Cycling along a former railway line, hiking trails connected to the history of nail making and a rare ice phenomenon on the Semoy give Les Hautes-Rivières a variety of attractions. When planning your stay, you can assess the routes by their specific features: cycling connections, the length and approximate duration of a hike, and the terrain and waymarking at viewpoints.
Cycling on the Trans-Semoysienne
The Trans-Semoysienne is a 20-kilometre cycling route between Monthermé and Les Hautes-Rivières. It follows the former route of the P’tit Train de la Semoy. This route thus combines a named cycling connection with its former use as a railway line. It connects with the Voie Verte Trans-Ardennes and the Belgian RAVeL network—useful points of reference for anyone planning to follow several named cycling routes.
Along the Trans-Semoysienne, 18 information panels tell visitors about the local municipalities and the region’s cultural and natural heritage. Cyclists interested in local topics will find information here about the municipalities and regional heritage, not just details about the route.
The Espace VTT/FFC – Enduro de la Semoy has a starting point in Les Hautes-Rivières, on Rue du Château d’eau. Check the rules for using the starting point before your trip. The Enduro de la Semoy takes place every year on the second weekend in June. Participants can ride the special stages or watch the event. If you are planning your trip around the event, check the exact dates and participation requirements in advance.
Hiking and viewpoints
The Balade des cloutiers is a 6.5-kilometre hiking trail, described as easy, with an approximate duration of three hours. The starting point is at the town hall square. Its length, difficulty and estimated time give you specific guidance for planning, although the duration is only an estimate.
The information about the viewpoints highlights different features. The Croix de l’Enfer viewpoint is reached by a steep ascent and is surrounded by forest. The focus here is therefore above all on the terrain. Unlike the Balade des cloutiers, which has an estimated duration, the steep ascent is the defining detail when choosing this destination.
La Roche Margaut is a viewpoint above Les Hautes-Rivières. From the town centre, it can be reached by following the existing waymarks. Its location and waymarking provide different guidance for this destination than the length and duration details for the Balade des cloutiers. When comparing your options, consider which information matters for your plans: a hike with a specified distance, a steep ascent or the route from the town centre to a viewpoint above the town.
Nail making and a natural phenomenon on the Semoy
The Balade des cloutiers explores the region’s industrial past, including the history of nail making: around 1850, more than 700 nail makers worked in Les Hautes-Rivières. This history is also a specific theme of the hiking trail. Unlike the panels along the Trans-Semoysienne, which cover the municipalities and the region’s cultural and natural heritage, the Balade focuses clearly on industrial history.
Another unusual feature is the Semoy’s ice phenomenon, which is very rare in Europe: ice forms on the riverbed and rises to the surface. While the Balade des cloutiers explores the history of human labour, this phenomenon draws attention to an unusual natural process. Together with the forest surroundings at Croix de l’Enfer, it offers a distinctive connection with nature alongside the themes of cycling and industrial history.
Discover more travel destinations: Germont, Grandpré, Liart, Girondelle, Vrigne-Aux-Bois, Harricourt, Rocquigny, Lançon.
For the overview of the wider region: Ardennes.
