It rises near Büllingen in the High Fens or Hoge Venen (Dutch), Hohes Venn (German), and Hautes Fagnes (French), close to the border with Germany.

The waterfall was created artificially in the 18th century when local monks cut through a bend in the river to feed a watermill.

A curiosity of Lorcé, a nearby village, is the unusual design of the dam located at a place called "Fang-Naze" or "Fagne-Naze."

On the right bank near Sprimont is the site of the Belle Roche cave, the oldest known place of human occupation of the Benelux (dating back about 500,000 years).

The "Fond de Quareux" stretch of the river near Nonceveux is listed as one of Wallonia's Major Heritage sites.