Semois

Chassepierre is still in wide, upper part of the valley

Narrow valley in Bouillon

The Semois in France optionally also Semoy ( also grammatically feminine), Semois ( German in Luxembourg ) is a river in the south of the Ardennes, which rises in Arlon in the Belgian province of Luxembourg and after 210 kilometers of skiing in the French Monthermé with an average water flow of almost 30 m³ / s flows into the Meuse.

Geography

The Semois rises in Arlon, ½ km southeast of the old town, next to the Avenue de Longwy. The source is only slightly below the watershed and just half a kilometer west of the sources for the collection range from Eisch - include Rhine - Alzette - sour - Mosel. The watershed for Chiers is just over 1 km away and not much higher. Arlon is located on a high plateau, with little gradient goes west into the soft hollow of the upper Semois over, to the north, east and south, but almost by steep slopes to other river basins is limited. Only 42 km further west, at Chassepierre (near Floresville ) wins the Semois valley depth. From there to the mouth, ( geologically rather from the mouth upstream to there), the meanders of the Semois have buried deep into the rock, creating a narrow valley with steep, rugged slopes partially. Between Bohan (near Vresse -sur -Semois ) and Les Hautes Rivières crossed the river, the French-Belgian border and ends after 210 km in length at Monthermé as a right tributary to the river Meuse, the valley of Charleville- Mézières (15 km south) to Namur (65 km north) is deeply incised.

History

In Cugnon ( to Bertrix ) is a Celtic oppidum of the late La Tène period, which was probably captured during the Gallic Wars by the Romans. Nearby is the Roman road crossed CIVITAS REMORUM ( Reims) to AUGUSTA Treverorum (Trier) the river. The Roman River SESMARA name has been handed down from the 2nd century AD.

In a tight loop of Semois the castle of Bouillon, Godfrey of Bouillon family castle, which was developed over the centuries into a mighty fortress is located.

Tourism

The valley is important for tourism. The river itself is popular with canoeists and anglers. A bike path used partly a disused railway line, partly the highway. On foot numerous vantage points can be achieved at the top of the valley slopes.