Sivry-Rance: Marble, Forests and Trails

Sivry-Rance combines marble culture, woodland landscapes and marked trails to create a diverse destination. Between museums, historic buildings, bocage landscapes and themed walking routes, you can shape your stay in many different ways: with a cultural day in Rance, a hike through the forest or an exploration along the RAVeL 109.

Marble and regional history

A notable cultural starting point is Château de l’Esclinchamps in Sivry. The building complex is made of brick and stone and dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. In Rance, the Église Sainte-Aldegonde preserves several works made from local marble. This makes visible a material that has also shaped the history of the region.

The Musée du Marbre de Rance, also known as MAgMA, presents the history of marble and its social context. The marble library, with more than 500 pieces of marble from around the world, is particularly illustrative. A trilingual audio guide is available for the visit. Those travelling with different interests can complement days in nature here with a concrete insight into craftsmanship, materials and regional history.

Forests, bocage and nature observation

The Forêt Domaniale de Rance covers 523 hectares. It has four marked hiking trails and a visitor area with a car park. In the Bois de Bruyère, a 2.5 km marked circular trail leads through the landscape; another educational trail focuses on forest fauna and the forest ecosystem. The arboretum highlights 18 tree species with information panels and also makes the forest accessible to curious explorers.

A different landscape can be seen along the Promenade de la vallée de l’Eau D’Eppe. It passes through a bocage landscape that forms an important element of the ecological network. In addition, a Natura 2000 site includes several ponds, including Genestriaux, Hérimont and Monts rosés, as well as the Thure valley between Sivry-Rance and its confluence with the Ruisseau du Grand Riau. The area also includes the Bois de Martinsart, the Bois de Hérimont and the Bois de la Bruyère.

At the Espace Nature de la Botte du Hainaut, you can see preserved animal specimens and temporary exhibitions about wildlife. Guided walks in forest or bocage landscapes are also offered. Depending on the request, the activities last between 1 hour and 1 day. This allows short nature-focused activities and more extensive group programmes to be planned in different ways.

Trails with different themes

The Parcours Astro is a 6 km educational trail about the solar system along the RAVeL 109 in Sivry. It can be completed on foot or by bicycle. Near Sivry, the RAVeL 109 enters the Forêt Domaniale de Rance, combining a themed experience with a landscape that is also interesting for longer walks. In total, the Sivry-Rance region has 189 km of marked walking trails.

The Promenade du Ry d’Hernoy begins at the Place de Rance and leads to former quarries where the renowned Rance marble was extracted. These include the Carrière à Roc, the Carrière de la Marzelle and the Carrière Fosset. The Promenade de la Pierre qui Tourne begins in the centre of Sautin, in front of the former town hall, and runs through forests and meadows in hilly terrain. It ends at the place name “La Pierre qui Tourne”, where two probably Neolithic megaliths are located. The “Des quatre frères” oak is considered the last witness to the original Fagne.

The right holiday apartment for planning your trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Sivry-Rance, you can first consider which experiences should define your stay: marble and local history, marked forest trails, bocage landscapes or a tour on foot and by bicycle. For a manageable nature outing, the 2.5 km circular trail in the Bois de Bruyère provides a concrete planning measure; for a themed day, the 6 km Parcours Astro is another option. Those wishing to combine several walks will find a total of 189 km of marked trails in the region.

Further places for planning your trip

Other places to consider include Grandrieu, Montbliart and Sautin.

For the broader travel overview: Hainaut.

More destinations

More places in the same destination:

Leernes, Lessines, Beaumont, Soignies, Chimay.