First Roller Parade in Liège

■ Meet tonight at Place St-Lambert. And every Thursday this summer! LIÈGE ∇ Even if they are not Haussmannian, Liège's boulevards are famous well beyond the borders of the Ardent City. Regularly trodden by the techno semi-trailers of the City Parade, students, anti-globalization activists, and all other protesters, they will be taken over for the first time tonight by inline skaters! The Belgium Rollers Summer Tour stops in Liège for a first stage that will be followed by eight other events until August 28! A 15 km route will set off from Place Saint-Lambert around 9 p.m... if it doesn't rain! In case of rain, the route will be canceled to prevent slips and "bearing rust," specifies Carl De Moncharline, organizer of the Belgium Rollers Tour. Local radio stations and the toll-free number 0900.24.064 will broadcast the decision based on the weather forecast from 4:30 p.m. In that case, it will be postponed, with a date already set for July 10 and every Thursday of the summer. Weather permitting, enthusiasts of roller skates, inline skates, skateboards, scooters, and even bicycles will hit the asphalt of the Sauvenière and Avroy boulevards, as well as Blonden and Rogier avenues, over two 7.5 km loops. "It is the most urban route of all, with boulevards and tunnels," emphasizes Carl De Moncharline. The Monaco of roller skating in Liège In short, the Monaco of roller skating at an average speed of 15 km/h! Each of the seven cities host to the tour this summer offers a unique route, with fast roller-skating police officers in Hasselt or a more family-friendly atmosphere in Mons. "The idea behind this route is to reclaim the city, to travel along the boulevards usually reserved for cars." Drivers will therefore have to share the road with skaters, escorted by Liège police officers on bicycles! To participate in this parade, one simply needs to know how to brake. Especially since the route includes underpasses! Protective gear is also required as falls do occur. There were 34 falls among 30,000 participants last year during the Brussels Tour. Residents of Liège tempted by this alternative urban adventure can rent skates and protective gear on site. A rental service provides 300 pairs of skates at €10 per pair including gear.