Destination2016-en

Destination 2016

Belgium

The Valley Country really has something for every taste

Rivers

Ardennes

Lakes of the Valley Country

Discover these 12 major attractions that the province of Namur offers Caves and Wildlife park of Han

grotte-de-han.be

Maredsous Abbey

Provincial Estate of Chevetogne

maredsous.be

domainedechevetogne.be

Dinant Citadel

citadellededinant.be

Brasserie des Fagnes Mariembourg

Namur Citadel

citadelle.namur.be

brasseriedesfagnes.com Steam Railway of the Three Valleys Mariembourg

cfv3v.com

Récréalle Alle-sur-Semois

Reine Fabiola Amusement park Namur

recrealle.com

parf.be Gardens of Annevoie

annevoie.be

Railbikes of the Molignée Falaën

draisine.be

Eau d’Heure Lakes

lacsdeleaudheure.be

More information on www.paysdesvallees.be

Destination

is a publication of the Fédération du Tourisme de la Province de Namur avenue Reine Astrid 22 Bte2 B-5000 Namur +32 (0)81 77 67 57 tourisme@ftpn.be www.paysdesvallees.be www.visitardenne.com www.namurcongres.be

Managing Editor Francis Malacord, FTPN Director

Design and creation : Agence Texto asbl Esplanade de l’Europe 2A Bte 2 B-4020 Liège +32 (0)4 220 96 50 www.texto.be

Editor-in-Chief Jean-Willy Lardinoit jw.lardinoit@texto.be

Design and layout Philippe Dieu www.extra-bold.be Cover © DOC ftpn

Printed by: Imprimerie provinciale de Namur

Destination 2016 contributors: Guy Delville, Carole Depasse, Thierry Desiraut, Christine Goedert, Adrienne Pesser, Pierre-Henri Roland, Christian Sonon, Marc Vanel, Dominique Vanwijnsberghe.

3

Everything you desire in the Valley Country

Y

ou rarely see as much variety in one area. At the heart of Wallonia the Valley Country affords all kinds of landscapes, including cities, woods and forests, as well as rivers and lakes. It provides all forms of enjoyment as well: sport, shopping, wellness, gourmet pleasure. And of course, that's not all! Every taste is catered for both in the countryside and in our pretty towns. Historically, societies have developed along rivers. Those rivers continue to spread our DNA like veins: the Meuse and Sambre Rivers and other waterways provide the region with memories as well as new projects. As the river flows, it spreads a sense of peace to life along its banks.

In the south of the Valley Country the Ardennes offer their amazing panoramas to those who love wide, unspoilt landscapes. The Ardennes are as hospitable to their flora and fauna as to the hikers and there are plenty of places to enjoy a delightful stay.

Happiness is what you’ll find there!

And the Lakes of the Valley Country? With more kilometres of shores than the Belgian North Sea coast the lakes offer endless possibilities with regard to recreation, relaxation and fine dining. The surrounding areas have a lot of attractions too. People come from far and wide to spend a few nights or a couple of weeks there, with their families or for a business trip, while others want to discover local artists. Whether it’s for classy or ordinary occasions, the land of the lakes is always fantastic!

The Valley Country really has something for all tastes!

Francis Malacord, Director and Jean-Marc Van Espen, Provincial Deputy and Chairman

© Rebecca Evrard

Destination 2016

Foreword

Destination A7

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BRABANT WALLON Walhai n Chastre

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Wellin

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(Cerfontaine, Couvin, Doische, Florennes, Philippeville, Viroinval, Walcourt) Vallées des Eaux Vives Route de la Plate Taille, 99 B-6440 Boussu-lez-Walcourt +32 (71) 23 95 97

Dinant

Philippeville

1

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Onhaye

Florennes

L1

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Vallées des Eaux Vives Information Centre

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Hamois

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Anhée

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Saint-Hubert Daverdisse

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Libramont-Chevign

Val de Lesse Information Centre

Paliseul A4

(Beauraing, Houyet, Rochefort) Val de Lesse Rue 5 F R de A NBehogne, CE B-5580 Rochefort +32 (84) 34 51 72 E44

Condroz-Famenne Information Centre

(Floreffe, Gembloux, Jemeppe, Sambreville, Sombreffe) Vallées de Découvertes Rue Sigebert, 3 – B-5030 Gembloux +32 (81) 62 69 66

(Ciney, Gesves, Hamois, Havelange, Ohey, Somme-Leuze) Vallées des Saveurs Rue de l’Eglise, 4 B-5377 Heure-en-Famenne +32 (86) 40 19 22

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(Andenne, Assesse, Fernelmont, Fosses-la-Ville, La Bruyère, Mettet, Namur, Profondeville) Vallées d’Art et de Traditions Place de la Station – B-5000 Namur +32 (81) 24 64 49

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Bertrix

Bouillo n

Herbeumont

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Sambre-Orneau Information Centre

Pays de Namur Information Centre

Vresse-surSemois

A

E44

L524

(Anhée, Dinant, Hastière, Onhaye, Yvoir) Vallées de Forteresses et de Châteaux Avenue Cadoux, 8 – B-5500 Dinant +32 (82) 22 28 70

LUXEMBOURG

Bièvre

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7 Ardenne Namuroise Information Centre (Bièvre, Gedinne, Vresse) Vallées de l’Ardenne Namuroise Rue Albert Raty, 83 B-5550 Vresse-sur-Semois +32 (61) 29 28 27

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2 Dinant and Haute-Meuse Information Centre

Libi n

L524

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Want to find out more?

Visit www.paysdesvallees.be (Information Centres)

Contents

Rivers

p.10

Ardennes

Overview

p.22

Terra Nova, Sigoji, Rops Museum, Appli NEW, My amazing adventures, Jan Fabre’s tortoise p.14

Lakes of the Valley Country

Overview

p.34

Bison Ranch, Wizard Adventures, Grottes de Han, Ardois’alle, Locomotive Le Belge, provincial estate of Chevetogne

Sightseeing

The village of Celles, Maredret Abbey, La Noiseraie, Uppkök p.20

Flavours

The flavours of the earth, air and water

p.26

Dinant-Bièvre, a gourmet route between the Meuse and Lesse

Discover our themed brochures on www.paysdesvallees.be (our brochures)

Overview

Sightseeing

The village of Vierves-sur-Viroin, Bilambule, the Presbytery of Sautour, Le Tri-Marrants p.44

Flavours

Bambois Lake, Fondry des Chiens, Steam Railway, Jardin d’Ô, Lakes of the Eau d’Heure, the Dam of Ry de Rome p.38

Sightseeing

The village of Laforêt, the sculptor Guy Deltour, the charm of the Semois, Lemonnier p.32

5

© Mark Rossignol

© Mark Rossignol

© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

Destination

Flavours

Gourmet route around the Lakes of the Valley Country

DESTINATION – DIRECTIONS FOR USE Destination is a magazine about real people, and their – sometimes quirky – stories, which present a sideways look at our region. However, given the wealth of things for tourists to see and do, and in these days of cross media, our magazine and the web are in permanent contact. To get further information about any of the features, you just need to go to www.paysdesvallees.be, where you will find editorial or photographic reports, or videos. Internet, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest are the natural allies of Destination which is henceforth a really interactive magazine.

E N J O Y !

facebook.com/pays des vallées

twitter.com/pays des vallées

pinterest.com/pays des vallées

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Destination

Filmed in Namur I

t's amazing to think that in the summer of 2015, three major films were shot in the city of Namur:: Jean-Marie Poiré’s ‘Les Visiteurs 3’, Jonathan Barré’s ‘La Folle Histoire de Max et Léon’ and Raoul Peck’s ‘Le jeune Karl Marx’. What’s even more exceptional is that each time the cameras filmed in the lounges of the Musée de Croix (the decorative arts museum) and in the provincial palace. The Rue des Brasseurs also received several visits of the set designers. Maxime Deschamps, manager of the Namur department at Clap Wallonie, isn’t surprised by those successive film shoots. “These are prestigious buildings of the 18th century, a time directors much appreciate. And in the Rue des Brasseurs in the pedestrian area it’s easy to play scenes from the past without too many adaptations.”

