It’s one of the Gaume region’s top archaeological sites, recognised as a heritage site by the regional authorities of Wallonia, where the past and the present intertwine to create a unique place that’s not to be missed.
Although the remarkable site of Montauban is not the easiest to get to, it is more than worth it. Nestled deep in the forest, this place combines traces of the past, history, the iron industry, heritage, natural beauty and... contemporary art? Well, the gamble has paid off. It’s a bold combination, but one that just works, leaving a trace of magic in its wake. It should be mentioned that the environment itself provides one piece of the puzzle, testifying to three successive periods of occupation of the site: the Iron Age, the Gallo-Roman era and the Middle Ages. It was in 1958, when excavations took place, that important bas-reliefs from the Gallo-Roman period were found. To house these, a kind of open-air museum was created on the site: the famous Musée Lapidaire.
A Green and Leafy Site Combining Nature and Culture
Dotted with rocks and springs, the Montauban site captures the imagination. What makes it so interesting is how so many different forms of human activity have cropped up in the same place over the ages! Today, you can still see the ruins of a keep, and of a castle which legend links to the Four Sons of Aymon. This place of intrigue, discoveries and encounters offers a fascinating walk through history. And when you want to return to the present, go and have a look round the Centre d’Art Contemporain du Luxembourg Belge (Belgian Luxembourg Centre of Contemporary Art), located just a few hundred metres away. Exhibitions and outdoor art installations are held there throughout the year. Perfect to round off the experience!
Copyright pictures: Visit Ardenne, Visit Wallonia
Explore the surroundings
