The mineral resources of north Famenne are almost exclusively composed of schist, an extremely brittle rock. The southern part of the Famenne, between the schist-laden Famenne soil and the Ardennes, is called the Calestienne, which is where you are now. The Calestienne area is a narrow strip of only a couple of miles long which stretches out across the entire breadth of Wallonia.
The word Calestienne was invented by botanists who were so impressed by the local flora - that is incomparable to anything found in the adjacent areas- that they thought it would be a good idea to give this small but singular territory its own specific name. The etymology of the world Calestienne refers to the limestone that you have had the pleasure of admiring on the façades in the village and that constitutes most of the hills that encircle the Lesse Valley.
Once again, it’s the physical and chemical properties of this same limestone that led to the creation of the famous caves of Han-sur-Lesse.
Walking
Randonnées de la Maison du Tourisme Famenne - Ardenne Ourthe & Lesse PRO