Clap Wallonie, the film shooting assistance office of the provinces of Namur, Liège and Luxembourg, has created a considerable database of actors, technicians and settings.

The database is freely accessible via www.cinemawallonia. be. Clap Wallonie is the main contact for producers who wish to film in the area. But what are the most requested places in and around Namur? And what are its major advantages for film shoots? “The natural and architectural heritage is particularly varied”, the manager answers and he mentions the vast farmlands of the Hesbaye region, the smooth slopes, the castles and the abbeys of the Condroz region, the stone houses, the rivers and the valleys, the Meuse River, the rocks and the citadels, old industrial zones, etc. Except for the centre of the city of Namur, I can’t think of any place that’s clearly more popular than others. The abbey of Marche-les-Dames was used for the filming of ‘Soeur Sourire’ and ‘La Marque des Anges’, the boarding school of Maredsous for ‘Les Profs 2’, the water sports club of Wépion for ‘La Régate’ and the castle of Spontin as an haunted castle in ‘Le Fantôme de Canterville’.”

Another, surprising advantage is relative ease of obtaining permission to film. “Probably because the province of Namur has never experienced disruptions caused by a large number of film shoots. Therefore the inhabitants don’t get upset and owners easily make their properties available.

At Clap Wallonie we have a list of 5000 film locations available in the Namur area.” □ Ch.S.

www.clapwallonie.be

Want more information?

The provincial palace of Namur became a film location for ‘Les Visiteurs 3’.

Destination

7

Actor Benoît Poelvoorde grew up in Namur and loves shooting in and around the Walloon capital. In “Man Bites Dog” his mother’s grocery shop is located at the corner of the Rue Joseph Grafé and the Rue Grandgagnage. In “Le Vélo de Ghislain Lambert” he sweats on the slopes of the Citadel. In “Les Convoyeurs attendent” he’s waiting in Lustin. And in “Le Tout Nouveau Testament” “God” curses in the Notre-Dame church (Espace culturel Harscamp).

©Maxdechamps - Clap !

©Maxdechamps - Clap !

Benoît Poelvoorde and Namur

Destination

Cycling in the province of Namur 2016 is the year of the bicycle in Wallonia. The long-term goal of the minister of tourism is clear: he wants to turn our beautiful region into a top destination for cycling. To attract cycling enthusiasts a range of measures have been mapped out: to improve the road signs, increase bike hire and services and extend the waymarked cycling network. While they’re working on the organization of noteworthy events, the Tourism Federation of the Province of Namur (FTPN) has also decided to tackle the cycle junction network. Currently numbered cycle junctions only exist in two areas: in the Pays de Famenne (Rochefort, Somme-Leuze and a part of the Belgian province of Luxembourg) and near Chimay, by means

of a route that connects the southern part of Hainaut province with the Eau d’Heure Lakes (Cerfontaine, Walcourt) and the RAVeL of the Molignée.

“The goal is to extend this network over the entire province”, says Christine Goedert, the publishing manager of the FTPN. “Therefore we’ve mapped out 45 circuits, preferably along small agreeable roads and places of interest. For 2016 about thirty maps covering the total network have been edited and are for sale in the tourist information offices. They’re packaged together in a plastic cover that can be attached to the handlebars. The next step will be the installation of clear road signs with the support of the Commissariat Général au Tourisme.”

Let us also mention the “Bike Welcome” label granted to holiday accommodation that offers special equipment or services to cyclists, such as a safe bicycle shelter. You’ll find them on the website of the Walloon gîtes and B&Bs: www. gitesdewallonie.be. □ Ch.S.

A bike park at the Eau d’Heure Lakes

© Pro Vélo

8

The Eau d’Heure Lakes did not wait until the Year of the Bicycle to welcome cyclists. The bike park has several MTB trails, a pump track area, a lift, a dirt zone for stunts and is equipped with lighting at night.

Destination

Amazing

Surprising, isn’t it?

Guess where these unusual pictures were taken and what they represent.

1 In the past farmers could use it to cross the river.

Every summer it attracts tourists who want to get across with dry feet. It is taken down before the winter but in the spring it reappears.

2

3

4

This work of street art, painted directly on the floor, arouses the curiosity of people passing by. The false lanes deceive the runner: after a few metres they start to twist and cross each other as a symbol of the encounters a pedestrian area favours.

This new traditional brewery has been fitted out in a remarkable place: a deconsecrated, crumbling religious building. Two local craftsmen now use it to brew devilish fine drink!

1

5

It was buried and neglected but one of the nine forts around the city of Namur is being saved by indomitable volunteers.

Visitors can now discover the part that was used in 1914.

On 18 August 1934 a scientific expedition started on board an unusual craft. The inventor was professor Piccard, on whom Hergé modelled his Professor Calculus. The flight, financed by king Albert I, took off near the royal estate of Ciergnon.

2

© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

3

© Brasserie du Clocher

4

© AMCV

Lost?

© P. Brion

5

© DOC FTPN

Find the answers by scanning the QR Code opposite or by going to www.paysdesvallees.be (rubrique : insolite)

9

© Vincent Poppe

Rivers

10

The Namur Citadel and the new Terra Nova visitor centre

A journey across 200 years of Namur history

Want to find out more?

Visit www.paysdesvallees.be (Rivers)

The Citadel, an exceptional Walloon heritage site, and the city of Namur are closely linked. One can’t do without the other and it has always been that way. For clever and playful explanations about this 2000 year old relationship through good times and bad times, you can go to a new kind of museum at the former Dutch barracks of the Citadel. By means of a dynamic and educational stage design it shows the history of a remarkable place parallel to the evolution of the city it protects. The tour of the Citadel (suitable for people with a disability) is organised as a journey through time. In front of your eyes, the Citadel and the city arise, are built, sometimes demolished, and steadily move forward to a bright future. We recommend a visit to Terra Nova before exploring the city and the fortress with its subterranean passages, the longest subterranean network that’s part of a European citadel.

If you want to enjoy a meal break, there’s a self-service restaurant and a shop that promote local produce Made in Namur: traditionally baked bread, fruit juice, snails from Warnant, water from Val d’Aisne, wines (Château Bon Baron, Domaine du Ry d’Argent), etc.

Do you have a big family? Then use the Citadelle Pass: a single ticket for three types of visit and access to the brand new visitor centre. Enjoy a guided tour above and under the ground, have a ride on the tourist train and admire the ever beautiful city of Namur in the Meuse valley. This offer is seasonal. □ C.D.

Centre d’informations touristiques Terra Nova : Route Merveilleuse — B-5000 Namur

www.citadelle.namur.be

Destination

Overview

11

Schaltin

Sigôji, chocolate for everyone

© DOC Musée Félicien Rops

It often happens that there is a personal story behind the creation of a hand-crafted product. This one begins in Cameroon. Euphrasie Mbamba’s grandfather was a cocoa planter and his granddaughter dreamt about the journey that took her granddad’s cocoa beans to far-away Europe.

As a young woman she later worked as a translator for the European Commission and translated documents with regard to… cocoa. One day, she left everything to find the flavours of her childhood again and found her own chocolate factory: Sigôji, a name made with the initials of her two children and the name of the cocoa bean she uses for her production, the goji.

She falls in love with a man from Dinant and settles in Schaltin, a small village of the Hamois district, where she installs a workshop for Belgian chocolates. She proposes original specialities, such as ‘la schaltinoise’ with green tea or ‘la muscavedo’ with cane sugar.

To liven up her business Euphrasie has plenty of ideas.

Every Thursday from February to May she organises ‘chocowares’, tasting and sale evenings at customers’ homes.

The mother of two also invites children aged 6 to 12 to her workshop to teach them the basics of the art of chocolate making during a tour and especially by means of making their own chocolate and filled chocolates. After the workshop they can feast on their own chocolates and maybe offer some to their parents. □ Th.D.

