In Liège, it seems as though public space was largely of secondary importance throughout the second half of the 20th century. Place Saint-Lambert, torn open for decades only to be ‘patched up’ in a makeshift manner, reflects an era in which the ‘King Car’ reigned supreme.

It was not until the 1990s that the first clear signs of a reclaiming of space from the car emerged, with the ‘Liège retrouve son fleuve’ initiative. The redevelopment of the quays on the right bank of the Meuse was particularly beneficial for residents and vulnerable road users. Among other things, RAVeL paths (long-distance cycle paths) were laid out along the water’s edge and along the route of the former SNCB railway line 38, which winds through the slopes from Chênée to Grivegnée, Beyne-Heusay …