Pearl of the Ardennes La Roche-en-Ardennes

The little town is dominated by the ruins on a rocky spur. The castle was begun in the 10th C., rebuilt several times and destroyed in the 18th C., the material being used by the citizens of the town to build their own houses. In 1852 the remains were restored and can now be reached from the market place by a stepped path. In fine weather the ghost of the maiden Berthe appears (provided by the tourist office); according to legend she was killed by the devil although she was innocent. Just above the ruins stands the 16th C. Chapelle Ste-Marguerite which is linked to the castle by a subterranean passage constructed by the French in the 17th C. From here there is a good view of the town and the valleys.

A specialty of local craft is the gray stoneware with cobalt blue salt glaze introduced in 1872.In the craft center "Les Grès de La Roche" the production method is explained, an old kiln can be visited and, of course, stoneware can be purchased.

Beyond the Chapelle Ste-Marguerite a path leads to the Deister plateau above the river bank where a 15ha/37-acre nature park with a little game park has been laid out. This can also be reached by the tourist train which leaves the "Pavillon des Deux Parcs" in the valley, one kilometer outside the town.

This site began as a Neolithic dwelling and evolved into a Roman fort and later into the Roman house of the Kings of France.

Important photographs, vehicles and life-sized models of armed soldiers review the 1944 destruction of La Roche.

Two inter-connected museums dealing with the production of pottery and ham.

This park features farm animals and forest animals such as wolves, bison and lynx.