La Roche-en-Ardenne

Infobox Belgium Municipality
name=La Roche-en-Ardenne
picture=Laroche JPG01.jpg
picture-



map-

arms=Armoiries_Laroche_Ardenne.png

region=BE-REG-WAL
community=BE-FR
province=BE-PROV-LX
arrondissement=Marche-en-Famenne
nis=83031
pyramid-date=
0-19=
20-64=
65=
foreigners=
foreigners-date=
mayor=Jean-Pierre Dardenne (MR)
majority=MR, PS
postal-codes=6980, 6982-6984, 6986
telephone-area=084
web= [http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/ www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be]
lat_deg=50
lat_min=11
lon_deg=05
lon_min=35

La Roche-en-Ardenne is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Luxembourg Province.

On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 147.52 km², had 4,348 inhabitants, giving a population density of 29.5 inhabitants per km².

Lying beside a bend in the River Ourthe, the small town of La Roche-en-Ardenne is one of the more popular tourist destinations in the Ardennes. Walking, kayaking, and mountain biking are among the outdoor pursuits available here. The municipality's other main economic activity is agriculture.

History

La Roche is believed to have first been settled in the Neolithic era. The Romans built a fort there following their conquest of Gaul and the Ardennes.

The town's medieval castle was in use between the 9th and 18th centuries.

In World War II, the town suffered severe damage. Having been liberated by the Allies in September 1944, the town was recaptured by the Germans in December, during the Battle of the Bulge. The subsequent Allied bombing raids resulted in the town being liberated once more in January 1945, but left much of the town destroyed, and many residents dead.

References

* [http://www.la-roche-tourisme.com/uk/histoire-frame.htm History of La Roche]
* [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/12/10/2003214500 AP news report on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge]

External links

* [http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/ Municipality website]