June 26, 2023 - Belgium
Bouillon
Leaving Bastogne the next morning, we headed south back down to Martelange, then west. Our destination for today was Sedan, France. But first we enjoyed a nice drive through the Ardennes and the towns of Neufchateau and Bouillon. This was the route Guderian's panzers took in May 1940 on their way to Sedan. It is said that moving 134,000 men, 1,222 tanks and 378 vehicles through the Ardennes created the greatest traffic jam in European history.
We arrived in the pretty town of Bouillon, Belgium around lunchtime and immediately decided we needed to spend a little time here. As you can see, the picturesque Bouillon Castle overlooks the Semois River and Bouillon.
Map of Bouillon. We were on the Pont de Liege and had lunch around number three. We only explored the area on the river bertween the Pont de France and Pont de Liege.
As you can see, a good portion of Bouillon lies in the bend of the Semois River.
A nice shot of the Castle. Although it was mentioned first in 988, there had been a castle on the same site for a much longer time. The castle is situated on a rocky spur of land within a sharp bend of the Semois River.
In 1082, Bouillon Castle was inherited by Godfrey of Bouillon, who sold it to Otbert, Bishop of Liège in order to finance the First Crusade. The castle was later fitted for heavy artillery by Vauban, Louis XIV's military architect in the late 17th century.
Guderian's panzers came through here in May 1940. With the Semois River, Bouillon looks like it would have been a good place to hold up the Germans, but there was only token resistence from the Belgians and the Germans rushed through on their way to Sedan.
That's a long castle.
Looking back at the Semois River.
