Where to camp in the Semois valley?

Choosing your campsite in the Semois valley

The Semois valley is camping country: a slow river, hillside forests, tightly built villages and a string of riverside pitches between Vresse, Alle, Bouillon and, further north on the Lesse, Dinant. Here is how to find your way.

Three criteria are usually enough to decide:

• The location. To set off early by kayak, sleep in Vresse. For a family setting around a stretch of water, in Alle. For services and sightseeing, in Bouillon. For the Lesse and the Meuse, in Dinant.
• The type of set-up. A tent or caravan pitch with your feet in the water, a motorhome area, a one-night bivouac in the forest, or an unusual stay (treehouse, bubble, dome) when you want camping without the tent.
• Budget and constraints. From the free bivouac night to the 4-star chalet with a pool, via the campsites that accept dogs: the comparison of Ardennes campsites gives the ranges.

This guide brings together all our camping pages. For the overview, see the guide to the campsites of the Semois valley and the pillar camping in the Belgian Ardennes.

Our campsites by town

Four bases in the valley and on the Lesse, from the most central for kayaking to the most turned towards sightseeing.

By type of camping

The same need — sleeping outdoors near the Semois — takes very different forms depending on the gear and the desire for comfort.

Campsites by river and by valley

The Semois valley is not alone: the Belgian Ardennes also camp along the Lesse, the Ourthe and the Amblève. Our cross-cutting guides:

Camping around a kayak descent

Camping and kayaking on the Semois go together: you pitch the tent the evening before to put in first thing, and you keep the next morning free for a walk or a viewpoint. Most descent routes start or finish less than ten minutes from a campsite.

The set-up that works: two nights in Vresse-sur-Semois around a big descent, or one night in Bouillon to combine kayak, castle and a tour of the valley. Remember to book the pitch and the kayak slot at the same time: in July and August, both go fast.

Rules: wild camping, bivouac and pitches

In Wallonia, wild camping is forbidden outside an authorised site. A bivouac — one night, late arrival, early departure, no fire and no trace — is however tolerated in marked bivouac zones set by the Department of Nature and Forests (DNF) and the Regional Nature Park of the Semois valley. All the details and the map of authorised spots are on the bivouac in the Ardennes page.

Otherwise, you camp on a declared site: the guides by town above indicate the open campsites, their rating and their services.

Frequently asked questions