Villa Gracia & the Battle of the Bulge

Just south of Namur in the Ardennes village of Profondeville is the gracious Villa Gracia. The owner, Gisele, arranged a room for us for three nights in the hotel originally built as the secondary home of Belgium Army General Gracia.

One morning before breakfast was served, I sat on the veranda enjoying the peaceful flow of the River Meuse at the foot of the hotel grounds. Gisele slipped over with a small pot of coffee for me and mentioned that she and her husband often received offers to purchase their property but they had spent 18 months lovingly remodeling the residence and did not plan to sellWhen I mentioned that the grounds were very relaxing but that it was difficult for people to slow down and appreciate the calm, Gisele took a moment to share with me a bit of history about the area and her life.

On a wintry December day in 1944, German armies plunged into the semi-mountainous, heavily forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium and northern Luxembourg. Their goal: reach the sea, trap allied armies, and impel a negotiated peace on the Western front. The German Offensive achieved total surprise, but nowhere did the American troops give ground without a fight.
Within three days, the determined American stand and the arrival of powerful reinforcements ensured that the ambitious German goal was far beyond reach. In snow and sub-freezing temperatures the Germans fell short of their objective of reaching the Meuse River on the fringe of the Ardennes, creating only a 'Bulge" in the American line. They expended irreplaceable men, tanks and material. Four weeks later, after grim fighting, with heavy losses on both side, the "Bulge" ceased to exist.
During the fighting, a woman in the Ardennes gave birth to her baby. Unable to take her to a hospital, American soldiers aided in the delivery of baby Gisele.


Wendy and Marian enjoy a peaceful walk along the River Meuse accessed from the spacious grounds of the Villa Gracia. Looming in the background is the Walloon portion of the Ardennes mountain range, a popular area for hikers and bicyclists.