I went to discover Camp Romain on Mont Vireux. A site is exceptional and magical.
A warm entrance
The Roman camp
The Roman camp is above all a historical site, which includes vestiges of the lower Roman Empire and medieval remains. But today, the Roman camp is above all a place that shelters you from noise. Time stops. You close your eyes. And you listen to the wind that caresses you.
While strolling on the rocky promontory, I observe wooden tables at the entrance to the site. Warm ! This invites us to sit down and have a drink before exploring the place. A hint of warm colors thanks to the flowering shrubs, surely wild, invite you to daydream.
On the remains side, I see first the ruins of the dam wall. I walk along the wall to take a closer look at the view before me. A splendid panorama overlooks the charming little village of Vireux-Molhain and its cuddly forest. Here the forest delimits the borders of Belgium. Treignes is the first border village.
I can discern, in the bottom of Molhain, a side of the Collegiate (the one that is said to house the remains of Pépin le Bref)
An overflowing imagination at the Roman camp
I continue my path demarcated on each side by trees, which intertwine and leave room for my imagination. The trees are linked, one another by their branches, to become one on my path. A natural and sensitive harmony. A leafy hallway just waiting for you to nurture a primitive relationship.
And here I am arriving near a small path laid out by stairs. It leads to Roman and feudal dwellings as well as an old bread oven.
The alley extends and leads to a view overlooking Vireux-Wallerand. Greenery encompasses virtually the entire view of the village. A pure setting, I would even go so far as to say heavenly.
I observe the floating island in the middle of the Meuse.
Since I was little, I have always imagined a development on this island, a restaurant, or a playground. People would board the quay to reach the island Venetian style. How everything seems easier and more magical to us when we are little.
Over time this piece of land has dissolved, there is now only a thin strip of land.
A gigantic panorama from the Roman camp
I continue my journey and I see a flag: It's the Cheval Bayard!
The horse of our legends! It is arranged next to a viewpoint. I observe Vireux-Wallerand in all its grandeur and its verdant forest. I can see a good part of the territory from here. To my left I can see Hierges, Chooz and Givet behind a leafy rock.
As a kid, I thought the power plant was the source of the clouds. But no ! From these high towers escape a water vapor which reminds each inhabitants of the tip of the Ardennes where Chooz is located.
To my right, I can see Wallerand blending into the woods and Haybes hidden under the mountains.
I retrace my steps, I see the remains of religious buildings. I take a path to my right. I go around the camp to arrive on a footbridge which invites me to another point of view. From here I can see the mountain of vines. The houses and the massif merge.
I finish my journey in the forest and here I am facing large knotted trees. In my opinion these trees make the place mysterious and magical. Arranged in the middle of a flower bed, I could believe in an enchanting forest?
I strongly advise nature lovers and lovers of Roman history to come and discover the place.
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