Looking for unknown yet beautiful snow walks in the Ardennes? Tie your walking shoes, take out the sled and wrap up your scarf because we are going on an adventure with hours of snow fun in the region of Libramont, Berinzenne, Léglise, Saint-Vith, and Gouvy. Let's go!
How to prepare yourself for a snow hike in the Ardennes
Preparation is key! Especially during Covid-times where not many establishments are accessible or open. Here is a little check-list on what to bring on a snow hike:
Waterproof hiking boots or slip-resistant snow boots to keep your feet warm
Waterproof pants to play in the snow
Backpack to carry all your supplies but also your trash
Headlight because it gets dark soon during winter
An extra pair of socks
Enough water, something warm to drink as well such as thee, coffee, chocolate milk in a thermos.
A lot of tissues, because with the difference in temperature it's always needed
Cash money to buy something in a little local store that offers takeaway
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1. Snow hike in Libramont
Looking for a snow hike but want to skip the overcrowded hikes and just enjoy nature by yourself? Then this gorgeous walk in Libramont is for you!
Let me start with the best part of this snow hike! You can finally use your rail pass because this hike can be reached by train! There is even a direct train from Brussels to Libramont, so you can sit down, relax and enjoy the view without having to worry about traffic.
For those of you coming by car, you can easily park your car at the station as well. Start your hike from the station of Libramont towards the snowy forests. Hours of fun, sledding down, and making snowmen and snow angels (and let's not pretend that this is only for children 😂).
Make your loop as long or short as you like because there are plenty of paths. A good GPS or APP is definitely recommended to find your way back. I recommend the mobile application Cirkwi, Viewranger or Viorando or of course you can go to the Libramont tourist office for a map. A copy will cost you €8.
A nice route to follow is the walk of " la Briqueterie". This is 6.3 km long through beautiful forests and goes up to the highest point Château d'eau with a height of 539 meters. Start this walk on 44 Avenue de Houffalize 6800 Libramont-Chevigny or from the station.
2. Snow hikes in Berinzenne
Walking on the domain of Berinzenne is a pleasure for everyone. This domain is very flat, full of nice little bridges and viewpoints. There are 3 nice hikes to follow in this domain:
- Follow the red squares for "Les Caillebotis de Malchamps" : 4,1 km
- Follow the yellow squares for "Petite boucle de Malchamps": 5,1 km
- Follow the blue squares for "La Fagne de Malchamps par la Vecquée": 9.5 km
There is a large parking at the domain itself to park your car. You can also visit the little village of Spa which is only 5km from the domain. Unfortunately, you can not reach this place by public transport.
The museum has opening hours and is not open during the weekends but the walks are accessible every day.
3. Hiking in Léglise
Léglise is the place to be for Geocaching! Discover the best places during your walk in the snow. Enter a local shop and enjoy a delicious takeaway product to taste the Ardennes during your pleasant hike.
Start your hike at the tourism office in Léglise. Here you will find information boards with lots of information and several breathtaking hikes. Are you more at ease with a map in your hand? You can buy a map at the tourism office or Download your overview of the walks in Léglise.
Discovery walk in Wittimont-Gennevaux
8 km | duration 2h
Start following the red triangles from the town hall of Léglise, the walk goes to the little village of Wittimont, then to Narcimont and its former convent before returning to Léglise via Gennevaux.
Promenade du Trou du Bois at Thibessart
7 km | duration 1h50
Start following the red rectangles from the holiday home "Au Beau Lieu", this circuit goes down to the valley of the Mandebras and the ponds of Thibessart, and then goes down to the forest. On your way back you will cross the village back to the parking.
The Four Bridges Walk at Chêne
5,6 km | duration 1h15
Start following the red rectangles from the Girona farm. This walk goes through the RNOB natural reserve of Quatre-Ponts and will give you some beautiful viewpoints.
4. Hiking in Saint-Vith
Saint-Vith is located just at the crossroads of the Ardennes and the Eifel. This beautiful region, with altitudes up to 600 meters, is a top place for a fresh snow hike. Park your car in the village and walk to the tourist office. Numerous hikes in the direction of the forest start here. A point not to be missed is the Planet's trail!
The Planet's trail is a presentation of our solar system on a smaller scale along a beautiful footpath. You will find didactic information boards about the planets, the sizes, the temperature, and so on.
Park at Rotonde "An den Linden" (476 m) and follow the signs. A map is also available at the tourist office. This beautiful walk is 6km with the possibility to extend this with other paths.
5. Snow hikes in Gouvy
Another hike which is accessible by train! Take the train to Gouvy station and enjoy beautiful walks! Various routes depart from the station towards the forest. Did you know Gouvy has more than 300 kilometers of walking routes? Put on your hiking shoes and go for an amazing experience on these unknown paths.
Sporty and challenging?
The "Chapelle St. Martin" walk
Start this walk of 10.5 km from the station and follow the blue diamonds. This stunning walk will take about 3 hours of snow fun.
Do you prefer to relax and enjoy?
Then opt for the "Les Jarbages" walk
Start following the red diamonds for this walk of 4.3 km from the station. This beautiful hike will take about 1h30 depending on how much time you stop to enjoy the view and take amazing photos.
Be careful of the hunt
Normally the hunt is until 31 December but sometimes if there are too many of one species in the area the hunt can continue. Make sure to check out the hunting times which you will find on the websites of the different towns.
Please respect nature
There is nothing that brings me greater joy than to hook you up with the best hiking tips and receiving lovely messages from you when you enjoyed a certain hike but please be respectful of nature.
Bring your trash back home in your backpack, don't leave gum on the ground and if you are a smoker please take a portable ashtray with you so everyone can enjoy the beauty of these hikes. In my family, we often take bin bags on our walks to collect the trash we find left by other people, and it breaks my heart to see that there is always so much.
These are little things we can do to keep the beauty of Belgium. Are you with me?
The highest points of Belgium are often closed when there are too many people because this is a natural reserve that needs to be protected from the crowds. I hope these alternatives will bring you a lot of joy and snow fun! Also if you are looking for a way to skip traffic, don't forget the 2 options which are accessible by train.
I hope you have a wonderful time and as always:
Keep on dreaming & Fly Along
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