UNESCO Global Geopark Famenne-Ardenne: Geotrail of Hotton

Welcome to the first geosite on your geowalk! 🌿Discover Riveo, the River Interpretation Centre, and dive into the fascinating world of rivers and their biodiversity. Aquariums, a reconstructed river channel, an underwater viewing pond, interactive exhibitions and a wide range of activities await visitors of all ages.Riveo is housed in the beautiful Maison Godenir, a limestone building dating back to 1797, which also hosts the Hotton Tourist Office.

Oneux Island: Hotton’s Green Haven Set right in the heart of Hotton and embraced by the River Ourthe, Oneux Island offers 6 hectares of peaceful greenery shaded by towering poplars. It’s the perfect spot for a relaxing stroll, featuring a charming gazebo that hosts local events and festivals. (Look closely at the gazebo to see the flood level marker from July 2021).

This wooded park features a wide variety of trees (beech, oak, larch...) and several orchid species, along with a picnic area for a quick break. Inside stands a 7-meter-high tower set on the Calestienne limestone, offering views over the Ourthe river, Hotton, Melreux, and the Famenne region. (Note: The tower is currently closed for renovation).

A World War II memorial site, this cemetery is the final resting place for 666 Allied soldiers and airmen, most of whom died during the Ardennes counter-offensive in the winter of 1944. Listed as Walloon civil heritage, the site is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Discovered by chance in 1958 during quarrying, the Caves of Hotton reveal a karst network spanning 5 km of galleries with a 70 m vertical drop. Carved by an underground river, the multi-level cave system features rich rock formations and stalactites. A portion of the site is open for guided visits.

Located behind the visitor center, this free-access garden leads to the top of the former Hampteau quarry. It offers a broad panorama of the Ourthe valley, stretching from the Ardennes to the Condroz region. (Warning: Do not cross the safety fences. The quarry cliffs are highly unstable with a severe risk of landslides).

Located at the base of the Belgian Caving Club shelter, this resurgence marks the reappearance of the East Isbelle underground stream. During low-water periods, the entire surface flow of the Isbelle sinks underground 2 km upstream through tiny cracks in the riverbed.

Located beneath a natural rock arch, this resurgence only flows after heavy rainfall. When the underground system feeding the Fountain of Thot reaches capacity, water spills out here into the Isbelle's surface bed. The arch opens into a partially submerged 300-meter cave passage explored by cave divers.

Perched 20 meters above the River Ourthe, this natural rock arch cuts straight through the cliff. Shaped by water inside an ancient cave system, it takes its name from Brother Guillaume, a monk said to have lived here as a hermit. Neolithic artifacts were discovered nearby.

South-facing and towering over the River Ourthe, these vertical limestone cliffs are among the finest in Wallonia. A haven for biodiversity (orchids, oak forests), the site is also a renowned climbing spot. Historically, the plateau held the 1.7-hectare Roman camp of Ti-Château, built to monitor the valley below. (Climbing reserved for members of Belgian climbing federations – guidebook available at the Hotton Tourist Office).

Built in 1729 along a branch of the River Ourthe, this limestone watermill operated until the early 1960s. Listed as a historic monument in 1948, it features two 4-meter water wheels—one iron and one wooden—and houses four levels of well-preserved historic milling machinery.