A Djus-d’-la, po lès Marcatchou, vos-èstez turtos binv’nous
In Outremeuse, as far as the ‘Marcatchou’ is concerned, you are all welcome.
Until the 19th century, the Pont des Arches, Liège’s oldest bridge, was the only structure spanning the Meuse. Unsurprisingly, the local Walloon expression for ‘by this time the water has flowed under the bridge’ is ‘I pas’rè bin d’ l‘ êwe d’zos l’ pont d’s-Åtches’. Prince-Bishop Réginard built the first stone bridge around 1034. An arch of this bridge can still be seen in a shop at number 3 rue Pied-du-Pont-des-Arches, not far from here.
Since the 11th century, the bridge has been rebuilt several times and its axis has also changed. The current bridge, which is decorated with statues evoking Liège’s history, was completed in 1947. The statues represent the birth of Liège and the Belgian Revolution of 1830 on one side, and the Middle Ages and the Resistance on the other.
The Pont des Arches has always connected the heart of the city with Outremeuse. The meaning of the name ‘Outremeuse’ is clear: ‘across the Meuse’. In Walloon, it means ‘Djus-d’-la-Moûse’, or simply ‘Djus-d’-la’. Its inhabitants are known for their rebellious spirit and have never been afraid to stand up for themselves. In response, Prince-Bishop Maximilian-Henri of Bavaria erected a fort at the Pont des Arches to prevent them from reaching the centre. It is therefore fitting that Djus-d’-la is said to be the birthplace of the puppet Tchantchès. Less legendary, except for a few anecdotes, is Marcatchou, the king of the fishermen. He was a popular figure in Outremeuse. To this day, the Marcatchous Brotherhood commemorates his memory, especially his love for pèkèt.