Historic Battlegrounds Places
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La Roche-en-Ardenne
The nickname "Pearl of the Ardennes" refers to La Roche's beautiful surroundings, not to the town itself. It was leveled by 70,000 shells during the Battle of the Bulge. La Roche was rebuilt quickly after the war and has become a busy tourist resort. Cafés, restaurants, and hotels line the street along the Ourthe river. On weekends and in summer they're filled with tourists taking a break from hiking, biking, skiing, or kayaking in the area.
The town shelters below the ruins of the 9th-century medieval château that stands on the hill above it. A tiny cobblestone alley from place du Marché takes you there. Admission to the site is EUR 2.50.
In summer, the ghost of Berthe, a woman of local legend, supposedly appears at sunset.
