Michel hut

The Baraque Michel (in German Michelshütte ) is a locality of the plate of the High Fagnes. It is the second point highest of the Belgium and the Walloon region, with 674 meters of altitude. It was the most point before the annexation in 1919 by the Belgium of the oriental party of the plate, which belonged until there to the Prussia and includes/understands the Signal of Botrange.

The hut itself is a Auberge and the starting point of many excursions.

The Michel Hut founded about 1811 by one was named Michel Schmitz, of Herbiester (hamlet close to Jalhay), already as an inn, but also like refuge for stray travellers: a Cloche was sounded there per time of fog, which allowed the rescue of more than one hundred of people during the 19th century. This creation gave place to a legend.

The establishment was also used as Relais for the Prussian mail coaches (which connected the two towns of Eupen and Malmedy, at the time Prussian, but for whom the direct link was made by this Belgian territory).

Several important rivers of Belgium, tributary of the basin of the Vesdre, take their source in the vicinity. The principal ones are the Gileppe, the Hoëgne and the Helle.

Coordinates:

The legend of the Michel Hut

The creation of the Michel Hut gave rise to a legend. According to this one, Michel Schmitz would have been mislaid in Fagnes and, exhausted by his fight against the elements, would have made the wish, if he escaped death, build on the moor a refuge where the traveller lost as could find asylum to him. Having planted its stick at the place where it had just made this decision, Schmitz found again its way miraculeusement. As soon as, thereafter, it had found the theater of its adventure, it built a hut there where it settled as a hermit in order to conclude his mission; this hâvre would be at the origin of the inn fagnarde. This legend was included in many tourist works, and the regional literature (in particular by the minor writer Albert Bonjean, “cantor of Fagne”). Several historians underlined the inconsistencies and the nonsenses of the account; the professor Klinkenberg showed that the stereotype of the stray traveller and miraculeusement found comes in this case from a quite former tale due to Marcellin the Guard, tale transposed to their establishment by the occupants of the Michel Hut.

Monuments located in the vicinity

  • the Vault Fischbach
  • the Cross of Been engaged the
  • the Boulté

Localities and inns located in the vicinity

External bonds

Photographs of the Michel Hut

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