Travel Guide Bastogne

Bastogne (population just over 15,000) is the administrative center of the district of Bastogne, located on the eponymous plateau, which has been inhabited since prehistoric times and bears numerous traces of Celtic and Roman settlement. Since the Middle Ages, the town of Bastogne has played a major commercial role, thanks to its craftsmen (leather, wool and ironwork) and merchants, including the butchers who established the reputation of the famous Bastogne ham. So famous, in fact, that one of its delicatessens now houses the Musée du Cochon!To avoid incessant looting, which was detrimental to business, in 1332 the town was granted a charter of franchise and the right to build ramparts. These were dismantled in 1688 by Louis XIV, and all that remains today is the venerable Porte de Trèves. As early as the Middle Ages, religious communities (Trinitarians, Récollets) settled in Bastogne and played a decisive role in education, for example by creating a Latin school.Today, Bastogne remains a major commercial center. Just stroll down the main street on a Sunday afternoon. It's no coincidence that Bastogne has had the flattering nickname of "Paris in the Ardennes" since the 16th century. It is also a key stage in the "Liège-Bastogne-Liège" cycling race, organized since 1892.It was in the Bastogne area that the great battle of the Ardennes Offensive was fought in the winter of 1944-1945. These battles between the German troops led by von Rundstedt and the American liberators left a deep mark on history and on people's minds. So much so, in fact, that the Ardennes city is known for having the most American flags per square kilometer!