Baraque Michel

The High Fens (German: Hohes Venn; French: Hautes Fagnes; Dutch: Hoge Venen), which were declared a nature reserve in 1957, are an upland area, a plateau region in Liège Province, in the east of Belgium and adjoining parts of Germany, between the Ardennes and the Eifel highlands. The High Fens are the largest nature reserve or park in Belgium, with an area of 4,501.2 ha (11,123 acres; 45.012 km2); it lies within the German-Belgian natural park Hohes Venn-Eifel (700 km2 (270 sq mi)), in the Ardennes. Its highest point, at 694 metres (2,277 ft) above sea level, is the Signal de Botrange near Eupen, and also the highest point in Belgium. A tower 6 metres (20 ft) high was built here that reaches 700 metres (2,297 ft) above sea level. The reserve is a rich ecological endowment of Belgium covered with alpine sphagnum raised bogs (not "fens" as the name would imply) both on the plateau and in the valley basin; the bogs, which are over 10,000 years old, with their unique subalpine flora, fauna and microclimate, are key to the conservation work of the park.In 1966, the European Council awarded the "Diploma of Conservation" to the High Fens, for their ecological value. In 2008, Belgium has added the High Fens to its tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Signal de Botrange is the highest point in Wallonia and in Belgium, located in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes in French, Hohes Venn in German, Hoge Venen in Dutch), at 694 metres (2,277 feet). It is the top of a broad plateau and a road crosses the summit, passing an adjacent café. It is also the highest point in the Ardennes and in the European part of the Benelux. For several decades a meteorological station was installed at signal de Botrange. Since 1999, it was replaced by an automatic station of the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium installed on Mount Rigi (scientific station of the High Fens - University of Liège), which is between the Signal and Baraque Michel which was formerly the highest point in Belgium prior to the annexation of the Eastern Cantons in 1919. Signal de Botrange experiences stronger winds than the centre of Belgium. Average and extreme temperatures are usually lower than at any other place in Belgium: the minimum temperature recorded (−25.6 °C [−14.1 °F]) does not, however, exceed the absolute record (−30.1 °C [−22.2 °F]), observed in the valley of the Lomme, at Rochefort during a temperature inversion. In winter, for three months, on average, the average temperature remains below 0 °C (32 °F). Rainfall is much greater than most of the rest of the country, at an annual average of 1,450 mm (57 in) compared with 800 mm (31 in) in Uccle: there are over 200 days of precipitation per year (against just over 170 in Uccle). Maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed 30 °C (86 °F). The number of days of frost is over 130 days per year and the number of days of snowfall exceeds 35 days. The maximum thickness of snow was measured on 9 February 1953, at 115 cm (45 in) of snow. Frost and early snowfall can occur in late September, but that is exceptional. Late snow may sometimes occur until mid-May.At the height of winter the site is used as the start of a number of cross-country skiing routes.

Xhoffraix ([French pronunciation: [(h)ɔfʀɛ]]; Walloon: Xhofrai [Hofrê or Hyofrê pronounced [hɔ.'fʀɛː] ]) is a village of Wallonia in the municipality of Malmedy, district of Bévercé, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. Xhoffraix is located in the foothills of the High Fens region, along a national road connecting Malmedy to Signal de Botrange.

The Arrondissement of Verviers (French: Arrondissement de Verviers; German: Verwaltungsbezirk Verviers; Dutch: Arrondissement Verviers) is one of the four administrative arrondissements in the Walloon province of Liège, Belgium. It includes all the 9 municipalities of the German-speaking Community (about 1/4 of population), while the remaining 20 municipalities in the Arrondissement of Verviers are part of the French-speaking Community. The Administrative Arrondissement of Verviers consists of the following municipalities:

Ovifat (Walloon: Ôvîfa pronounced [õ.viː.'fa] ) is a village of Wallonia in the municipality of Waimes, district of Robertville, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. The population is about 500. Its inhabitants are nicknamed Baras (rams).

Reinhardstein Castle (Walloon: Tchestea di Rénastène; French: Château de Reinhardstein; German: Burg Reinhardstein) is a castle of Wallonia in the village of Ovifat, in the Warche valley of Liège Province, Belgium. The stronghold was built in 1354 for Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, while still Count, by his vassal Reinhard of Weismes. It sits on a rocky outcrop in the river valley and is now surrounded by forest. By inheritance and marriage, it passed successively into the hands of the Nesselrode, Nassau, Schwartzenberg families and finally from 1550 to 1812 the property of the Counts of Metternich, except between 1795 and 1798 when the French revolutionary administration confiscated it. Franz Georg Karl Count of Metternich-Winnenburg-Beilstein sold the family estate in 1812 to a building materials dealer. From 1815 to 1919 the area belonged to Prussia. The Prussian administration immediately halted the demolition and attempted for the first time to protect the monument. After the Treaty of Versailles (1919) it became Belgian territory. In the 19th century it was nearly destroyed by quarrying but in 1969 the castle was thoroughly renovated under the impulse of the new owner Professor Jean Overloop. After the reconstruction, he continued to live there until his death in 1994. His wife and daughter, who inherited the castle after his death, donated it to a non-profit organization. The castle is inhabited but accessible to tourists. There is also a picturesque walking route along the castle.

Lake Robertville is an artificial lake located in Wallonia near the city of Malmedy in Belgium. The water volume is 8,000,000 m³ and the area is 0,62 km². The lake is located in the High Fens park. The dam on the river Warche was built in 1928. Lake Robertville is situated in the municipality of Waimes. It is named after the village of Robertville.

Robertville (Walloon: Li Rbiveye (locally as Rebîveye or Rubîveye)) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Waimes, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2005 it had 2402 inhabitants. It was a separate municipality (formed in 1922 by the fusion of the villages of Robertville, Ovifat, Sourbrodt and Outrewarche) before the 1977 merger of the municipalities. Prior to that date it was also the highest municipality in Belgium, marked by the Signal de Botrange, at 694 metres (2,277 feet). It is the site of Reinhardstein Castle. It is also known for its dam across the Warche, built in 1928, which created the 62-hectare (150-acre) Lake Robertville to provide the Malmedy region with drinking water and to supplement the supply of electricity to Malmedy's now district of Bévercé.

The diocese of Eupen-Malmedy (initially Apostolic Administration of Eupen–Malmedy–Sankt Vith) is a former Belgian Latin Roman Catholic diocese, which existed between 1919 and 1925, and included the East Cantons. The short-lived diocese of Eupen-Malmedy is one of three former Belgian dioceses, and the only such see in present Belgium that has not been created a titular see.

Lake Gileppe is located in Wallonia, in the east of Belgium, near the city of Verviers. There is a 78 m high panoramic tower with a restaurant on the top to look at the lake and the landscape. The water volume is 26,400,000 m³ and the area is 1,3 km².

Lake Eupen is an artificial lake near Eupen in East Belgium, not far from High Fens. The lake is created by a dam which was built on the river Vesdre in 1938 but inaugurated only in 1950 by Prince Charles of Belgium. The area has a German-speaking population who refer to the river Vesdre as Weser, but which is distinct from the Weser river in North Germany.

Jalhay (French pronunciation: [ʒalɛ]; Walloon: Djalhé) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2006 Jalhay had a total population of 7,953. The total area is 107.75 km² which gives a population density of 74 inhabitants per km². The municipality consists of the following districts: Jalhay and Sart. The highest point of the municipality is the Baraque Michel in the High Fens, at 674 metres (2,211 ft).