G4 - Le Maquis - 8km

Parking and departure at the exit of Gembes towards Haut-Fays.

On the right side of the road, a washhouse, made up of two basins. The square basin was used for washing, the other for rinsing. The latter has rounded, carved edges.

The Château de Villers-Masbourg is an 18th-century quadrilateral built of sandstone, limestone, and brick. Note the corner tower with its square plan. The Lords of Sclassin settled here after the destruction of their fortified castle of Sclassin in 1554 (see HF2). The Moulin du Mont was the feudal mill of the lordship. The current farm dates from the mid-19th century.

The valley of the Rancenne, dotted with ponds, is frequented by grey herons. This is the former Mont de Graide road. It was an important route for moving herds, about 30 meters wide. The Birgeai pond, now hidden behind conifers, was the Rancenne’s water reservoir. The place is still called “al pale.” The wet meadows of Réchanfontaine are said to conceal the ruins of Château Thierry, named after an 11th-century Lord of Graide. Older residents call the place “the old castle” or “the old cemetery.”

After turning off, the route crosses the Rancenne to reach the Maquis meadow. The Maquis Monument overlooks a flight of steps cut into the hillside. On September 1, 1944, a battle took place here between 37 resistance fighters from Graide and Haut-Fays and a large number of Germans. The three-hour battle left 14 maquisards and many enemy soldiers dead on the field. Two other resistance fighters were taken to Bièvre to be executed by firing squad.

A few meters from the monument, a rockfall of large boulders comes into view. The cavities thus formed were, according to legend, the dwelling place of nutons. The largest of these cavities, beneath Roche Pauline, served as a shelter in the early 20th century for the family of Pauline Minguet.

The walk enters the Bois de Houlines and then emerges onto the clearing of Avrainchenet. The imposing farm dates from the late 19th century. The route returns to Gembes through the woods, via Les Rives and the route of walk G3.