Liège is the nearest big city to me, yet I rarely find myself there. Maybe a few cinema outings and a museum exhibition every now and then but that’s it. So when I knew I was going there on a weekday, I made sure to explore the most charming part of the city. Therefore, allow me to take you through my favorite part of Liège, l’impasse. It includes lots of stairs and tiny hidden alleys. Basically, an Impasse is a dead-end street lined with the cutest little houses. And Liège has seven of those, all situated near one another.
Montagne de Bueren
First things first, the famous staircase in Liège. These 374 stairs date back to somewhere between 1875 and 1880. What makes them unique is the angle difference – from bottom to top, a whopping 28°. The first time I visited Liège, I somehow ended up climbing them up and down twice. Surprisingly enough, going down the stairs had a bigger impact on my muscles than going up, probably due to the angle of the staircase.
In fact, it was named the most extreme staircase in the world by the Huffington Post in 2013. The stairs, surrounded by houses on both sides, lead to the citadel which boasts a great view of the city. Each year, on the first Saturday of October, the stairway lights up with thousands of candles. The Nocturnes de la Coteaux de la Citadelle spread onto half of the city.
The eight impasse in Liège
Impasse des Ursulines
To begin with, we’ll start with the only impasse in Liège that climbs up Montagne de Bueren following its windy path. In the 17th century, people called it the Horseshoe road, in honor of the first house on the street. Afterward, it got a new name after the convent at the beginning of the alley.
Impasse Venta
Impasse de la Couronne
Impasse de l’Ange
Possibly the most charming alley, and one that definitely makes me feel like I’m snooping around someone’s yard. The Impasse de l’Ange might just be my favorite impasse in Liège!
Impasse Hubart
Impasse de la Vignette
Impasse de la Chaîne
