Today, I'm giving you 10 good reasons not to come to the Ardennes for a trail run! It's really not worth it. In fact, you'd better leave it to them, or they'll get you into their 3rd half and you won't believe it!

Hello foreigner! Are you going to the south of Belgium to do some trail running? Aren't you crazy? The Ardennes will drive you crazy, and all you'll want to do is come back!

That's why, in my infinite goodness, I'm taking the liberty of giving you 10 good reasons why you should never come to the Ardennes!

1. "Plat pays? My c**!"

If, by any chance, someone from the Ardennes has invited you to run in their region. This expression will no doubt quickly become your maxim, your mantra, your motto, even your prayer. After all, you thought you'd have a quiet, rolling outing with the wind at your back on a path with a 0.00001% gradient?

Well, you missed out. There's no such thing in the Ardennes! It goes up, it goes down, there's a ford, then it goes up again, then it goes down again, there's a bit of flat before going up again... only to go down again... The climbs aren't long, but they're as dry as the Semois tobacco smoke coming out of the pipe of an old Ardennes man.

The Ardennes is a veritable sheet of corrugated iron, where you can sometimes add up to 1000D+ in 20 kilometres.

If, despite this advice, you still want to come to the Ardennes, arm yourself with tenacity and courage, because it's going to be a bumpy ride!

2. There are too many forests

Did you give in? You find yourself running with your Ardennes friend. I hope you like the forest!

Indeed, the Ardennes forest, known in Roman times asArduenna Silva, was the largest forest in Gaul.

Although greatly reduced in size over the course of history, the forests of the Ardennes are among the most beautiful and richest in Europe. Discover them all HERE.

If you're a fan of vast, empty expanses, you'll have to pass on this one. Only a forest lover at heart will find happiness in this dark forest that covers valleys and plateaus. Because it's all very well, we read everywhere that the forest brings well-being, relaxation, etc. etc. However, getting lost in it for three days and being forced to eat berries, I don't think that's a source of inner peace. Don't push it. This isn't a remake ofInto the Wild!

3. Walloon is spoken

Despite this, the people of the Ardennes will do everything they can to put you in Christopher McCandless' situation. This includes their strange language, Walloon, which they use to the full in the presence of strangers. From then on, you'll have to find your way around the Walloon place names:

Le gué de Tîbiéwè, À Betch do fî, Trô do Gayet, les Baiwés...

As you may have noticed, the Ardennais, and more generally the Walloon, does its utmost to lose you in the middle of the woods which, as a reminder, cover a large part of the territory. When it comes to betting, the Ardennais is the clear winner.

4. Trail runners don't take it personally

If you're a head-turner, don't bother. In the Ardennes, we laugh and have fun. We don't care whether you've got the latest Garmain Fortruc 3554 or the new Salemormon S-Lurb Sensitive.

In any case, it won't stop you from getting lost and ending up in the doldrums after a hard ride in "Barkley" mode.

By the way, don't run away if you see runners smiling! It's perfectly normal. People laugh, and that's perfectly normal. No serious faces or elite locks - everyone's in the same boat. In the same way, don't be surprised if the winners applaud you when you finish almost 3 hours after the first...

Photo de Vinrouxh

Photo de Christian

5. There are free races

Let's face it, in 2016, a Trail you don't pay 2€ a kilometer for isn't really a Trail. That's why so many of us spend upwards of €100 to run a race.

The people of the Ardennes are truly bizarre. In fact, a group of enthusiasts, the Coureurs Célestes, are organizing an Ultra Trail entirely free of charge. Can you imagine? It's hard to make money with an offer like this, which screws up the business! It's a shame. What's more, it's ironic that Les Célestes regularly make a name for themselves on the PTL.

6. Heritage is everywhere

In Wallonia, and more specifically in the Ardennes, it's impossible to avoid a cultural visit. Did you think you'd get some rest after a silly race? Not a chance! There's so much to see and do, you won't want to miss it.

Between the Gallo-Roman Archéosite de Malagne, the Villa de Nadrin and the Celtic site of Cheslé for proto-history and antiquity, and the medieval castles of Bouillon, La Roche-en Ardenne, Rheinhardstein, Poilvache and Rochefort, as well as the Abbey of Orval, the Caves of Han, the Battle of the Bulge Museums and many others, the choice is endless.

7. The scenery isn't very interesting

Frankly... Don't come to the Ardennes, the 360° landscapes aren't that great!

8. You have to like outdoor sports

If, despite my warnings, you absolutely insist on racing in our region.

You'll have to resist many sporting temptations.

Don't forget that you're here to run! But the Ardennes will tempt you with cycling or mountain biking (Houffalize is Belgium's mountain biking capital), kayaking (Semois, Ourthe, Lesse, there are plenty of opportunities), hiking (thousands of kilometers of marked trails to keep your legs itching), cross-country skiing in winter and, for horse riders, the Ardennes, like Belgium, is a land of horses, and the European Horse Center near Vielsalm will only convince you to set off and discover the forests on your trusty steed.

9. You really have to like beer

Forget wine! Here, we drink beer. The number of craft breweries is incalculable. The worst part is, not only do they make a lot of beers, they also make some excellent ones! So it's impossible to limit yourself to just one pint... I'd advise you not to refuse a glass. It might offend some people.

For the Ardennais, it's all about rehydrating - never forget that! If you're not used to the exercise, train as you would for anything else, otherwise it's going to be a real struggle! If you're a coureur des bois, however, you'll start with an advantage: you're a fan of special beers(coureurs des bois love special beers).

10. "Le Gras, c'est la VIE!"

Yes, Karadoc is undoubtedly a self-aware Ardennais.

In fact, your stay in the Ardennes won't cause you to lose any kilos. Whatever you spend during the day, you'll take right back in the evening. The Ardennes is the home of cured meats. What's more, alongside Ardenne hams, Ardenne pipes and other sausages, you can't miss out on French fries, chocolate or abbey cheeses...

Do you have any good reasons for not coming to the Ardennes?

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