Bertrix: Slate History and Paths Along the Semois

Bertrix offers different perspectives on its history: at the slate mine, the focus is on geology, extraction and working underground; above ground, you’ll come across a hermitage, an old mill and a former railway section that now serves as a walking path. There are also views across the Semois Valley. As you plan your trip, you can decide whether to focus on mining history, cultural heritage or the landscape.

Experience Slate Mining in Different Ways

The tour at the Au Cœur de l'Ardoise mine is almost 1 kilometre long. It focuses on the geology of slate, mining techniques and miners’ working conditions. In this way, the tour brings together different aspects of mining: the nature of the material, its extraction and the daily work of people in the mine.

A self-guided audio tour is available in French, Dutch and Walloon. Guided tours of the mine with a former miner are also available by reservation. You can choose between a self-guided audio tour and a guided tour. Check the reservation details before your trip.

Another option at the mine is an underground tasting of local beers or artisanal aperitifs. This offer is for groups of at least 10 people and is available by reservation only. When planning, take both the group size and the reservation requirement into account.

Grotto, Hermitage and Mill in Cugnon

In Cugnon, within Bertrix, the Saint-Remacle Grotto consists of an oratory and three grottoes carved into a rock face above the Semois. The combination of the oratory, the rock face and the location above the river gives this place its distinctive character. The Saint-Remacle Hermitage is considered evidence of the region’s evangelisation from the 7th century onwards. The Saint-Remacle Grotto was restored in 1936.

The Moulin de Cugnon is another historic highlight. It is one of the village’s oldest buildings and was built around 1695. The privately owned 17th-century mill is considered a tourist attraction where visitors can admire the bridge and the mill. A few years ago, it was fitted with a waterwheel again. Cugnon thus brings together different strands of history: the religious tradition surrounding Saint-Remacle and the story of an old mill building.

Walking Path and Views over the Semois

The former railway line offers another way to explore the surroundings: a section of the former Bertrix–Herbeumont line is now the “Voie des Pierres qui Parlent” walking path. The change from railway line to walking path gives the route its historical connection, while its name reflects how it is used today.

The “Le point de vue du Mergyre” viewpoint offers views across the Semois Valley. It can be reached via a forest path, also known as the “sentier du facteur” or “sentier Chauchet”, which follows Mergire Hill for about 200 metres. The names and the route can help you identify this destination as you plan your trip.

You can organise these different attractions according to your interests, without combining mining, cultural heritage and landscape into a single excursion programme.

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