The best road cycling routes around Esneux

The elegant, slightly curved steel structure was designed by the renowned Walloon engineering firm Greisch and built between 2003 and 2004. It has a total length of 80 meters and weighs around 67 tons. The bridge has an important tourist and practical function: it directly connects the historic, medieval town center of Durbuy with the green riverbank on the opposite side, where, among other things, the famous Le Parc des Topiaires (topiary park) is located. From the bridge, you also have a wonderful view of the wooded hills of the Ardennes and the historic backdrop of the town.

After the hustle and bustle of Coo, the river here resumes its quiet course

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

A classic. In the village, under the tunnel, you're still wondering what's this, but then the climb turns left and the real work begins. A truly steep climb, definitely worth testing yourself against a spring legend.

Mega hills to test yourself

video of the climb https://youtu.be/2SUZZ_bM3bg

start of the awesome link

I didn't get any further because of new asphalt, probably two weeks after my post there is fantastic asphalt here!!