© www.galerieburton.be

William Lesley enters the collection of the Félicien Rops Museum After the “William Lesley” drawing was shown at the “Facing time: Rops/Fabre” exhibition, the Musée Félicien Rops is pleased about the purchase of the work. Rops drew his friend William Lesley, an English painter, looking at a landscape he is about to paint, his materials resting on his knees. The drawing illustrates the artistic theory Rops was following at the Société libre des Beaux-Arts, which he cofounded in 1868 to promote realistic art depicting real life and made in real settings, not at a workshop. “And so it is, that the spirit is found in Nature and that's what we must paint; the spirit we find just as we might discover an orchid in a patch of grass, which the bourgeois picnicking on a Sunday will have sat on, without noticing it”, he wrote to his friend Théodore Hannon.

But the work is a deception because Lesley is no other than… Rops himself, who invented an alter ego in order to add an extra name to the members list of his Société internationale des Aquafortistes. Clever! He deliberately chose an English name to stress the international nature of the association. □ A.P. Illustration ⟶ William Lesley (détail), 1874, ink and pencil, 23 × 16 cm.

Musée Félicien Rops, Province de Namur, inv. D73

Chocolaterie Sigôji : Rue de Frisée, 6 — B-5364 Schaltin

Musée provincial Félicien Rops : Rue Fumal, 12 — B-5000 Namur

www.sigoji.be

www.museerops.be

Destination

Rivers

Namur

Discover the Walloon capital with the NEW app A free app for tablets and smartphones edited by the association NEW (Namur-Europe-Wallonie) allows you to discover the various assets of the city of Namur. Designed for business tourism, the app’s also interesting for anyone who is curious about looking at Namur from another perspective.

The app starts with five ‘chapters’ (window on the world, well-being, performance, discovery, culture) offering targeted information about academic centres for high-level education and research, corporate networks, actions in the field of sustainable development, modes of transport, tourism and heritage, but also about the festivals that enliven the city throughout the year. Moreover, the app features content and video uploads and regular updates. □ C.D. Free download from the App Store or Google Play Online edition at www.namur.be

© Maison du Tourisme Dianant Haute-Meuse

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Dinant

Not for cowards and ignoramuses Peace is threatened in the Upper-Meuse area! The fairies, the protectors of the valley of Dinant, need your help. If you accept the fairy queen Dame Mosa’s mission, you will first need to fetch an adventure game bag at the tourist information office of Dinant before starting the ‘Oath of the 7 Stones’ quest. Then you can choose from five adventurous routes in five villages (Mont, Sosoye, Waulsort, Bouvignes and Serville). Objects in the bag will help you overcome obstacles on the way or succeed in physical or intellectual tests. Start your mission in the village of your choice and carefully keep the discovered codes you’ll need to open the case at the Maison du Tourisme de Dinant et la Haute Meuse. Tablet or smartphone users will find an extra surprise in the game bag: five apps they can download to make the route even more interesting, especially for older kids.

If you like the ‘Oath of the 7 Stones’, Dinant and its legendary valley invite you for a second adventure: ‘The 5 Shield Guards’. Five more missions, this time only by means of apps available at the Apple Store or Google Play. In a medieval knightly atmosphere, explore Yvoir, Falaën, Hastière, Anhée and Dinant, collect tips, solve riddles and learn about the places you visit. □ C.D.

Maison du Tourisme Dinant et la Haute Meuse Avenue Colonel Cadoux, 8 —B-5500 Dinant

www.aventureslegendaires.com

Destination

For people with a disability a river cruise may sometimes seem like a dream that is hard to achieve. Thanks to Philippe Mai, a captain who is way gentler than a pirate, the Carpe Diem offers access for passengers in genuine wheelchairs (not the electric models). Simple and safe equipment allows people with a disability to go on board, from the quay to the deck and from the deck to the inside party room. Access to the sanitary facilities has also been improved thanks to adaptations in accordance with the standards. Carpe diem, enjoying a day out and a reviving boat tour now is possible for everyone and in all seasons. □ C.D. www.bateaucarpediem.be

Les Sept Meuse The panorama “Les Sept Meuse” in Rivière (district of Profondeville) is breathtaking. To enjoy it there are the ordinary means of transportation (by car, on foot, by bicycle) but there exists a lighter and more spectacular way: spread your wings and fly! Nearby you have the hang-gliding launch site of the Belgian Free Flight Federation. □ C.D. www.fblv.be

Stand-up paddle at the Capitainerie of Namur Are you an fun, sporty person and a good swimmer?

Then try this combination of surfing and rowing, while standing on a surf board holding a paddle. The new place to be is the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre Rivers, dominated by the splendid Citadel of Namur. Stand-up paddle is a sport for everyone. It trains every muscle of the body and develops your sense of balance. A 15 minutes introductory course is sufficient for beginners to start surfing. □ C.D. www.lacapitainerie.be

Want more information?

© Carine Chalon

Carpe Diem, a river boat for everyone

Overview

Jan Fabre’s turtle takes centre stage at on the Citadel On 21 February 2015 people were able to see a giant turtle flying over the confluence. It was not a hallucination but the monumental work of art by Jan Fabre being transported and installed. The remarkable appearance of the bronze statue named ‘Searching for Utopia’ at a prominent corner of the Citadel totally appealed to the public! It was the emblem of the exhibition ‘Facing time - Rops/Fabre’ organised by the Musée Félicien Rops in 2015. In six months the statue carved for itself a special place in the Walloon capital, so that the city and its inhabitants expressed their wish to keep it. And now it’s part of the landscape! The monument continues to arouse the curiosity of many tourists and families. Shopkeepers feel the positive impact on their business and the local people look at the environment in a new light. □ A.P. www.museerops.be

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14

Destination

Rivers Val de Lesse

Celles

Where Saint Hadelin set up his cell The inhabitants of Celles attribute a lot of miracles to Saint Hadelin, their evangelist, to whom they also owe the numerous tourists. On must admit that the architectural heritage is beautiful (the church and the castle are listed) and that the countryside encourages people to go walking.

A

hermitage, a church, a crypt, a procession, a spring, a hotel-restaurant and even a delicious beer (blond or amber-coloured). Tourists who stop in Celles, this small village of the Houyet district in the Namur Condroz region, will find they can't escape Saint Hadelin, whose name is inseparable from local life. But who was this good man? “Saint Hadelin was born in 617 in Aquitaine”, answers Jacques Lebrun, the manager of the association ‘Tourisme et Culture de Celles’.

“He came to evangelize our area with Saint Remacle who founded Stavelot abbey. The Romanesque church one can admire today was built in the 11th century by his disciples. It hides several magnificent crypts and has miraculously survived all wars for a thousand years. It is one of two listed sites of the village, the other one is the feudal castle of Vêves, the first stones of which were laid by Pepin of Herstal.”

Jacques Lebrun was born in the village and has never left it. He would be able to dismantle and rebuild it entirely with his eyes shut and without getting two stones in the wrong place. And you will see a lot of stones in Celles!

617

Saint Hadelin was born in 617 in Aquitaine.

He came to spread the word in our region with Saint Remacle who founded the abbey of Stavelot.

The collegial church of Saint Hadelin is one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in the country.

Destination

The feudal castle of Veves is one of two listed sites in the lovely village of Celles

Sightseeing

15

© Francois Delfosse

© Maison du Tourisme du Val de Lesse

The woman who diverted the tanks

© Mark Rossignol

At the end of World War II Celles entered the history books when a column of armoured fighting vehicles were cunningly diverted on to a side-road. The events happened on 24 December 1944 in the middle of the Rundstedt Offensive launched to recapture Antwerp. On its way to cross the Meuse River the second Panzer division arrived in Celles, where the first tank exploded on a mine.

Marthe Monrique, the landlady of a nearby pub, told the German commander that the road to Dinant was a mine field. Believing the information was true, the column tried following a secondary road but the tanks slipped in the mud until the allied bombers blew up Hitler’s last dreams of victory. As a trophy the carcass of the tank, put back on its caterpillar tracks, was taken to Mrs Monrique on the terrace of her pub. ‘Le pavillon ardennais’ became ‘Le tank’ and its landlady a heroine. An inscription reminds us that the Ardennes Offensive was stopped in Celles.

