Samrée: Cross-country skiing and winter landscapes on the Plateau des Tailles

If you are considering Samrée for a winter stay, the focus alongside the landscape is above all on the Nordic winter sports available. The Centre de ski nordique de Samrée offers cross-country skiing, skating and snowshoeing. This includes four listed cross-country ski trails measuring 5, 10, 15 and 22 kilometres. The documented offering therefore ranges from a shorter loop to a considerably longer route, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one winter sport.

Cross-country skiing and winter trails in Samrée

One special feature of the Centre de ski nordique de Samrée is the choice of four different trail lengths. Skating and snowshoeing are also available as separate options. The defining feature of the area is therefore Nordic winter sports, not any claimed alpine piste or lift facilities. Outside the trail centre, you can also explore the moorland landscape on a themed trail. The Sentier d'interprétation de Samrée is 4.7 kilometres long and leads through restored peat bogs. Its title is “Hauts marais de Bellemeuse: à pied dans le grenier d'eau de l'Ardenne”. Information panels and interactive modules explain the peat bogs, the landscapes, and past and present human activities on the Plateau des Tailles. A wooden footbridge also allows you to cross the Fagne de Samrée with dry feet.

Moorlands, viewpoints and protected nature

Samrée lies at the head of the valley on the summit plateau of the Plateau des Tailles. The surroundings are characterised by meadows with a few scattered arable fields, set against a wooded backdrop. This landscape includes the Fagnes de Samrée, a remarkable group of peatland habitats on the Plateau des Tailles. The route of the motorway artificially separates them from the rest of the plateau's moorland area. Another natural area is the Fagne aux Mochettes. It is an unmanaged peat bog and the westernmost peat bog of the Plateau des Tailles. Numerous rare or endangered plant species occur there. The Bois Saint-Jean nature reserve is home to populations of three orchid species as well as endangered and protected butterfly species. These sites therefore represent different aspects of the landscape: open moorland habitats, plant diversity and protected animal species. The Tour d’observation de la Fagne de Samrée complements the trails with a permanent viewpoint. The wooden observation tower is 12 metres high and has two platforms at 4.5 and 9 metres. From there, you can see the Fagne de Samrée. The specific height figures distinguish the two levels and also make the tower noteworthy as a built element of the landscape.

Village structure and history

Samrée has a traditional, ring-shaped village structure that goes back to earlier forms of village organisation. Traditional buildings include façades made of slate rubble stone and half-timbering. A historic building is the Ancien Relais de Poste de Samrée. It was probably built in the first half of the 19th century from reused materials dating from the 17th century. The Chaussée romaine de Samrée was formerly a Roman road and is also known as the Chaussée de Napoléon; its historical classification should therefore be kept separate from any current transport or hiking offering. A visit to Cyril Chocolat is also one of the documented local activities: there, you can learn about chocolate making in the Ardennes. For another comparison with a nearby village, you can also view Berismenil. This allows you to assess Samrée specifically according to whether Nordic winter sports, the moorland landscape, nature observation or the traditional village character is the main focus of your stay.

For the overarching travel overview: La Roche-En-Ardenne.