Barrage de Nisramont-Ourthe source and back along the Ourthe 101 km

This cycling tour takes you along the Ourthe River from the Barrage de Nisramont to the source of the Ourthe Orientale and back. The Ourthe is a confluence of the Ourthe Occidentale and Ourthe Orientale in the reservoir of Nisramont. During this tour you pass both rivers and the confluence. The tour includes heaps of generally quiet and hilly scenery with wide views, forests, pasture, and valleys, and includes some climbs, the most strenuous being Saint-Roch in Houffalize. You also shortly pass into the country Luxemburg, and cycle on two RAVeL cycling paths on former railway lines. The tour is suited for the racing bike. You can find places to eat and drink at the barrage de Nisramont, in Houffalize, Gouvy and Bertogne with most choice in Houffalize. This tour is part of a series of cycling tours along the Ourthe from its confluence with the Meuse in Liège to the sources of both Ourthes (one still to be done). In Grand Mormont and Bertogne the route connects to another route along the Ourthe from la Roche (https://nl.wikiloc.com/routes-fietsen/la-roche-ortheuville-engreux-la-roche-along-the-ourthe-96-km-58980159). At the start near the Barrage de Nisramont is a large parking lot.
From the start you first take a look at the reservoir dam Barrage de Nisramont. Then you climb out of the Ourthe valley on the Côte de Nadrin climb to Mormont. From here you descend again to the valley of the Ourthe Orientale and follow the N860 along the river all the way to Houffalize. From this touristic town you climb the Rue Sainte-Anne out of the valley and then follow undulating road through quiet countryside to Sommerain and then on to Brisy. Here you descend to the Ourthe valley again and follow the river to the Rocher de Bistain where the road follows the Ruisseau de Rettigny to Rettigny. Here you take the road to Gouvy, the last train station before Luxemburg. From here it is not far to the village Ourthe, through which the young and small Ourthe Orientale flows. You make a triangular tour around the area where various sources of the river can be found. The Deiffelt road is on the water divide between Meuse and Rhine. From Deiffelt you descend back to Ourthe and then climb to the Luxemburg border and ride on to Hautbellain. From this village you take a quiet road to Belgium where you enter the RAVeL L163 cycling path on a former railway. You leave this cycling path near Buret and follow the road through Buret, Tavigny with its castle, and Vissoule to another RAVeL cycling path, L613. This cycling path nicely descends into Houffalize. Here, the climb of Saint-Roach awaits you, the steepest of the day. You then follow the N30 and minor roads through Wicourt and to Vaux and then Vellereux. The N826 brings you to Bertogne, where you descend to the Ourthe Occidentale. You climb out of the valley to Warempage, and then on to Nisramont for the final descent to the Barrage de Nisramont.