Maison du Tourisme du Pays de Herve. Un plateau aux mille saveurs

The Pays de Herve: a picture full of charm.
 

The "Pays de Herve. A whole host of villages embedded in this part of Liège province, which lies between the Meuse and the Vesdre and is bordered in the north and east by the Netherlands and Germany. It is at the centre of the multicultural Euregio, just as it used to be at the heart of the territory of Eburons, whose leader, Ambiorix, did so much harm to Julius Caesar.

All past epochs have left their mark on this region. The first human beings carved their flints here, stones to be found everywhere. The "prehistoric works of the Pays d’Aubel " are world famous. When the Romans arrived, estates came into being which the inhabitants called "villas". The most important one is without a shadow of a doubt the one in Fouron, which later on became a Merovingian and Carolingian palace. Charlemagne used to hunt in the extensive forests that covered the plateau at the time. He was born in Herstal and lived in Aix-la-Chapelle.

In the year 1000, the area was divided into a series of tiny states, as a result of the imperial "fiscal" division for the benefit of the local lords. There were no less than eight states in the " Entre-Vesdre-et-Meuse". The Duchy of Limbourg held the leading position until 1288,when it was incorporated into the Duchy of Brabant. This signalled the end of independence and a political role. The region was no more than a pawn on the Burgundian, Spanish and Austrian chessboard.

Nevertheless, the region could not be called economically backward. In 1216, the creation of the Val-Dieu abbey marked a religious step forward and also acted as a tremendous stimulus owing to its farming activities, particularly the land clearing and conquest of new lands.

In the 16th century the region gradually changed from being a region of ploughing to one where there was a great deal of pastureland. The very humid land was better suited to this type of farming. By the late 17th century all the villages had undergone a transformation.

The change led to the creation of the Aubel market, at the crossroads of the two types of farming and an ideal meeting place for trade. Herve cheese production got underway at the time. A local bacteria ensured the cheese was in a class of its own.

In the 18th century the region was opened up by the "Liège-Aix" highway, via the crests on the plateau. Trade really took off. Industry was booming thanks to the textile activities, the coal and lead mines, the creation of tanneries and shoe manufacturing. The 19th century was an important century for the Herve plateau. Fruit trees were planted in the fields and gave rise to the syrup and cider works. This marked the start of the agri-foodstuffs industry and the decline of traditional industries. The new activity guaranteed that the Pays de Herve and Pays d' Aubel would earn an enviable reputation for producing top-quality goods.

As a result of this rich past, the current inhabitants of the plateau can boast an abundant, prestigious heritage. Top of the list is the Val-Dieu abbey. Nestling in the bottom of the Berwinne valley, the abbey has retained a certain charm owing to the uniform character of its buildings and its pure lines in an unrivalled green setting.

There are castles galore. Each village has at least three. Examples are the castles of Bempts in Moresnet, Streversdorp in Montzen, Crawhez in Clermont and Beauregard in Charneux. No-one can fail to be impressed by the imposing castle of Bolland with its fortified 17th century farm and its stately 18th century estate.

Equally impressive are the main buildings of the numerous farms covering the plateau. Dressed stone is found in all the structures, as a sign of past wealth. The 17th century was dominated by the Meuse Valley renaissance style with its thick walls and small windows with stone crosspieces. The firmly French styles, Louis the Fourteenth and Louis the Fifteenth, appeared in the 18th century. The villages then underwent a transformation, when the timber houses were abandoned in favour of magnificent facades made of brick and dressed stone. Clermont, Charneux, Aubel, Montzen, Herve, … have all retained their charm of yesteryear, thanks to a harmonious blend of old and modern buildings.

It is a constantly enriching experience to walk around the region and discover (in addition to the typical estates) churches, chapels, ancient crosses, miscellaneous monuments in the landscape of hedged farmlands

The stones on the plateau have a soul, just as souls have a face. People from the past and the present were and still are responsible for turning this region into a special "Country". Their originality lies in a curious yet comprehensive range of items that have had an impact on their development. The people of the plateau are first and foremost self-reliant, free and well-adjusted men and women. They are proud, courageous and not afraid of hard work. They are also perfectionists to some extent. They may have conservative ideas but they are still enterprising and innovative on the economic front. They also like to eat well and celebrate. However, the family is the centre of attention in all circumstances. With such characters, life is anything but dreary.

Finally, tradition and folklore play an important role on the Herve Plateau. Nor should we overlook the old public defence fraternities, such as the " Saint-Hubert Fraternity" in Aubel, which dates back almost 500 years, and the gastronomic fraternities, such as the Herve fraternity, the Seigneury of Remoudou and the lev’gos fraternity. The Herve "Cavalcade", which is over 100 years old, is a key component of Walloon folk art. And then there are the nail trees, the fairs, market, legends, Yes, the region is brimming over with past treasures, a past that is still exceedingly vibrant.

Numerous rivers and streams run likes silver flames down the sides of the hills and wander in the bottoms of the valleys, a fertile region with arborescent vegetation, a seemingly endless series of castles and typical farms, charming villages along the hillsides or hidden in the bottom of valleys,.. that is why it is commonly known as the "Herve Plateau" in Belgium.

Thomas Lambiet
Historian - March 2002