The Ardennes, my region, is a haven of peace and nature, a landscape of forests and cultivated fields, dotted with small villages. Ideal touristic destination, however…
In December 44 one of the most important battles of the Second World War took place here. Hundreds of thousands of men have fought in terrible conditions and their feats of arms are still remembered. When you ride or walk through
the region, you can discover many monuments, commemorative signs or even sometimes a tank preserved in the center of a village. At the bend of a walk, it is not uncommon to find traces of fighting, whether it is a group of foxholes at the edge of a forest, bullet holes on an old house wall, shrapnel’s debris on the ground…
Born in 1975, I live in Bastogne, and come from the Vielsalm / Saint-Vith area where my parents lived the Battle of the Bulge, aged 10 and 6 years, and still have vivid souvenirs from that time. I grew up in a region still full of remains and scars of the battle, with every person having lived that period sharing histories about it. Currently working as a chemist in the brewing industry, I am passionate about the study of the local history of the second world war . For more than 30 years, I have gone trough the historic sites of the Battle of the Bulge by car or hike, visiting museums and exhibitions, attending commemorations, conferences and seminars on the subject, meeting veterans… Since 2016 I am a battlefield guide for the Battle of the Bulge with my private company guideardenne44.com. I have a deep knowledge about the Battle of the Bulge, Allied and German equipment and vehicles, but also about the world 20th century history as well as of the Ardennes physical and human geography. With a group of fellows local battlefields guides and historians, we are continuously improving our knowledge, exploring new places and sharing documents. I mainly offer tours for small groups and individuals, but also guide for travel agencies and larger groups. My particular domains of expertise are Bastogne, the Houffalize/Vielsalm/Saint-Vith area, the Kampfgruppe Peiper and 82nd airborne history. On request, I also prepare tailored tours about a particular unit, or retracing a soldier’s history. I am an official guide for the city of Bastogne tourism office, a guide for the visit of the WHI Bastogne Barracks “Nuts cave” site and I am registered as “Guide local Bataille des Ardennes” by the Commissariat Général du Tourisme de la Région Wallonne de Belgique, brevet GL336. The sufferings and sacrifices endured by our liberators in a merciless struggle against a criminal ideology are at the origin of our present freedom. Vigilance is necessary against totalitarian ideologies to preserve our democratic gains.
