DEVELOPING
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

The nature and heritage of the Semois Valley are exceptional and must be showcased for visitors and residents alike. But we want to do it in a way that respects these rare environments. Discover all our sustainable tourism projects.

Developing SUSTAINABLE tourism in the Semois Valley

Providing the National Park with professional GUIDES

The Semois Valley National Park aims to offer visitors a unique experience. This involves discovering exceptional places but also raising awareness about the fragility of this unique environment. To help us achieve this, we have set up a network of guides who offer walks and canoe trips throughout much of the year.

GUIDES

Creating a NETWORK of National Park ambassador guides

Discover the history, heritage and biological riches of the Semois valley with experienced hiking guides. This is what the National Park's ambassador guides offer you. They offer outings between April and December.

Creating a network of specialist RIVER guides

In collaboration with the nonprofit organisation D'une Cime à l'Autre, the Semois Valley National Park has also set up a network of specialist river guides. Their mission? To help you discover the Semois and its rich nature and heritage in small groups of 10 people, aboard a Canadian canoe, engaging all five senses.

Objectives : train twenty river guides and take 600 visitors a year.

bâtiment guide nature vallée de la semois

Equipping the region with new INFRASTRUCTURES for a better experience

Specific furniture, equipment for trail runners and mountain bikers, bivouac areas, wildlife observatories, etc. The Semois Valley National Park will be installing a number of special facilities that respect the natural surroundings.

INFRASTRUCTURES

observatoires guide nature vallée de la semois

Creating wildlife OBSERVATORIES

The National Park is home to a wide variety of animal species. To give you a chance to observe them without disturbing them, we want to create a number of wildlife observatories in well-chosen locations. They will also be used to raise awareness about the fragility of the Semois Valley environment.

Objectives : create between 3 and 5 wildlife observatories in the National Park.

Mise en tourisme de RÉSERVES naturelles exceptionnelles

Most of the many nature reserves in the National Park are not equipped to welcome the public in a supervised and educational way. These places, which must continue to be preserved, are major assets for raising public awareness about the need to respect nature.

Objectives : develop 4 nature reserves in the region.

baignade guide nature vallée de la semois

Equipping bathing areas with sustainable FURNITURE

There are eight official bathing areas in the National Park. We want to make them safer and equip them with tools to raise awareness about biodiversity.

Objectives : develop 8 bathing areas, including one for people with special needs; develop and obtain recognition for a new bathing area.

Providing harmonised forest FURNITURE

Forest furniture is now present in a large number of National Park sites. However, it is not very homogeneous and sometimes has to be supplemented by new installations.

Objectives : provide the furniture required for the National Park's various actions.

Créer des aires de BIVOUAC insolites

Si de nombreux itinéraires de (grande) randonnée existent sur le territoire du Parc national, comme le GR16, il n’est pas facile de trouver des hébergements sans trop s’éloigner du parcours. La création d’aires de bivouac permettrait de compléter l’offre existante, en attirant un public spécifique.

Objectifs : créer quatre aires de bivouac sur le territoire du Parc national.

aménagement guide nature vallée de la semois

Aménager des installations MULTISENSORIELLES « Sortons sous la pluie »

Qui a dit qu’on ne pouvait pas aussi avoir des activités à l’extérieur lorsqu’il pleut ? En aménageant des installations artistiques qui se mettent en mouvement en cas de pluie, le Parc national souhaite donner envie à ses visiteurs de sortir même dans ces circonstances climatiques plus défavorables.

Objectifs : créer un parcours reliant différentes œuvres qui réagissent sous l’effet de la pluie.

Creating facilities and AWARENESS-RAISING tools for the Herbeumont mountain bike/trail station

The Herbeumont trail station, with its 6 permanent courses and 4 training workshops, is a growing success. We want to offer our users a better experience, while at the same time raising awareness about the need to respect nature.

Objectives : set up an installation with sanitary facilities and a rainwater bicycle washing station; raise awareness among trail/ mountain bikers.

Aménager les MAISONS des Parcs naturels en lieux d’accueil

The Southern Ardenne and Gaume Nature Parks provide the day-to-day management of the Semois Valley National Park. So, the Nature Park Houses are the main showcase for the National Park, providing a means of communicating about the project, its challenges, its scope, etc.

Objectives : provide information about the National Park; to increase the visibility of the National Park and its identity; fit out the Park Houses using sustainable materials.

Créer un centre de sensibilisation et d’interprétation de la BIODIVERSITÉ

Sensibiliser les plus jeunes au respect de la nature et leur en apprendre plus sur la biodiversité exceptionnelle du Parc national de la Vallée de la Semois fait partie de nos missions essentielles. Pour accueillir des classes sur notre territoire, nous devons toutefois pouvoir leur proposer un hébergement. Le domaine des Epioux (Florenville) offre à cet égard un certain nombre de possibilités.

Objectifs : rénover la Maison du Garde, au cœur du domaine des Epioux, pour pouvoir y accueillir et y sensibiliser des classes.

PRODUITS

Creating NEW tourism products

It is possible to attract a number of new visitors to the National Park, particularly those with an interest in nature and its preservation. To achieve this, new products need to be created.

Helping tour operators adopt a more SUSTAINABLE approach

The National Park wants to ensure that as many of its local tour operators as possible adopt a more sustainable approach, whether in terms of mobility, energy efficiency, waste management, etc. We are helping them move in this direction.

Objectives : prioritise helping campsites in the region to implement more sustainable practices.

Developing the natural WELLBEING theme

Simply taking a walk in nature has positive effects on health. In this respect, the Semois Valley has a lot to offer visitors looking to recharge their batteries.

Objectives : identify routes on which mindfulness exercises can be carried out independently; train 10 local guides in this approach and offer mindfulness sessions.

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM