The best traffic-free bike rides around Waremme

Since 1965, the Oteppe castle and its surrounding estate (65 ha) have been run as a holiday centre ("L'Hirondelle") with a hotel, campsite, holiday chalets and bungalows, swimming pools, playground and fishing ponds; as a result, the village's population has almost doubled during the summer months.

Saint Evermarus is venerated in three places in Europe: in Borth, in Burtscheid near Aachen, and in Rutten, a small municipality belonging to Tongeren in Belgium. According to legend, Evermarus and his seven companions were slain here by the robber chief Hacco. This is said to have happened around the year 700, and his remains were discovered around 960. A small chapel was built on the site. Every year on May 1st, the patron saint's festival of Saint Evermarus is celebrated in Rutten. After a procession through the town, the so-called Martyrs' Play takes place, during which local actors reenact the story of the saint's life and death.

The castle of Otrange, which belonged to the de Liberts, the Lords of Otrange, at the end of the Old Regime, suffered at the hands of Republican troops, who stayed there several times and built a hospital there in 1794. The castle remained unoccupied until at least 1792 and 1835. The descendants of Berthold-Louis de Libert sold the property at the beginning of the 19th century to the Grisard family, Liège industrialists active in the iron trade and cannon manufacture. It passed to the widow of Servais Grisard, née Jeanne-Hélène-Victoire Grisar, who bequeathed it to her nephew, Pierre Alexandre de Blochouse (1773-1849), the mayor of Otrange. He was married to Marie-Josèphe Magnée de Hornes (de Bommershov). Then came his son, Marcel Alexandre (Liège 1797 - Grammont 1853), who had married Adélaide du Bois of Basècles, who died in Ixelles in 1880 but was buried in Otrange. On July 20, 1874, the widow Marcel-Alexandre de Blochouse and her children transferred the property by family agreement to Émile Henri Naveau, husband of Louise Demarteau, who died in Otrange in 1907. The château passed by inheritance to Caroline Naveau, daughter of Émile, who married Nicolas Breuls; then to her daughter Juliette Breuls, wife of Knight Georges de Schaetzen; and finally to the latter's son, Knight Jean de Schaetzen van Brienen (died 2007), who married Sabine de Neve de Roden, the current occupant of the castle.

It is a cult building dating back to 1784, but its legendary origins date back to 968. For centuries, it has been a center of popular worship.

visible from the road

visible from the road (private property)

Restored and reopened with a folk festival the weekend after this writing.

Rutten is known for its annual Saint Evermarus festivities on 1 May. These commemorate the murder of Saint Evermarus and his companions in the 7th century. The highlight is the Evermarus play (also called Ruttem-mei), an open-air play in which the entire village participates. Only real Rutten residents play in this play. There are several dozen horses. Several thousand people attend this open-air spectacle every year. In addition, an annual procession is held for this saint, also on 1 May. The festival is recognised as intangible Flemish heritage and included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Flanders Inventory.