forget the many smaller works of art and curiosities, and take a look in the water.