Rivers The limestone blocks give the houses a lot of charm. While walking through the streets, also notice the old doors, iron cramps, locks, knockers and basement window bars. And don’t miss the former hermitage transformed into a school on a hillside in front of the church. The children reach it along a beautiful… Way of the Cross.

Career change

© Francois Delfosse

Destination

© Mark Rossignol

16

“All this wealth of heritage as well as the countryside you can discover while walking, mountain biking, riding or kayaking (starting in Gendron) attract a lot of tourists”, explains the manager of the Office de Tourisme. “Celles only has 350 inhabitants but several restaurants, gîtes and hotels. The latter are full at the weekends.”

That situation has led to a career change for some inhabitants. A farmer couple has transformed their 19th century barn near the church into a comfortable gîte with capacity for 25 people. □ Ch.S.

www.beauxvillages.be

Destination

Sightseeing

17

Maredret

© Guy Focant

Maredret Abbey, a long history of gold and parchment

The international reputation of Maredret is based on the production of miniatures, hand-painted religious illustrations mainly on parchment. This art has been practiced there since the founding in 1893 of the Abbaye des Saints Jean et Scholastique, better known as Maredret Abbey. A workshop lead by Mother Agnès Desclée first searched for the old techniques used by the medieval copyists and miniature painters. Five years later the arrival of an artist with great talent, Mother Marie-Madeleine Kerger, contributed to the workshop’s growing success. But the sisters needed many years to learn the skills: they needed to master the old writings, the preparation of the pigments and the layering of gold, a technique that has become one of the secrets of the Maredret Abbey.

The workshop mainly delivered orders from Benedictine abbeys, aristocrats and the royal family. Later came numerous religious illustrations destined to be printed and spread among a much broader public. Hand-written books as well: missals, antiphonaries and ceremonials for monks and nuns and books of hours for the laity. Those ambitious works,

mostly in gothic style, demanded the participation of several sisters in order to copy the text, make the compositions and finish the painting. That’s how the Maredret style developed, inspired by the medieval manuscripts and enriched with recent elements.

Their meticulous work received praise in 2015. Cardinal Mercier’s pastoral letter, illuminated by the nuns, was listed as a heritage treasure by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

The masterpiece comprises 18 sheets of parchment in medieval style and can also be seen as an act of resistance against the German occupier as it was secretly crafted in 1915 and 1916.

Today it’s Mother Bénédicte Witz, the present abbess, who is perpetuating the miniature tradition in Maredret in a remarkable way. □ D.V.

Abbaye de Maredret : Rue des Laidmonts, 9 — B-5537 Maredret

www.maredret.be

Destination

Rivers

Rhisnes

Well-being in the middle of the nut trees at La Noiseraie

© DOC La Noiseraie

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Besides the fact that it’s ‘defended’ by the forts of Emines and Suarlée, the Domaine du Bois de Neverlée, situated in Rhisnes, has this special feature: 1250 nut trees growing there since they were planted five years ago.

Furthermore, the 25 ha park surrounds a large B&B as well as a factory, sorting machines, an automatic press and a conveyor belt for bottling. Two contrasting worlds originated from the wish to make profitable an estate that lost 40 ha to the extension of the neighbouring industrial park.

“Because of the decline in agriculture the owner decided to start a production of nut oil and nut wine”, explains manager Guy Lejeune. “He used the compensation for the compulsory purchase to build a guesthouse. The situation is ideal: not far from Brussels, at the edge of the city of Namur and near the motorway. The guests are tourists, families celebrating a marriage or business people who are welcomed by Eliane Dubois, who’s from Liège but stays at La Noiseraie and does everything she can to satisfy the customers. “I’m here to try to satisfy the wishes of the guests”, Eliane says. “That means that I also prepare supper because La Noiseraie offers a table d’hôtes.”

The interior of the three rooms and the suite is simple but comfortable. They were named Adrien, Dorsan, Eloise and Elador and are all equipped with double beds, a bathroom, a TV and internet. One has an extra room with a spare bed, while the Elador suite has a small sitting room and a large bathroom with showers and a jacuzzi. For the comfort of the renters the B&B even has a heated swimming pool and an open-air Jacuzzi, plus a sauna, a super equipped fitness room and a massage lounge. “There’s extra charge for the masseuse”, adds Eliane. We don’t know if she uses nut oil but the glass of wine as a welcome drink is home-made all right. □ Ch.S.

Maison d’hôtes La Noiseraie Domaine du Bois de Neverlée, 3 — B-5020 Rhisnes

www.lanoiseraie.be

Destination

Sightseeing

Sart-Bernard

© Twane photographe

Uppkök, a sensory experience As a sommelier trained at the hotel management school of Namur, Martin Hubaut first worked as a waiter but then crossed the Atlantic Ocean to see how things work over there. For a while he worked in a Belgian restaurant in New York. On his return he swapped his corkscrew for the kitchen of restaurant Recto Verso in Bouge.

After the closing of that restaurant in 2013, at the age of 30, he decided to invest in a new project in Sart-Bernard, some kilometres from Namur: Uppkök.

The meaning of the Swedish word is close to ‘recycling’ but for Martin Hubaut it’s all about cooking and receiving. For him, the essence is simplicity. He reduces cooking to its purest form and serves frugal dishes using only some spices and a variation of structures and textures. The chef insists on working with local produce, delivered daily, such as organic vegetables and a range of 65 cheeses.

At noon he proposes a 22€ lunch and in the evening a 35€ 3-course menu (without the wine) or an à la carte menu from 65 € to 90€ wine included. With regard to the decoration Uppkök also aims at simplicity: a very natural concept and very sober furniture, in accordance with what you have on your plate. From the entrance you get an instant view through to the kitchen and the personnel preparing the dishes.

For 20 to 25 people at the most, deliberately, in order to maintain direct contact with the customers.

An excellent decision because this way everybody can enjoy a real experience. Martin Hubaut dreams of presenting a menu his guests would eat with their hands. One day, who knows?

Moreover, the restaurant has two meeting rooms: a good tip for businesses. □ M.V.

Uppkök : Chaussée Nationale, 4/19 — B-5330 Sart-Bernard

www.uppkök.be

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Destination

Rivers

The flavours of the earth, of the air, of the water You need to leave early to follow the route of flavours along the Sambre and Meuse Rivers.

gourmet tradition

© Georges Balon Perin

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or example, to follow the track of a snail solemnly called Helix Aspersa Maxima, commonly referred to as ‘petit gris’ (small grey one) by the ones who love the delicate meat. For 25 years the Frolli family has been breeding the small animals with passion and with respect for the strict standards. The snails are born at the newly fitted out former station of Warnant and grow up inside greenhouses before becoming full-grown in open-air parks where they are fed with cereals, maize and grass. An adult grey snail can reach a full weight of 22 grams. But before you taste it, the breeders propose a visit of the snail farm. The funny tour includes the mating, part of the visit that is said to be especially worthwhile. At the end of the tour you can taste the snails prepared with spiced garlic butter, with fresh mushrooms and served with a glass of traditional beer.

The beer we’re thinking of is a Houppe from the Brasserie de l’Échasse, situated in the La Plante area in Namur, where Bernard Guelette, one of the six founders of the brewery, brews a smooth blond beer that contains a blend of three hop varieties and produces a citrus aroma. The six companions produce 500 hectolitres of their beer that is becoming very popular among the Namur beer enthusiasts.

