Top 7 Caves around Stavelot

The slate quarries of Cahay were located here. The slates of the ‘Pays de Salm’ have long been known and appreciated. For instance, in 1513, the people of Amberloup came here to fetch slates to build their church. A text from 1625 states that “use and the sun harden them to such an extent that the nails used to fasten them are affected by rust, while they (the slates) remain intact”. These very high-quality slates were initially mined in large open-pit mines, which left behind the large pits that we can still see in the landscape. From the second half of the 19th century, the extraction of slate took place via tunnels in the higher-quality layers of the “Thier des Carrières” mountain where you are standing now. The “waste” was dumped in heaps that were subsequently used for all kinds of works (roads, walls, etc.). The large slates with rounded edges are particularly well-known: these are the hérbins, always laid in diagonal lines. They can still be seen on the roofs of old houses in the Pays de Salm. After sawing, the phyllade (schist hardened by (underground) high pressure and temperatures) yielded material for billiard tables, window sills, etc. These slate quarries provided work for numerous laborers in our region. Some were highly specialized, such as the splitters who, after two to three years of practice, were capable of producing slates 3-4 mm thick. (Vielsalm Tourist Office)

Nowadays, a sign hangs on the (closed) gate: "Trou d'homme de la conduite Reinhardstein". So it is about a tunnel to/escape route from the nearby castle.

Situated in the quieter part of the valley. The higher paths are more frequented, rockier and more adventurous than this part. Definitely worth a visit!

there were very tame bunnies around when I was there, very cute

On a hot summer day you can cool off here - the refrigerator effect near the tunnel is impressive!

It is quite possible that this old slate tunnel serves as a quarters for bats in winter.

The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Solwaster is a spiritual place dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is located in the Wallonia region of Belgium. The grotto was built in 1903 and is a replica of the famous Lourdes Grotto in France. It was built by believers to honor the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes. The grotto attracts numerous pilgrims every year who come here to pray, light candles and have spiritual experiences. The grotto is embedded in the rock and features a statue of the Virgin Mary. The area is surrounded by trees and nature, creating a peaceful atmosphere. There is a spring near the grotto that is considered to have medicinal properties. Many people believe that the water has healing properties.

The Mother of God depicted and venerated here is the one from Lourdes. This well-known Marian pilgrimage site is located in the French Pyrenees and is visited by many people every year, including many sick people who hope for healing. The devotional image of the Mother of God has become widespread - not only in France - and believers have built Lourdes chapels and grottos everywhere. The church's memorial day for "Our Lady of Lourdes" is February 11th, the anniversary of the Marian apparition (1858), when the Mother of God appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in a rock grotto very close to Lourdes. Bernadette later became a nun and died at the age of just 35. On December 8th (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary) 1933, she was canonized by Pope Pius XI. The commemoration of the Madonna of Lourdes is also World Day of the Sick.