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232 Route 21. BOUILLON.
to (10 M. in 3/4 hr.) Bouillon (725 ft.; Hét. de la Poste, 50 R. at 21/5,
B. 4, déj. 21/5, D. 3 fr., with view-terraces, very fair; Hot. d’ Anvers,
R. 24/9, D. 22/s fr.), a little town with 2600 inhab., dominated by
the ancestral castle of Godfrey de Bouillon (p. 99). Charmingly
situated in the beautiful valley of the Semois, surrounded by abrupt
mountains, Bouillon is a favourite summer-resort and frequented
tourist-centre. Here Napoleon III. spent the night of drd-4th Sept.,
4870, in the Hétel de la Poste. From Bouillon to Sedan, 12 M. to
the S.W., diligence daily in 24/. hrs.
The winding and well-wooded *VatLey or THE Semois, the wildest
and most romantic valley of the Belgian Ardennes, has recently been made
more accessible by the construction of paths and the placing of way-marks.
A light railway follows the new road trom Bouillon, which p under
the castle and cro the Semois twice, and then ascends to Corbion (5 M.,
in 1/2 hr.). From Corbion we descend on foot to the river s it to
Poupehan, and continue upstream to (3 M.) the village of Rochehaut, enjoy-
ing beautiful *Views of the rocky wooded scenery. We descend to the W.
into the yalley and in 1/s hr. reach Alle-sur-Semoy (Hét. Hoffmann, R. L1/o,
D, 21/; fr., good), whence we proceed via Chairitre to (4 M.) Vresse (Hot.
Grandjean, R. 11/s-3, B. 3/4, déj. 2'/2, D.3, pe 5 fr.). Vresse lies 8/2 M. from
the railway-station of Graide (p. 234), whither a diligence runs once daily.
About 6 M. to the S.E. of Bouillon, on the road to Florenville (p. 235),
is the royal chateau of Les Amerois, amidst extensive woods, purchased
from the Marquis d’Assche in 1868 (comp. p. 125)
34 M. Offagne. — 36 M. Bertriv, see p. 235.
22. From Brussels to Luxembourg via Namur.
437 M. Rainway in 41/,-73/, hrs. (fares 22 fr., 16 fr. 50c., 44 fr.). From
Brussels to Vamur, 35 M., in 1-2 (fares 5 fr. 80, 3 fr. 60, 2 fr. 145 c.). The
express-trains between Brussels (Amsterdam, Ostend) and Bale run over
this line; and other ‘saloon-trains’ (p. xix) run to Arlon (p. 234) and Ar-
denne (p. 230). The trains start from the Station du Quartier-Léopold (p. 89)
or from the Station du Nord. — From Namur to Luxembourg, 102 M., in 3'1-
5/2 hrs. (fares 16 fr. 30, 11 fr. 20, 6 fr. 70 c.). — The Belgian custom-house
is at Sterpenich, that of Luxembourg at Klein-Bettingen. ‘Mid Europe’
time is used throughout Luxembourg (comp. Pp. xix).
Brussels, see p. 89. — 2M. Etterbeek (see p. 97), where the
line to Tervueren diverges. 21/9 M. Watermael. 31/5 M. Boits-
fort (with a pretty lake surrounded by villas) and (6 M.) Groenen-
dael (witha ruined convent), both in the Forest of Soignes(p. 147), are
favourite resorts of the citizens of Brussels (horse-races, see p. 95).
Steam-tramway from Groenendael to the E. to Overyssche. — To the
left, near the village of Hoeylaert, are hundreds of hot-houses, where
immense quantities of dessert-grapes are grown for export.
Just short of (9!/) M.) La Hulpe a glimpse is obtained to the
right of the chateau of Argenteuil (p. 147) and of the Mound of the
Lion (p. 154) on the distant field of Waterloo. 101/) M. Genval
(Normandy Hotel, 25 R. from 4, board 6-7 fr.; Pens. Belvédere,
pens. 7-8 fr.; Restaurant du Tréfle-a-Quatre), a favourite summer-
resort. — On the left, near (12 M.) Rizensart, is a chateau of Count
de Mérode. At Rixensart the steam-tramway from Braine ]’Alleud
to Wavre (see p. 157) intersects the railway. |
