Impasse de la Gadale

This large stone stairway leads directly to the district of the Gadale, Jodoigne’s iconic witch.This was one of the historic entrances in the town walls during the Middle Ages. It led from the houses around the parish of Saint Lambert with the fortified town centre and the Grand’Place.Located behind Pastur Castle, it is a beautiful street which is well worth a wander.The district at the top of these steps was named after the ‘Gadale’. The legend goes that a witch was surprised one night while arguing in her house with some crooks about organising an attack. The villagers, after considering drowning her in the Gette, ended up hanging her and executing her companions. The story is made up, based on many executions of ‘witches’ that took place at the time.The witch was nicknamed ‘La Gadale’ and the district takes the same name.