Like the rose, balance and beauty in Etalle?
... and before mentioning its thorns, let's not sulk our pleasure and appreciate the places in which we live.
We agree that the municipality of Etalle has various advantages, such as its rural and friendly aspect or the proximity of urban centers and traffic axes.
Let us also recognize the beauty of the landscapes and the typical villages, an exceptional heritage, a rich and varied nature ...
Green rurality
According to the analysis for the local PCDR, 3.78% of the territory is urbanized in Etalle, against 8.26% for the Walloon average: Etalle therefore remains a municipality with a marked rural profile.
Half of the unbuilt land is occupied by forest and the other half by agricultural areas.
Out of a total of 945 sites of great biological interest (SGIB) in the Walloon Region, 47 have been identified on the territory of the municipality of Etalle:
quarries and sand pits, wetlands (marshes, fens, ponds, streams, etc.), mardelles, river oxbows, forest valleys, meadows, often wet, crons, ...
Etalle is a partner of the Gaume Natural Park, which pursues two objectives in favor of biodiversity throughout Gaume : welcoming and restoring biodiversity and raising awareness of biodiversity among the population.
There is a traditional rural habitat characterized by an absolute grouping of villages and hamlets with mostly terraced houses contiguous to the street.
And a "down to earth" population, in the good sense of the word: simple, full of common sense, and appreciating the link with nature.
In short, life is still good in Etalle ...
Small, welcoming and airy roads
Certainly, the former connecting roads between the villages have been paved to meet the demands of modern traffic, but these small roads have remained welcoming and lined with vegetation.
Except in certain places, such as between Sainte-Marie and Fratin, the limit between each agglomeration remains well marked, respecting green and airy transitions.
Traditions and folklore
The region has also kept the tradition of the "great fire", which heralded the end of winter, the coming of spring.
Admittedly, sonos and marquees have replaced songs and straw bales, but in many places, it remains a family and friendly celebration: mulled wine, pancakes and burgers are everywhere.
Local festivals, theatrical performances or bucolic group walks, everything is a pretext for conviviality, welcome and good nature.
Typical "Usoirs"
In Belgian Lorraine, the "usoir" is a portion of land which extends between the roadway and the facades of the dwellings, which is a public space without a cadastral survey, belonging to the municipality, but for semi-private use.
Formerly the "usoir" was the place of community activity in the village : a sort of large farmyard, suitable for the storage of agricultural equipment, manure, piles of wood, ... but also a meeting place and conversation.
These usoirs give the villages a particular aspect, with very wide streets, sometimes 30 or 40 meters between the facades facing each other.
The municipality of Etalle has retained this typical character and, in the majority of cases, the usoirs have remained open areas and public spaces.
For example, in the rue Saint-Martin in Villers-sur-Semois.
Between 1945 et 2019...
Between 1930 et 2019...
Between 1908 et 2019...
Between 1905 et 2019...
Overall, the "usoirs" of rue Saint-Martin have retained their character. The general appearance of the street has not changed much in over a century, although modern cars have replaced wagons and handcarts and there are not many manure piles left in front of doors.
Exceptional heritage
In the municipality of Etalle, there are several classified heritage elements, such as the ancient refuge and the old forges of Montauban, the church and the two washhouses of Villers-sur-Semois, the pumps of Sainte-Marie, the alley of Lime trees in Chantemelle, the former branch of the Semois at Abattis or the marshes of Vance.
To this must be added a great number of exceptional buildings, churches, fortifications, fortified houses, and of course the Margelle castle, which has been restored with taste, passion and attention to detail.
Like a history book, it is possible, in the municipality of Etalle, to discover different eras, from the Iron Age to modern times, including of course the Gallo-Roman period which gave its signature in Etalle.