© Nectar & Co

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The Valley Country has a great gourmet tradition. The hotel management school of Château de Namur has trained several great chefs such as Pierre Résimont and Gérald Watelet. Furthermore, the region has plenty of skilled food professionals and starred restaurants: L’Eau vive** and L’Air du Temps**, L’Essentiel*, L’Hostellerie Gilain*, Chai Gourmand*, Cuisinémoi*, La Bergerie*, Le Fou est belge*. www.chateaudenamur.com

Destination

© DOC L'Eau Vive

© DOC L'Escargotière de Warnant

Flavours

© Eric Bomal - Studio Maybe

Move on from land to water and other pleasures become from his own hives and by importing exclusively European and available for gourmet tourists. Please join us in Ermeton-sur-Bicarefully selected honeys. Nectar & Co also produces honey ert, where Vincent Dawagne, former manager at the Canadian and wines (Grands Vins de Miel), additive-free mead, thanks to Embassy of Brussels has created his own salmon a process improved by this beekeeper who’s alcuring workshop. He absolutely wants the whole ways looking for non-industrial methods, both M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N : process to be 100% traditional: the cutting of the innovative and inspired by ancient knowledge. www.escargotiere.be fillets, the smoking, the maturing and the pack At restaurant L’Eau Vive in the village of Arbre www.echasse.be aging. At every stage the norms of the food safePierre Résimont manages to combine all that local www.dawagne.be ty agency are perfectly respected. The salmon produce. This eclectic chef holds two Michelin www.nectar-co.com arrives directly from Scotland or Norway to be stars and carefully selects his products, always transformed immediately in Ermeton. giving preference to local producers if they meet www.eau-vive.be his high quality standards. A few kilometres away,

After the land and the water, here’s the air, with another 100% natural product, produced the restaurant proposes B&Bs at the Espace by hardworking flying insects: honey. At Nectar & Co in Medissey in front of a marvellous vegetable garden that supplies Sauvenière, honey is a passion that goes back to childhood. the restaurant as well as a ‘Comptoir’ where you can have lunch Xavier Rennotte started to deal with bees at the age of 12. In until 15:00. □ Th.D. 2009 he created a family co-op that develops natural products

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© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

Ardennes

22

Orchimont

Bison Ranch, Wild West breeding

Want to find out more?

Visit www.paysdesvallees.be (Ardennes)

Did you know that bison meat has a strong taste, is high in mineral salts (mainly iron) and scores better in terms of calories and cholesterol than beef? Although it once lived in Europe - and in this region - bison are not a common sight nowadays.

The bison love to roam the vast prairies in winter and summer alike. Let us propose a special bison route. From Vresse-sur-Semois you head to Orchimont. Then, beyond the village you take the Rue d’Angleterre to the right. After several steep and bumpy climbs you reach Montana, Candice Leroy’s company. You can order meat at the ‘butchery’ or have a seat at a table at the saloon and taste it on the spot with a glass of whisky and a seventies western film in the background.

“It was my partner and former rider Laurent Naveau who came up with the idea.

He got interested in this type of breeding in the USA and wanted to try himself in the Ardennes, the region he loves and where I come from. We started in 1998 with five American buffaloes. They’re wild animals that need very little human intervention and eat merely grass and light cereals.”

Today Bison Ranch breeds about 20 bison but the production can’t keep up with the demand. Let us add that the meat is certified organic and processed at a recognized abattoir in Aubel. Moreover, the vegetables served with the meat come from an organic kitchen garden.

“Our ranch has become an great tourist attraction”, adds the owner. “We transport the visitors in a wagon through the meadows where my partner answers all the questions with regard to the bison and its history. Besides the Far West style wooden street, we’ve also installed other elements to enhance the atmosphere such as Indian tents, a mine, geysers.”

Interesting fact: in 2016 Bison Ranch is opening a museum that will present the priscus, the prehistoric bison known from cave art. □ Ch.S.

Bison Ranch : Rue d’Angleterre, 56 — B-5550 Orchimont

www.bisonranchorchimont.com

Destination

Overview

23

Hamois

© Maison du Tourisme Condroz-Famenne

Adventures for wizards, and a training course in charms

The Valleys of Flavours may be known for their nature and gourmet walks but, little is known about the practice of witchcraft in the area. The tourist information offices have various tricks to attract families in order to discover their amazing region, with a combination of walking, playing and spending good times together. Recently, the wizard Olibrius, the wicked witch Condrusa and a whole tribe of enigmatic characters have been stirring up trouble in the villages, woods, rivers, meadows and paths of the area, where they are waiting for daring children and their parents.

Four routes, four quests can now be performed all year round by people with children who feel like discovering the region in an original way and having a good time while learning. The fresh air and the walks do good anyhow! Each route is about 2 km long for one and a half hour of play during which children from 6 to 12 years old and their parents learn spells as well as anecdotes about the local history, the heritage and the wildlife, with a twist of fantasy.

Although each game has its own story and dream world, Olibrius stays the main character. On the evil side there’s Condrusa the unruly witch. Make sure to be well equipped to go on an adventure along the roads of the Condroz and the Famenne regions. In order to face the dangers, you first need to fetch the apprentice wizard’s kit with objects that will be useful in case of tricky encounters. A bag costs between 8 and

12 euros at the tourist information office and also contains a document that sets the scene and describes the rules for each quest.

Four games, four routes and four different atmospheres, in the town centre of Ciney, in the village of Hamois and along the RAVeL recreational path, in the village of Miécret (Havelange) and in the woods of Nettine (Somme-Leuze). The concept has impressed the neighbouring towns of Gesves and Goesnes. But instead of the apprentice wizard’s kit, you download a free app for smartphones or tablets via the App Store or Google Play and then go on an adventure to help the same Olibrius defeat Condrusa. □ C.D.

Want more information?

Maison du Tourisme Condroz-Famenne Rue de l’Eglise, 4 — B-5377 Somme-Leuze

www.mesaventures.be

Destination

Ardennes

Kayakking down the Semois River The Semois winds across the idyllic Ardennes. You can call it a family river because the Semois is easily navigable by kayak and offers the freedom to reach places only a boat can go to. The kayak trip on the Semois is the number one feature of the region.

Generations of families from Belgium and abroad have lasting memories of their experience! There are kayak rentals at several places, such as Alle, Vresse and Bohan. □ C.D. www.ardenne-namuroise.be

A barbecue area in Felenne In the woods between Winenne and Felenne, the Bois du Roy, several freely accessible picnic areas have been fitted out along the Olenne River. Everything is provided: parking space, tables, benches, shelters and even a covered barbecue.

Because of the popularity in summer we strongly advise reserving the barbecue area via the ‘Département Nature et Forêt’. □ A.P. environnement. wallonie.be/dnf

© ^Le Domaine des Grottes de Han

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Han-sur-Lesse

Safari and suspension bridge trail at the Caves of Han The Estate of the Caves of Han, is also known for its wildlife park, awarded best Belgian animal park in 2015. The unique park keeps animal species that once lived in our regions.

Extinct, hunted or endangered, some species such as the wolf, the lynx, the wolverine or the European bison live there in a nature reserve of 2.5km2. On foot or in a safari vehicle you can look for Europe’s Big Five! The safari car is a truck with doors and windows cut out for better observation. During the tour the driver provides all the useful and interesting information. If you choose the walking trail (2.5 of 5.5km), you travel across the reserve at your own pace. You will be surprised by the 200 meter long and 5 meter high suspension bridge above the dried out former valley of the Lesse River. With a bit of luck you will spot squirrels, pine martens or Eurasian jays enjoying their lives in the tree-tops. □ C.D. Domaine des Grottes de Han : Rue Joseph Lamotte, 2 — B-5580 Han-sur-Lesse

www.grotte-de-han.be

Destination

Overview

Ardois’Alle, in the bowels of a slate quarry

Ardois’Alle : Rue de Reposseau, 12 — B-5550 Alle-sur-Semois

www.ardoisalle.jimdo.com

When the trains made the cow’s milk turn sour “Le Belge”, that name was given to the first steam locomotive built in Belgium at the workshops of John Cockerill in Seraing and put into use in December 1853. The original locomotive from a glorious industrial period no longer exists. But there are two wooden models, one of which is life size and exhibited in Vresse-sur-Semois.

Volunteers from Vresse and Membre-sur-Semois built a copy of the mythical vehicle in 1980 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Belgian independence. Railway and rail history fans came up with the extraordinary idea after a visit to the Brussels Railway Museum, where another model was being exposed. With great attention to detail, ‘Le Belge’ was totally made from wood (except for the copper).

