Château de Franchimont

The ruins of Château de Franchimont crown a dramatic rocky spur in the Ardennes hills of Wallonia, about eight kilometers south of Spa in the municipality of Theux. In the Middle Ages the castle served as the seat of the Counts of Franchimont, controlling access to the Ardennes highlands; after a turbulent history it was abandoned in the late 18th century and gradually fell into picturesque decay. Protected as a Walloon cultural monument, the site is accessible on foot, and the surviving walls and towers offer broad views over the surrounding forested hills. Crumbling vaulted cellars and exposed ramparts give the place an atmospheric, slightly melancholic character that rewards exploration.