Vieuxville- La Roche en Ardenne-Vieuxville along the Ourthe 105 km

This cycling tour takes you along the Ourthe River from Vieuxville to la Roche-en-Ardenne and back. Highlights include the quiet and slightly hilly stretch between Ny and Cielle, the RAVeL near Marcourt, the Ourthe valley near Fronville and Petite Enneille, the touristic town Durbuy, the RAVeL cycling path between Durbuy and Barvaux, and the rock faces at the river near Sy. The route uses RAVeL cycling paths and roads through the Ourthe valley, but also includes climbs on both sides of the valley with great views. The tour is suited for the racing bike, although the bridge at Palogne requires demounting your bicycle. You can find places to eat and drink in Bomal, Barvaux, Durbuy, la Roche-en-Ardenne, Rendeux and Hotton. The start is on a parking near Vieuxville on the N86. At the bridge in Palogne the route connects to another route along the Ourthe between Liège and Vieuxville (https://nl.wikiloc.com/routes-fietsen/liege-vieuxville-liege-along-the-ourthe-106-km-55568936).
From the start you follow the N86 to Bomal and then on to Barvaux. Just past Barvaux the first climb starts to Bohon. From Bohon you continue towards Dubuy. When you enter Durbuy you follow the Ourthe on a cycling path towards Petit-Han. The cycling path climbs away from the river before Petit-Han. From Petit-Han you follow a minor road towards Grandhan. Shortly after you follow the N833 to Melreux. Here you leave the Ourthe valley and ascend slightly to Ny and then a bit more to Sy. Parallel to the river valley you continue through quiet and undulating countryside with woods. I think I saw a wild cat here. A bit after Beffe, you descend towards Marcourt on a badly paved road, but before you are back in the Ourthe valley, you ascend again to Marcouray and then on to Cielle. Here you descend on a curving road to the N89 and then on the N89 to la Roche-en-Ardenne. You make a short detour through the center and then follow the Ourthe meander along the Rue des Echavées past the campsite. You cross the Ourthe twice and then arrive to the N833 which you follow through the river valley to Jupille. Shortly after you follow a new cycling path across the Ourhe to Marcourt. Here you return to the N833. You follow this major road to Hotton with short excursions from the main road near Ronzon and Hampteau. In Hotton you cross the Ourthe and then you continue to Melreux where you passed before. Now you ride to Monville, crossing the Ourthe again, and then follow a nice cycling route along the Ourthe through a wide and flat valley. Near Deulin you cross the Ourthe again, and then again before Noiseux on the busy N929. Here you follow quieter road along the valley to Petite Enneille. Here you climb out of the valley and then continue to the Radhadesh-Château de Petite Somme, a castle now owned by a spiritual community. After have a short look you climb towards Palegne, but descend to Durbuy before you arrive in Palegne. The approach to Durbuy in the Ourthe valley is nice. In Durbuy, a very small and touristic town with a lot of eating and drinking opportunity you make a short detour through the cobblestone streets or continue around the town to the fountains below le Rocher de la Falize. From Durbuy there is a very nice and recently paved RAVeL cycling path taking you along the Ourthe river to Barvaux, one of the nicest stretches of this tour. From Barvaux to Bomal you follow the RAVeL cycling route (the first part was temporarily barred during my route). In Bomal you have the last climb of the day to Herbet. Here you have nice views on your descent towards Verlaine-sur-Ourthe. You descend further to the Ourthe river near Sy. Here is a irregularly paved cycling path at a beautiful stretches with large rock faces directly on the river. You cross the river at a walking bridge at Palogne for the last short stretch back to the starting point. Before you arrive there, there is a steep road (Rue de Saint-Cergue) with car barriers also inconvenient for cyclists.