You can admire it in a building in front of the tourist information office of Vresse. Free visits during weekends and school holidays. □ C.D. Maison du Tourisme de l’Ardenne namuroise Rue Albert Raty, 83 — B-5550 Vresse-Sur-Semois

www.ardenne-namuroise.be

© Gérald Feret

Have you got a slate roof? Where do those slates come from and how are they made? Ardois’Alle answers those questions by means of an educational tour at an authentic slate quarry. In Wallonia the slate industry has totally disappeared. Thanks to Ardois’Alle you can still discover it during a two-hour tour of an industrial site that stopped in 1948. Since renovation works because of culture, heritage and tourism, you can explore the extraordinary setting made of mysterious tunnels and large subterranean rooms guarded by colonies of friendly bats. At some places the surface is covered with exceptionally pure groundwater. A themed room and a projection teach you everything about the production of slate and about the traditional exploitation techniques. For groups, companies and schools original tours are organised on request. □ C.D.

Want more information?

Domaine provincial de Chevetogne

Martine at the provincial estate of Chevetogne Wide open spaces, paths through woods and gardens, sports fields and around 15 fantastic playgrounds which explore the legends of our youth (the huts of Robin Hood, the beach of Robinson Crusoé, the Bayard horse, the lost goldmine, etc.), that’s what families find every year at the provincial estate of Chevetogne, a magnificent park of more than 5.5 square kilometres at the edge of the Ardennes!

The estate has been welcoming visitors for 30 years and regularly proposes new distractions. In 2003, Martine, the heroine of a children’s book series, was the guest of honour. The meeting between Bruno Delvaux, the manager of the park, and Marcel Marlier, the illustrator of the series, both convinced of the influence of nature on our happiness, led to a new book: ‘Martine and Noah’s Ark’. And that same year the park inaugurated a new feature in connexion with the same theme. “Because every page of the book relates to a place in the park, we spontaneously got the idea to make a Martine’s trail”, explains event manager Angeline Sedran. “The waymarked route of a little more 2 km runs along paths in the woods and places that inspired the author of Martine. At each stop the two related pages of the book are displayed.”

In addition, since 2003, the park has organised annual Martine Days. “Our goal is to enthuse children with the pleasure of reading and writing”, Mrs Sedan tell us. And for the spring of 2016 she already announces the official opening of a new centre for children’s literature with regard to nature. “We’d like to transform the Chevetogne park into an open-air arts centre.” □ Ch.S.

Domaine provincial de Chevetogne Rue de Pirchamps, 1 — B-5590 Chevetogne

www.domainedechevetogne.be

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Destination

Ardennes Ardenne Namuroise

Laforêt

History and legends in Laforêt Laforêt is an authentic village whose story can be told stone by stone. You can hear the enchanting whispers of the Semois River or listen carefully to the local legends. But watch out for the mawhotte!

D

on’t be shy, have a close look! You’ll instantly understand why Laforêt has been one of the first to receive the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia label. Everything reflects authenticity. There are some recent houses but this village of the Ardennes has kept its wild character. First because of the homogenous architecture of the houses built with slate from the local slate industry. The thin stones are used in the walls and roofs, mixed with clay and put on solid timber work. It’s impossible not to be charmed by those tripartite farms (residence, cattle shed, harvest barn), which evoke the former way of living.

The house of Nicole Egée and Marcel Tellier is one example: two feet thick walls against the cold, oak windows and fanlights above the doors to let more light in.

Tobacco barns “Several places recall the past life of Laforêt”, say the fervent defenders of the village. They mention the former forge from 1880, the listed wash house with its round stone water basin as well as the air-curing barns, the last witnesses of the tobacco farming that once flourished along the banks of the Semois River. “Those curing barns are neglected but some are now being used for other purposes”, explains Nicole. “We’ve transformed the one next to our house into a small gîte.”

Others have had the same idea and that’s why a village of hardly a hundred inhabitants has a large hotel and a dozen tourist accommodations. “Although they come in smaller numbers, tourists love staying in Laforêt. They stroll up and down the beautiful narrow streets. They admire the ceiling of the Sainte-Agathe church, decorated by Jean-Marie Londot, an

Destination

27

The Legends Walks and the Pinocchio Workshop

© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

In summer, many tourists try their hand at kayaking on the quiet waters of the Semois

Sightseeing

© Maison du Tourisme de l'Ardenne namuroise

The Pinocchio Workshop is the village’s fountain of youth.

Françoise Renouprez developed an early passion for puppets. She can’t keep count of the many wood paste characters she’s created. You can admire them at her small museum. After years of putting on shows for children, she now organises exhibitions and workshops for adults. Pay her a visit to see the amazing diversity of her handmade puppets. You can feel a similar atmosphere along the Legend Walk that starts next to the workshop: in the woods you meet strange characters such as the white lady, the verbouc, the werewolf of the mawhotte, an sinister watrer monster.

Atelier de Pinocchio Rue Sainte-Agathe, 49A B-5550 Laforêt

www.atelierdepinocchio.be

Destination

Ardennes

© Mark Rossignol

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artist from Namur. They cross the Semois over the footbridge made with hurdles. And then they disappear into the countryside along the numerous paths.”

The ones who don’t spend the night can choose the river bed to explore the area. Six kilometres from the village amusement centre Récréalle rents kayaks for the whole family. “The Semois winds peacefully across the region and is

quieter than the Lesse”, assures Nicole. □ Ch.S.

www.beauxvillages.be

In the centre of the earth, in the heart of the wildlife

Come and meet the real nature and its magic. Geological wonders of one of the nicest Caves in Europe. Gorgeous landscapes in the huge park, dedicated to the protection of wild animals. A 3-star in the Michelin Guidebook.

Info www.grotte-de-han.be Tel +32 (0)84 37 72 13

FTPN Destination 2016.indd 3

4/11/2015 15:12:48

Destination

Sightseeing

29

Houyet

© Nathalie Fastrès

Sculpture or fountain?

© Nathalie Fastrès

Guy Deltour is an artist in movement. He began with clay and evolved to bronze and mainly bluestone. He estimates his production at 70% bluestone, 25% ceramics and 5% bronze. The bluestone and the clay come from local Walloon quarries (Carrières Jullien in Les Avins-enCondroz). Guy Deltour works the materials in accordance with an inspiration he himself cannot comprehend. “One work leads to another”, he explains. “While I’m sculpting, I suddenly think that a variation could be more interesting.

Accidents are another source of inspiration: when a piece breaks, I don’t repair. Instead, I use the broken parts to go on to another sculpture I wouldn’t have thought of before.” Books and mechanics seem to return often though. He sometimes piles up hundreds of books made of fired clay to obtain a monumental sculpture, with or without water pouring out.

Guy Deltour has a special talent for fountains. Sculpture or fountain? He likes to use the expression fountain sculptures.

“I sell fountains buyers install as sculptures and the other way round. But not all my sculptures are made to become fountains.” Ultimately, the use is of secondary importance.

What counts is the object and the substantial artistic labour put into it. Impressive! □ C.D.

To visit the exhibition room, please make an appointment.

Rue des Marmozets, 1 — B-5560 Houyet

www.guy-deltour.be

Destination

Ardennes

Vresse-sur-Semois

Hostellerie Le Charme de la Semois

© DOC Hostellerie Le Charme de la Semois

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Whether it’s for a gastronomic weekend, a seminar or a family holiday, Hostellerie*** Le Charme de la Semois has some great offers on the bank of the Semois River in the middle of a beautiful landscape.

Jane and Dimitri Everard moved into their lovely house in 1998. It’s ideally situated in Alle-sur-Semois, some kilometres from the French border. “My parents live near Rochehaut and I adore this region”, the owner tells us. “This hotel, formerly called ‘La Charmille’, had been abandoned for two years when we bought it. We’ve totally transformed everything, adding an elevator, a swimming pool and a completely new garden.”

We must admit that the result lives up to the efforts.

The fine square building has a veranda that overlooks the garden and a large inviting terrace. This three-star hotel has 23 spacious rooms decorated in warm colours and perfect to recharge your batteries. The customers all agree that comfort and cleanliness are the best advantages of this hotel.

There is also a room for people with reduced mobility on the ground floor, with a private parking space and adapted equipment. There are 3 types of rooms: ‘standard’ (€120 for two people), ‘family’ (€210 for two linked rooms with bunk beds for two kids) and the Junior Suite (€150). “And we’ve

recently bought several small houses close by along the Semois: we plan to open eight Suites in July 2016”, concludes Dimitri enthusiastically.

