Editing La Roche-en-Ardenne

{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = La Roche-en-Ardenne
|native_name      = {{native_name|wa|Li Rotche}}
|type             = city
|picture          = 0 La Roche-en-Ardenne 050518 (8).JPG
|picture-legend   = La Roche: the town centre below its medieval castle
|map              = La Roche-en-Ardenne Luxembourg Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of La Roche-en-Ardenne in Luxembourg province
|arms             = Blason de La Roche-en-Ardenne.svg
|flag             = Flag_of_La_Roche-en-Ardenne.gif
|region           = {{BE-REG-WAL}}
|community        = {{BE-FR}}
|province         = {{BE-PROV-LX}}
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Marche-en-Famenne|Marche-en-Famenne]]
|nis              = 83031
|pyramid-date     = 
|0-19             = 
|20-64            = 
|65               = 
|foreigners       = 
|foreigners-date  = 
|mayor            = Guy Gilloteaux (MR)
|majority         = Pour Vous
|postal-codes     = 6980, 6982-6984, 6986
|telephone-area   = 084
|web              = [http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/ www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|50|10.9|N|05|34.5|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''La Roche-en-Ardenne''' ({{IPA|fr|la ʁɔʃ ɑ̃.n‿aʁdɛn|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-Manestra-La Roche-en-Ardenne.wav}}; {{langx|wa|Li Rotche}}) is a [[City status in Belgium|city]] and [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] of [[Wallonia]] located in the [[Luxembourg (Belgium)|province of Luxembourg]] and the arrondissement of [[Marche-en-Famenne]], [[Belgium]]. Lying beside a bend in the [[Ourthe|River Ourthe]], the small town of La Roche-en-Ardenne is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the [[Ardennes]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} Its name is derived from its position on a rock commanding the river.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=La Roche|volume=16|pages=219–220}}</ref>

On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 147.52&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, had 4,348 inhabitants, giving a [[population density]] of 29.5 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup>.

The municipality consists of the following [[deelgemeente|districts]]: [[Beausaint]], [[Halleux]], [[Hives, Wallonia|Hives]], La Roche-en-Ardenne, [[Ortho, Belgium|Ortho]], and [[Samrée]]. Other population centres include Bérismenil, Buisson, Cielle, Floumont, Herlinval, Hubermont, Lavaux, Maboge, Mierchamps, Mousny, Nisramont, Ronchampays, Ronchamps, Roupage, Thimont, Vecmont, and Warempage.

==Geography==
La Roche-en-Ardenne is located between the [[European route E25|E25]] Liège-Luxembourg and the N4 motorways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=62&lang=en|title=Geography|accessdate= 4 April 2012}}</ref>  More than half of the municipal area (about {{Convert|85|km2}}) is covered in forests and {{Convert|50|km2}} is arable land, and only {{Convert|8|km2}} has been built on. The division between deciduous and coniferous forests is more or less equal.

==History==
La Roche is believed to have first been settled in the [[Neolithic]] era. There is a Celtic archaeological site dating between 850 and 520 BC. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] built a fort there following their conquest of Gaul and the Ardennes.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=61&lang=en|title=History|accessdate=4 April 2010}}</ref>

The [[La Roche-en-Ardenne Castle|town's medieval castle]] was in use between the 9th and 18th centuries. It provided protection to the many barges that plied their trade along the local river systems. It may have been the site of a [[sporting lodge]] of [[Pepin the Short|Pippin]], and certainly the counts of La Roche held it in [[fief]] from his descendants, the [[Carolingian dynasty|Carolingian]] rulers. In the 12th century they sold it to the [[List of monarchs of Luxembourg|counts of Luxembourg]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

In 1331, permission to build city walls was given by [[John of Bohemia|John the Blind]], King of Bohemia and Poland and a Count of Luxembourg.<ref name= "History"/>

In [[World War II]], the town was occupied by both [[Nazi Germany|German]] and [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces, suffering severe damage. Freed by Americans 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 reoccupied by Americans once more in January 1945, but left much of it destroyed and 116 residents dead. An American [[M4 Sherman|Sherman M4A1]] tank and a British [[17pdr SP Achilles|Achilles SP 17pdr]] are displayed as monuments to the town's liberation.<ref name= "History"/> In town also is a memorial to the [[82nd armored reconnaissance battalion|82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion]].<ref>[http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/14867/Memorial-82nd-Armored-Reconnaissance-batallion.htm tracesofwar.com Samrée, Belgium Memorial 82nd Armored Reconnaissance batallion]</ref>

In 1976 there was a merger of administrative districts in the area that resulted in the municipality of La Roche-en-Ardennes. [[Beausaint]], [[Halleux]], [[Hives (town)|Hives]], [[Ortho, Belgium|Ortho]] and [[Samrée]] were joined by [[Cielle]] detached from [[Marcourt, Wallonia|Marcourt]], now within the municipality of [[Rendeux]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=61&lang=en|title=Governance|accessdate=4 April 2010}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[Hiking]], [[kayaking]], and [[mountain biking]] are among the outdoor pursuits available here. The municipality's other main economic activity is agriculture. A business park was established on the plateau Vecmont to diversify the local economy.

The ceramic stoneware of La Roche (cobalt blue pottery, glazed with salt) is a local tradition, initiated in 1836 by Henry Hoffman, a native of Ransbach in the Duchy of Nassau. The production was revived in 1878 by the family Kalb and continued until 2009 by several successors. There is a permanent exhibition of this tradition.<ref name= "History"/>

==Governance==
Like other Belgian Municipalities, the town is governed by a Communal College, whose membership is determined by the size of the population. In 2012, that was the Mayor, Town Clerk and 3 Alderman. An elected City Council determined what local taxes are spent and on what. As of 2012, this had a membership of 9 councillors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=116&lang=en|title= Council|accessdate= 4 April 2012}}</ref>

==Sights==
{{See also|List of protected heritage sites in La Roche-en-Ardenne}}

There are three main archaeological sites: 
* Le Cheslé de Bérismenil, a Celtic refuge
* le Cheslin d'Ortho, a  Roman refuge
* [[La Roche-en-Ardenne Castle]]

There is the Parc à Gibier, a small wild game park on the top of the plateau above the town.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Makos |first=Adam |author-link1=Adam Makos |date=2019 |title=[[Spearhead (Makos novel)|Spearhead]] |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |pages=69, 88 |isbn=9780804176729 |lccn=2018039460 |ol=27342118M}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.la-roche-en-ardenne.be/ Municipality website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060515074347/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]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = La Roche-en-Ardenne
|N  = [[Manhay]]
|E  = [[Houffalize]]
|S  = [[Bertogne]]
|SW = [[Tenneville]]
|W  = [[Marche-en-Famenne]]<br/>[[Nassogne]]
|NW = [[Rendeux]]
}}
{{Municipalities in Luxembourg}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:La Roche-en-Ardenne| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Wallonia]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Luxembourg (Belgium)]]