The picturesque village of Resteigne

The charming little village of Resteigne lies in the council of Tellin. It is crossed by the Lesse, and is an ideal destination for hiking and nature enthusiasts alike! The village not only boasts a wonderful natural heritage, it is also known for a pretty colourful local character: Edmond d'Hoffschmidt, son of the Lord of Resteigne, who turned his back to his birthright in order to become a hermit and a philosopher.

The ruins of the hermitage (built in the early 19th century) are located on a vast, rocky, tree-clad hill. Nearby the hermitage, the recluse had a small tower made out of rocks which he used as a cave and observation tower.

Nearby the pretty little bridge over the Lesse, you can admire the Castle of Resteigne (private property), a robust 18th century construction extended by a farm. The main building and the coach tower in the listed façade, both date from the late 11th century.

But there are many other things to admire in Resteigne :

• The Altar of Nature, built on request of the hermit, which is still visible nearby the ruins of the hermitage;
• The Resteigne mill (private property), a stunning 17th century water mill, fed by the emblematic Lesse, with a beautiful half-timbered wall;
• The “Pairées” Nature Reserve, which stretches out between Resteigne and Belvaux. This dry heathland is punctuated with juniper bushes, and shows us a landscape that is typical of the Calestienne.
• The Resteigne stone quarry: this now abandoned quarry is frequently visited by geology students from universities all over Belgium. It is perfect for field trips and anyone wishing to get a better insight into the field of biostratigraphy. The specific conditions of the milieu have favoured the emergence of pioneer species, among which the rather remarkable (and also extremely rare) Slender Blue-winged Grasshopper(Sphingonotus caerulan)