La Roche-en-Ardenne and kayaking on the Ourthe

What it is

La Roche-en-Ardenne is a village tucked into a bend of the river Ourthe, north of Bastogne, with the ruins of a feudal castle on a rocky ridge. It is the half-day trip that balances the visit to the war sites: a walk around the village, the climb to the castle and, if the river has water, a kayak descent to the centre.

The castle

On the site there was a Celtic oppidum and a Roman camp. Around the year 844 Count Adelard built the first castle, and the fortress you see was built gradually from the eleventh century. Louis XIV occupied and reinforced it between 1681 and 1688. A fire started by lightning ruined it in 1721, Emperor Joseph II ordered it dismantled, and in December 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, it was damaged by a bombing raid. Since 1976 it has been protected as Walloon heritage.

• Visit: about 45 minutes; last entry half an hour before closing.
• Admission: €8.50 from age 12 and €6.50 for ages 3 to 12. The animations cost €2 more.
• Opening hours: the castle's website gives two timetables that do not match: Monday to Friday from 13:00 to 16:00 and weekends from 11:00 to 16:30, and on another line, every day from 11:00 to 17:00. Confirm before going up. With snow or ice it may close.

It is not accessible to people with reduced mobility. Dogs may enter on a lead. There is a picnic area and a bar. At certain times of year it organises archery, crafts and falconry, and on summer evenings, at dusk, legend says the ghost of Countess Berthe appears.

Kayaking the Ourthe

The classic descent for families and beginners is Maboge to La Roche, an hour and a half to two hours. You set off from Maboge, upriver, and finish in the village. For those who want more, the Nisramont to La Roche descent, about 18 km, takes four to five hours.

Several companies rent kayaks in the village:

• Outdoor Centre, from the Les Merlettes estate, Val du Pierreux 2: Maboge–La Roche from €20 per person, with departures from 9:30 to 16:30 at weekends, on public holidays and during school holidays, and Nisramont–La Roche for €35. Single kayak, €5 more.
• Ardenne Aventures, at the same Val du Pierreux: Maboge–La Roche for €25 per person, about two hours; it announces a season from March to November, every day from 9:00 to 17:00.
• Brandsport, also in La Roche, with descents on the Ourthe.

The price includes the kayak, the life jacket and the transfer to the starting point.

The water decides

The Ourthe is a river with a very variable flow and descents are only made if the level allows it. In 2026, because of the drought, kayaking was banned on the Ourthe from 23 June. Phone the company the day before and do not take a summer descent for granted.

Getting there

By car from Bastogne, to the north-west. For the kayaks, leave your car at the company's point in La Roche: the transfer takes you up to Maboge and you paddle down to the car.

With children

The Maboge stretch is the one the companies recommend for children and beginners; ask the minimum age when you book. The castle has a children's ticket from age 3 and seasonal activities, such as treasure hunts.