Besides the gastronomic restaurant, which has a lot of game on the menu during the hunting season, a second dining room offers a nice surprise: the ‘Brasseur’ is totally dedicated to the Orval Trappist beer. “In 2008 we received an honour from the abbey along with the ‘Ambassadeur d’Orval’ label for our great contribution to the promotion of Orval beer, which I love despite its bitterness. It’s an excellent product, brewed in the area by the Trappist monks, and that’s something special. Because of its popularity, the beer can sometimes be hard to find in the shops. We use it in several recipes such as cheese croquettes with Orval, beef stew with Orval or even a zabaglione with Orval.” □ M.V.

Hostellerie *** Le Charme de la Semois Rue de Liboichant, 12 — B-5550 Alle-sur-Semois

www.charmedelasemois.be

Destination

Sightseeing

31

Lavaux-Sainte-Anne

Four hands in the kitchen at restaurant Lemonnier the two chefs. A feast of flavours thanks to a brilliant cuisine full of inspiration. The wine list perfectly reflects the subtleties of the dishes: diversity, originality, quality, all highlighted by an experienced sommelier.

The restaurant has three rooms and a total of forty seats, plus a table d’hôtes with a fascinating view of the kitchen. With regard to the architecture the challenge was to find the right balance between the new and the old, while offering a more contemporary feel to the latter. The glazed entrance, the stone façade of the old building as well as the openings emphasized by the cut stones help achieve that balance. A sunny terrace and a garden decorated with sculptures and an ornamental pond enhance the charms of the setting. □ G.D.

Restaurant & Hôtel Lemonnier Rue Baronne Lemonnier, 82 — B-5580 Lavaux-Sainte-Anne

www.lemonnier.be

© DOC Lemonnier

Although Lavaux-Sainte-Anne is mainly renowned for its 13th century castle, there’s another address, known for its delicate gourmet flavours, that certainly makes the trip to this lovely village of the Upper Lesse region worthwhile.

We’re talking about Hotel-Restaurant Lemonnier. The sensitive decor and close attention to detail give the nine rooms that extra bit of soul that make visitors feel that they’re being welcomed into a warm, friendly house rather than a hotel. There’s no shortage of stylish details: a stone façade, 18th century French wardrobes, harmonious fabrics from the tablecloths to the bedspreads, the books and the wonderful breakfast.

The kitchen is in the hands of two chefs. Eric Martin, who had his first experience at the restaurant of the castle, and his son Tristan, who joined him in 2006 and now accompanies his father on the road of renewed simplicity.

Their ‘land and sea’ combinations as well as their use of local produce contribute to their strong reputation. They serve a €38 three-course lunch, a €58 four-course menu (‘Saveurs du produit’) and a lavish six-course menu (Compositions en dégustation, €82) that shows the full extent of the talent of

Destination

Ardennes

Dinant-Bièvre, a gourmet route between the Meuse and the Lesse rivers From Dinant to Bièvre in the south, discover the flavours of the Ardennes.

T

© DOC Saveurs de fruits

© DOC Biscuiterie Destrée

he discovery tour starts in the industrial area of Sorinnes (Zoning de la Voie cuivrée), where the workshop of Biscuiterie Destrée is located. Since 2008, Stephen Destrée, the young owner, has been aiming to raise Belgian cookies to the highest level. Trained at the best Belgian and French houses and awarded with the first prize at the international contest ‘La Vitrine de l’Artisan’ in 2010, Stephen only works with natural ingredients and is always looking for surprising, new recipes. For instance, our biscuit maker doesn’t hesitate to add extra flavour by means of rooibos tea, citrus fruits, orange blossom or pistachio. Remember him, he’ll go far!

Nearby, in the small industrial area of Achêne, you’ll find the oil factory Huilerie Alvenat, which produces vegetable oil without colourings, preservatives or GM ingredients. At their farm in Emptinne, Emmanuel and Anne Lange chose to switch from 27 ha of rapeseed for livestock feeding to the production of natural

© DOC Huilerie Alvenat

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Destination

© DOC Saveurs du Verger

Flavours

© Peter Otte

rapeseed oil. Cold pressed and rich in vitamin C, Alvenat’s oil has area but in Bièvre this time, the family business Saveurs des Fruits offers a traditionally made range of fruit or flower wines antioxidant properties and the polyunsaturated fats have a positive as well is jam and jelly. Elder, rhubarb, red fruits, lime blossom, effect on cholesterol. The product range, created with the help gooseberry: these very special wines, made without grapes, of Dominique Beaujot, a food expert, comprises oils (pure or surprise with their aromas and typical flavours of the Ardennes. infused), vinaigrettes, sauces, marinades, etc. Which are all 100% The same quality obtained by traditional Belgian, of course.

We’re going south now, to the Owls Garden methods characterises their ‘traditional or MORE INFOS: special’ jams and jellies that contain as little ( Jardin des Hiboux) in Graide. What started as www.biscuiteriedestree.be as 40% sugar and are boiled in open pans, like a hobby with a few birds, over the years has www.alvenatproduction.com our grandmothers did before. grown into a real tourist attraction with www.jardindeshiboux.be 70 birds of prey and daily shows! Besides ou www.peterotte.be

Thirty five kilometres further on, near hawking the Otte family has also developed a passion for bees and especially for their honey.

Beauraing, you’ll discover Saveurs du Verger www.saveursdefruits.be and their 100% natural sweet or savoury prodTheir bee hives are already among the most www.saveursduverger.be ucts made from old varieties of fruit and vegimportant ones in Belgium. In addition to a etables that grow at the small family farm in wide range of flower honey, Peter Otte makes Felenne. Jam with or without sugar, jellies, vinegars, oils, tapeother products using honey such as brandy, rum, vinaigrette and mustard. The visit of the hawking and beekeeping facilities takes nades, pickles, syrups, sweets, onion jam, pears in wine: irresistible! Alain and Annick love to pamper their visitors so don’t about two and a half hours. Children may feed the animals of the farm: donkeys, alpacas, goats, sheep, ponies, etc. In the same plan to dash in and out! □ M.V.

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Want to find out more?

Visit www.paysdesvallees.be (Lakes of the Valley Country)

Fosses-la-Ville

Fancy a dip into Nature at Bambois Lake?

© Lac de Bambois

Lakes

O F T H E VA L L E Y COUNTRY

34

From April to October the visitors to Bambois Lake and the surrounding park have a great time enjoying the sand beach and the swimming area, the themed gardens and the educational trail, the bird watching hides, the aquariums and the 33 ha lake. A broad programme, indeed! “Some people initially come to swim and then discover the multiple other activities such as the twelve themed gardens or sitting in the bird watching hides from where they can observe the great crested grebe, the coot, the cormorant or the kingfisher”, manager Sandrine Desmons explains. “You could say they come for a dip into nature.”

However, you’re not allowed to take a dive anywhere you want or run around all over the place. The Bambois Lake is a Natura 2000 site, which means there are strict rules meant to protect areas of ecological interest as well as the groundwater.

In order not to repeat past errors…

“The area, then called Bambois Plage, was very popular after the war but had to close in 1976 because of the devastating effects of mass tourism: overfishing, bad maintenance of the banks, uncontrolled swimming and particularly pollution caused by the campsites. In the early 1990s a revitalization project led by IDEF (Institut de Développement pour l’Enfant et la Famille) was set up. It added the rescue of the Bambois Lake to Wallonia’s first ‘River Deal’. The authorities, as well as private organisations, then supported a programme to boost tourism, compatible with the sustainable management of the area.”

In concrete terms, although the beach and the gardens are accessible to the public, the swimming area is clearly demarcated. Access to the wilder areas is regulated and pike fishing is only allowed from small boats and in accordance with precise conditions.

The Bambois Lake delivers a message of hope and shows the young generation that people can repair what they’ve destroyed! □ Ch.S.

