Edmond d'Hoffschmidt de Resteigne, dit l'Ermite

The Hermitage of Edmond d'Hoffschmidt, known as the Hermit of Resteigne, sits on a wooded hilltop in the Bois de Niau, between the villages of Auffe, Belvaux and Resteigne, right by Ave-et-Auffe. It is one of the more curious sites in the Belgian Ardennes — the remains of a small dwelling, a stone tower and a garden built by a former Napoleonic officer who chose a life of seclusion, though not one of misanthropy.

Who was the Hermit of Resteigne?

Edmond d'Hoffschmidt was born in Namur in 1777 and died in Resteigne in 1861. He was the son of the owner of the local château and served as an officer under Napoleon. After returning home in 1811, he decided to settle at the top of a hill in the Bois de Niau, at a spot called Les Gaudrées, close to the ruins of the abandoned Saint-Pierre-Mont chapel. Despite living as a recluse, he was far from unfriendly: numerous stories describe him as a generous, good-humoured man who enjoyed surprising and amusing his neighbours while quietly helping them. He later even served as mayor of Resteigne. His tombstone carries a simple epitaph, "He was the friend of the poor," and his funeral is said to have drawn around 3,000 people.

What can you see on site?

The hermit built himself a house complete with a bread oven, later adding a greenhouse to grow flowers and cold-sensitive plants. Outside his fenced enclosure, he raised a small rockwork tower, not quite 9 metres tall, that doubled as a grotto and a lookout point: an outside staircase led up to a chamber and then to a crenellated terrace offering views in all four directions. Today mostly the lower, cave-like level of the tower survives. At the far end of the hill stands a so-called "altar of Nature" above a spring known as the Source des Rêveries, and verses carved into the rock near the lookout tower express the hermit's philosophy of peaceful woodland living.

How to get there and when to visit?

The hermitage sits on a forested hilltop reached on foot via paths linking Auffe, Belvaux and Resteigne — the site forms part of several popular walking loops in the area, listed on platforms such as Wikiloc and Cirkwi. Entry is free, and the best time to visit is during daylight hours in spring or autumn, when the forest paths are dry and easier to walk. Sturdy footwear is recommended, since the approach climbs uphill over rocky and partly overgrown terrain.

Why is it worth the trip?

Since 2009, volunteers from the association "Les Amis de l'Ermite de Resteigne" have been steadily excavating and preserving the ruins, uncovering new fragments of the house, garden and tower year after year. That makes a visit here more than a look at a static ruin — it's a chance to see an active archaeological project unfolding in a scenic forest setting.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entry fee for the hermitage? No, the site is open to the public and free of charge.

How much time should I plan for a visit? Walking around the ruins themselves takes about 30–45 minutes, but factoring in the hike from Auffe or Resteigne, it's worth setting aside 1.5–2 hours.

Can you climb the lookout tower? Only the lower, grotto-like level has survived in full; the upper terrace that once offered four-directional views no longer exists in its original form, so access is limited to the remaining parts.

Are there other sites nearby connected to the Hermit? Yes — in Resteigne you can see his grave with its distinctive epitaph, and the association "Les Amis de l'Ermite de Resteigne" occasionally shares updates and events about the ongoing restoration work.