126 km | 155 km-effort
ou are going to pass in front of the ruins of the earl's castle, on your right. Late 11th c, the Montaigu, first lords, built a fortress on a rocky spur. Of this fortified castle, of which actually subsist the ancient walls and the dungeon, came the name of the small town that grew at its feet. Indeed, ‘Rochefort’ derives from Rocha fortis meaning ‘fortified castle’. Various
You will drive past the remains of the Castle of the Counts, on your right. In the late 11th century, the Montaigu, the first Lords of Rochefort, built a fortress on a rocky spur. This stronghold - of which currently only the old castle walls and donjon remain - gave its name to the small town that burgeoned and grew at the foot of the castle. In fact, Rochefort stems from Rocha fortis which literally means strong castle ‘fortress’ (château fort in French). The castle was the seat of a succession of different dynasties (Montaigu, Duras, Walcourt, Marck, Stolberg, Löewenstein) and its defensive features were strengthened as years went by. Because of its strategic position, the castle was repeatedly besieged. The lords were counts of Rochefort, vassals of the bishop of Liège for the majority of their lands and vassals of the Count of Luxemburg for the remainder. In 1285, Thierry de Walcourt granted the Charter of Liberties to the burghers of Rochefort. At the time, the town was booming, and Thierry de Walcourt enfranchised the burghers who lived in the small town enclosed within the town walls, but not the peasants that populated the Behogne area. The Walcourt family’s coat of arms is now the shield of Rochefort, a fortified town populated by privileged burghers. Most of the houses in Rochefort were half-timbered and detached buildings.
You are now in the Rue Jacquet, the oldest street in R
Motor
Randonnées de la Maison du Tourisme Famenne - Ardenne Ourthe & Lesse PRO
