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to Arlon. BOUILLON. Route 43. 399
nanne to Meupre, a neat village most picturesquely situated im a
jorge amidst well wooded. rocks at the point where the Membre
{lyalls into the Semois, which is here crossed by a bridge; the path
crotrom hence continues along the rt. bank past Vresse and across
ofhe Ry de belle Fontaine by a stone bridge fo Cuamimre, and
foehence to ALLE (13 m. from Bohan by the path along the river,
ind 9 m. by the direct path); Inn: chez H. Hoffmann, very
Jean. The Semois abounds with small fish which bite; beware
{hf them if you bathe. It is svell to engage a guide from here to
wo Bonillon as the way is not easily found and the river must he fre-
wiguently forded : the distance, if you follow the river, is 30 miles,
~oy the direct path about 9 miles. The best way is to follow the
af .. bank to the mill of Hourt; here cross to the rt. by the ferry-boat,
‘hen ascend the mountain path to RocaEssuT, the view from
Fivhich is very fine (the best point is in the garden of the presby-
raery); thence descend into the yalley and follow the Liresse to the
ropoint where it joins the Semois, and keeping along the rt. hank of
idche latter cross the Ry de Chantfontaine and ascend the hill to
sotorassant, the view from which is also very fine; descend the hill
paand follow the path which leads directly to a mill at the junction
; tf the Bichetteourde and the Semois, and from thence, past the
(lismill of ’Epine and the farm of Cordemois, to
d | Bourton. [nuns : H. de la Poste, homely but comfortable; —
\, SH. du Nord, dearer but no hetter. 2572 Inhabs. This town is
vsoupeantifully situated at the foot and on the side of a rocky promon-
yiotory washed by the Semois, which here takes a considerable bend;
sfthe houses are builtin rows, one above another, while the sum-
mit is crowned by a strongly fortified Castle, founded in the IX
yicent., repaired and restored by William | in 1827, and since con-
aiowerted into a military prison; the rock on which it is built may be
{lomwell compared to a saw the indentations of which have in some
ssliplaces been filled with masonry and in others siinply widened to
seratorm the fosses. The gateway, flanked by 2 semicircular towers,
io ais of the XII cent. : the underground passages and dungeons,
sid*awhich are very extensive, are hewn out of the rock. The old
yvroitown, surrounded hy a rampart protected by square towers of
adthe XVI cent., communicates with the new town by 2 bridges.
roe Bouillon was in the X cent. the capital of the duchy of the same
scapename and belonged to the family of Ardenne; it was given to the
gap. of Liege by Godfrey de Bouillon, prior to his departure for
oiethe first crusade. In the XV cent. it was seized by the De la
oioi/Marck family, but Charles V restored it to the Bps.; a long series
yy! teof feuds then ensued until Louis XLV seized it in 1676 and gave
fit to the family of La Tour d’Auvergne the heirs of the De la
iouslfé Marcks, in whose possession it remained until the Rev. of 1794. |