From 18 to 20 September, some 350 participants took part in the very first Belgian edition of the Mad Jacques Ardenne-Meuse. Setting off from Spa, in the province of Liège, and heading to Bomal, in the province of Luxembourg, via Ferrières (Domaine de Palogne), where the participants stopped for the night, these keen cycle tourists covered around 110 km through the Ardennes, using the junction node network.
Landscapes, heritage, local produce and new encounters set the tone for these two days on two wheels, before giving way to festivities that continued until Sunday afternoon. The event offered a different way to explore the region: instead of time trials or rankings, it was simply about the desire to cycle, take one’s time and enjoy the many discoveries dotted along the route.
From Spa to Palogne: a first stage full of discoverie
On Friday morning, the "Jacquots” met up at the Parc des 7 Heures in Spa. They enjoyed a pleasant breakfast before setting off for the Domaine de Palogne.
Two routes were on offer: a “classic” 58.4 km route and a “challenging” 76 km route. From the very first few kilometres, the route plunged the cyclists into the heart of the Ardennes countryside.
After an initial stop at the Domaine de Bérinzenne, the participants headed for the Charmille du Haut-Marêt, a tunnel of foliage through which they were exceptionally permitted to ride, and where a tasting of the famous “Fleur de Franchimont” awaited them.
The rest of the route offered some beautiful stretches for cycling enthusiasts, notably the famous Col de la Redoute, before stopping off at the Maison du Cyclisme Liège-Bastogne-Liège, dedicated to cycling heritage.
The end of the day and a bivouac at the Domaine de Palogne
After a lunch break near the Aywaille swimming pool, the participants continued on their way to Comblain-au-Pont, where the day’s final refreshment stop awaited them, before taking the RAVeL and cycling alongside the River Ourthe.
They then covered the final few kilometres to the Domaine de Palogne, where this first stage came to an end.
A tourist site managed by the Province of Liège, the Domaine de Palogne hosted the Mad Jacques’ bivouac for the occasion.
After the kilometres covered since Spa, the bikes were put away and the participants switched gears, with yoga, massages, quizzes, food trucks and music on the programme.
These activities gave them the chance to get together and share their impressions.
The evening continued in a festive atmosphere under the marquee, before spending the night on site-a lovely way to extend the experience and make this stage of the cycle tour a true opportunity for discovery and sharing.
A second day dedicated to local heritage and craftsmanship
After a convivial breakfast, the cyclists set off again on Saturday morning towards Bomal. Once again, two routes were on offer: a “classic” route of around 57 km route and a “challenging” route of nearly 80 km.
The “checkpoints” continued to punctuate the journey and provided opportunities to discover new places and local specialities, including the Tramway touristique de l’Aisne, Saint-Amour confiture, the Brasserie de Durbuy and, to round things off, the artisanal ice creams from “Délices et Malices”.
All these stops turned this cycling getaway into a real exploration of the region.
A festive finish to round off the adventure in Bomal
After two days of cycling and exploring the region, the participants ended their adventure at the “Mad Jacques” village in Bomal, where local producers, entertainment, music and cycling-themed activities awaited them.
This first edition of the Mad Jacques Ardenne-Meuse thus enabled 350 cyclists to discover part of the Ardennes in a different way, taking the time to venture off the beaten track and meet new people.
As part of the Interreg project “Slowtourisme en Grande Région”, event organisers chose to begin in the Belgian Ardennes before continuing the adventure in 2027 with a new route linking, in particular, the Ardennes, the Gaume and the Meuse.
The junction node network: a guiding thread for exploring the Ardennes
This adventure demonstrated just how valuable the junction node network is for exploring the region by bike, taking in the landscapes, villages and numerous points of interest that dot the routes.
By taking secondary roads, cycle paths, forest tracks and sections of the RAVeL network, the route connects different sites and activities whilst leaving plenty of room for discovery.
The Mad Jacques therefore encouraged participants to take the time to stop, meet a local producer, visit an unusual spot, take in a panoramic view or simply enjoy the scenery along the way.
Would you like to see the route taken by the participants? See the list of junction nodes to follow below and download the two versions of the route map between Spa and Bomal.
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Details of the junction nodes to follow - “Classic” route: 69 → 67 → 58 → 14 → 13 → 12 → 11 → 8 → 7 → 6 → 5 → 46 → 45 → 4 → 2 → 1 → 27 → 28 → 30 → 31 → 32 → 33 → 33 → 33 → 34 → 39 → 40 → 29 → 32 → 33 → 31 → 77 → 64 → 78 → 65 → 66 → 68 → 69 → 70 → 17 → 16 → 14 → 12 → 11 → 10 → 90 → 51 → 50 → 7 → 6 → 5 → 2
Download GPX – Classic
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Details of the junction nodes to follow - “Challenging” route: 69 → 23 → 22 → 18 → 18 → 17 → 16 → 15 → 14 → 13 → 12 → 11 → 8 → 7 → 6 → 5 → 46 → 45 → 4 → 2 → 1 → 27 → 28 → 30 → 31 → 32 → 33 → 33 → 33 → 34 → 39 → 40 → 29 → 32 → 33 → 31 → 79 → 35 → 84 → 36 → 76 → 52 → 75 → 85 → 86 → 65 → 66 → 68 → 69 → 70 → 17 → 19 → 17 → 16 → 14 → 12 → 11 → 10 → 90 → 51 → 50 → 7 → 6 → 5 → 2
Download GPX – Challenging route
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Want to give the adventure a go?
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The next edition of the Mad Jacques Ardenne-Meuse has already been announced: it will take place from 17 to 19 September 2027, with a new route between Belgium and France.
Practical information is already available on the official website.
The whole “Slowtourisme en Grande Région” team is already looking forward to welcoming you to the new edition.
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