Hello Scene Walker
Nice to see you, would you like to walk with me?
Let’s talk about this little town in Belgium: La Roche-en-Ardenne, or simply “La Roche”, which means: the rock in the Ardennes.
La Roche has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Ardennes.
However, it has had to deal with tragic events in the past, let’s go back in time for a moment.
The Romans were the first to build a fort at La Roche, after their conquest of Gaul (54 BC).
The river Ourthe, which flows through the centre of the town, played a crucial role in its growth in the Middle Ages.
La Roche grew to be an important stop on the trade route from English wool to Lombardy, Italy.
In the 9th century, a feudal castle was built on the rocks overlooking the river, to protect the many ships that passed by.
At that time, La Roche was part of the Duchy of Lower Lorraine, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
But perhaps the most turbulent years were those of the tragic events of World War II.
Germany needed a miracle to recover from its losses and launched a huge surprise attack.
From December 16, 1944 to January 28, 1945, more than 1.1 million soldiers clashed in the Belgian Ardennes.
Massive bombardments and fierce fighting, caused a devastation that almost completely erased history.
The attack would become known as the “Battle of the Bulge“.
Many towns in the Ardennes, including La Roche, had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
To commemorate these brave souls, a war memorial was erected next to the bridge over the Ourthe.
Today, the city of La Roche has risen like a phoenix from the ashes, stronger than ever.
There are many activities available, such as kayaking, camping, hiking and mountain biking.
A war museum that depicts the events of the Second World War.
The once majestic feudal castle is still accessible for a small entrance fee.
Thanks for watching.
~Sevy

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro scenes (cinematic)
03:02 Panoramic Nature Trail
09:15 La Roche Belvedere (watchtower)
22:53 River Ourthe
25:13 City center
31:57 Bronze Square (center)
37:24 Feudal Castle (ruins)
42:26 City center
45:10 World War I and II Memorial
46:22 Rompré Park