Owner/holder of the abandoned railway:
The general legal framework in the Walloon Region is an emphyteutic lease between Wallonia and the SNCB, allowing the Walloon Region to use the former railways to develop greenways
This itinerary follows the old vicinal line 618, today developed into a pre-RAVeL between Assenois, the ponds of the Strange in Hompré and Martelange, in the province of Luxemburg in Begium, region of the Ardennes
The “Pre-Ravel” goes through many villages in the Bastogne region, in the calm and idyllic setting of the Strange and Sûre valleys. It runs along the edge of the Strange ponds, between Hompré and Hollange, and will link its course to the meandering of the Sure river.
Most of the route is in the Natura 2000 area, and the surrounding nature invites to enjoy outdoor and take a discovering and leisurely walk.
Multiple educational totems along the way remind the origin of the line. On the territory of the municipality of Fauvillers, metal panels “Mémoire du Tram”, in the shape of the front of a locomotive, give the names of the old stops and local and historical information.
Total distance: 21316 m
Total climbing: 556 m
Total descent: -436 m
Total climbing: 556 m
Total descent: -436 m
- Very good connexions with sports equipment’s, namely the sports hall in Martelange is right nearby.
- Great diversity of natural and cultural assets, the greenway crosses a very beautiful & historically valuable rural area, the Ardennes region.
- It is right on the border of Luxembourg, which gives it a cross-border interest.
- Parc de la Haute-Sure/Foret d’Anlier: the area around the Maison du Parc invites to discover local ecosystems: signposted walks, recreational facilities, including the “bird walk” & the “biodiversity labyrinth
- This section is part of the large regional route W9 La Véloroute grandeur Nature, (From Raeren to Martelange), which includes the Vennbahn, a 125 cross-border rail-trail greenway connecting Germany, Belgium and Luxemburg
- Ardoise Museum Haut-Martelange: provides a complete overview of a mining industry that has shaped the region for 200 years.
- Bastogne War Museum. The main World War II memorial site in Belgium, with a focus on the Battle of the Ardennes.
Considering the characteristics, the main activities are: cycling, walking, jogging, horse riding, as usual in the RAVel -greenways.
Recommended for mountain biking; the surface is not always very good. It is mainly fine compacted gravel (a kind of solid gravel) and there is also a passage on a not very comfortable forest road.
Very good connections to sports facilities, especially the nearby Martelange sports hall, which offers a wide range of sports activities, including the “Je cours pour ma forme” programme.
(https://sportmartelange.be/sports/course-a-pied/.)
Potential users are cyclists, walkers, horse riders and; no information about people with reduced mobility.
The route is already developed as Pre-Ravel. Improvement works are planned: development of the RAVeL between Radelange and Martelange (1 km). Stage: award of works.