Lac de Bambois : Rue du Grand Etang — B-5070 Fosses-la-Ville.

www.lacdebambois.be

Destination

Overview

35

Nismes

© Chemin de Fer à Vapeur des 3 Vallées

The Fondry des Chiens, a strange name for a chasm The origin of the name isn’t clear. ‘Fondry’ because there were a lot of metal foundries in the area in the past? ‘Des Chiens’ because people used to throw their waste and carcasses of dogs in the chasm? Unless the rocky outcrop shaped like a dog’s jaw explains the name. It’s a mystery!

What we know for sure is that the 20 metre deep Fondry des Chiens was formed a very long time ago geologically speaking. The limestone outcrops make it a unique site in Europe. Therefore it’s listed and protected a site of Exceptional Heritage of Wallonia. You cannot do what you want there: climbing on the rock faces is prohibited! A 5 km waymarked route starts from the church in the village of Nismes. It takes you across the nature reserve and all the way across the chasm. Note the presence of protected wild orchids and other rare plants. In the summer a tourist train can drop you near the site. □ C.D.

Want more information?

Mariembourg

© Jean-Vincent Biron

The train will whistle three times Get up early if you want to enjoy a trip in a real steam train and explore the Viroin Valley. Because the show begins outside the train, when the voluntary rail workers prepare the ‘beast’: water and coal duties, heating and greasing of the machine, etc. At the Rotonde in Mariembourg they take care of a collection of restored working railway equipment. The locomotives, at least the ones from the 1950s and their elegant but uncomfortable benches aren’t just there to be looked at: get on board for a trip to Treignes via the villages of Nismes, Olloy and Vierves-sur-Viroin. Enjoy the gentle rhythm of the 40 minute, 14 kilometre journey along the railway built by the former Compagnie des Chemins de fer de l’EntreSambre-et-Meuse. An Agatha Christie atmosphere without the murders! Thanks to the Steam Railway Museum, at your arrival in Treignes, you can admire old steam locomotives, a diesel train as well as coaches and equipment. Most of the machines are part of the collection of the Chemin de Fer à Vapeur des Trois Vallées. If you do the outward journey by steam, why not take a diesel train for the return? □ C.D. Chemin de fer à vapeur des trois vallées ASBL Chaussée de Givet, 49 — B-5660 Mariembourg

www.viroinval.be

www.cfv3v.eu

Destination

Lakes of the Valley Country Musée du Petit Format The Musée du Petit Format (Small Size Museum) is an international contemporary arts museum. The collection comprises more than 3500 works of local artists and from abroad, with a maximum size of A4, which are representative of today’s diversity of expression and artistic techniques.

Drawings, paintings, engravings, watercolours and collages are displayed or used for publications or for conferences. In September and October 2016 the 18th ‘Small Paper Size’ biennial is coming to the museum. □ C.D. www.museedupetitformat.be

© PH Roland - FTPN

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Nismes

Le Jardin d’Ô: don’t be afraid to get wet If you think water is fun, the garden of the castle of Nismes, in the bucolic district of Viroinval, opens its gates for you. A romantic building and a heavenly park invite you for an ecological experience on foot or on an electric boat.

Narrow canals cross the entirely renovated garden: follow them and explore an artistic and playful water world, accompanied by ducks. Water flows everywhere, either naturally or controlled: small waterfalls, fountains, wheels and games for children. The water splashes and sparkles or spurts gracefully out of the mouths of the fountains.

Water that is always unpredictable. For anyone who feels seasick, the Jardin d'O has plenty of pathways on dry land, where you might come across sculptures one moment, or orchid gardens another. Access to the park is free at any time of the year. □ C.D.

Jardins d’Ô : Rue d’Avignon,1 — B-5670 Nismes

www.viroinval.be

The underground passages of Philippeville In 1656, Vauban, the famous military engineer of the French king Louis XIV, developed the fortifications of Philippeville.

The subterranean network under the stronghold dates from that time. A part of it can be visited. The corridors, up to 15 metres deep, were dug manually and built with local slate. The tour and a film relate the history of the town and its surroundings. □ C.D. www.tourismephilippeville.be

Destination

Overview

37

Couvin

© Pierson Pascal Photographie

The dam of the Ry de Rome

Froidchapelle

Aquacentre and the Spin Cablepark

They say the dam of the Ry de Rome looks like a mountain lake. It’s true! Surrounded by the Ardennes forest, the lake and its dam seem to be cut from the rest of the world.

Three small rivers flow into the lake, which is a nature reserve and a stock of pure water: the Ry de l’Hermitage, the Ry de Rome and the Ry des Serpents. You can discover them gradually via a 5km loop (RAVeL n°1 - Boucle du Ry de Rome) for walking, cycling or horse riding. Motor vehicles are strictly prohibited. Swimming and fishing aren’t allowed either in order to prevent pollution because the lake supplies drinking water to the homes of the area of Couvin. The dam of the Ry de Rome is fine place for a quiet outing in the open air, to enjoy admire the landscape and to observe the aquatic animals. □ C.D.

© Aerialmedia

The Lakes of the Eau d’Heure represent a total area of more than de 600 ha, millions of cubic metres of water and hundreds of metres of beaches. And yet there is an extra water park that attracts 140,000 tourists a year.

Besides the numerous activities the artificial lakes make possible, there was a need for better adapted facilities to welcome a large number of visitors the whole year round.

On top of that there are health and security issues related to swimming in the lakes. The water at the Aquacentre is heated to a constant temperature of 30°C and there are various recreational facilities: water sprays, a giant jacuzzi, a 60 m slide, gardens with deckchairs and an outdoor bar in the summer. There’s a pool which can be adapted for a range of sports such as aquabiking, aquazumba, aquagym, and so on. The Xperience Diving is a 3.5 m deep pool for adults and children from the age of 8 to have diving lessions with a professional team.

People who like thrills should go to the Lac de Feronval! The 680 m long Spin Cablepark drags water skiers in a circle around the lake, like a motor boat, except that the cable moves forward on its own. There even is a ski jump and you can choose wakeboarding, kneeboarding or wakeskating. Our advice if you really want to know how it feels: come and try it yourself! □ Th.D.

www.aquacentre.be www.spincablepark.be www.lacsdeleaudheure.be

Want more information?

www.valleesdeseauxvives.be

Destination

38

Lakes of the Valley Country

Vallées des Eaux Vives

Vierves-sur-Viroin

Mother Nature, the other grand lady of Vierves Despite the village being known for its castle and its carnival, it also attracts a lot of nature lovers because of the diversity of its wildlife.

Follow the trail of the steam train…

I

© Mark Rossignol

n Nismes, in the district of Viroinval, the Eau Blanche and the Eau Noire merge into the Viroin. The Viroin flows inexorably into the Meuse River in Vireux, just across the French border. The railway too cuts the town in half and reminds of the time when loads of coal and ore were streaming to the greedy mouths of the blast furnaces of Charleroi and the French Ardennes.

Today, when the Steam Train of the Three Valleys whistles in Vierves-sur-Viroin, it announces the arrival of the tourists who are looking forward to discovering one of the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia. On their arrival they’re immediately charmed by the group of buildings that wear their age with pride and thirty of which are listed. With their backs against the hills that rise above the Viroin River, the

stone houses seem to perch one on the other. The buildings mainly surround the Saints-Ruffin-et-Valère church. In front of the church the imposing castle of Vierves and the impressive Attila Tower remind the people passing by that the villages of the area formerly were a barony under the command of the earls of Hamal. Higher still, near the cemetery and the large mausoleum of the Van Stale family, the landscape shows mixed strips of woods and fields. “Vierves is part of the Calestienne, a region characterised by its limestone soil and the presence of specific plants and animals”, explains Brigitte Barenbrug. “The southern slope has more woods and is typical for the Ardennes. The Viroin River forms a natural border between the two regions.”

Destination

Sightseeing

39

From the heights of the village, there is a wonderful view across the Viroin valley.

© François Delfosse

© ^Mark Rossignol

Vierve carnival and its traditions

The carnival of Vierves, listed as intangible cultural heritage since 2012, starts on 2 February at midnight and ends on Shrove Tuesday. It’s a typical example of a rural carnival that unites all generations to horse around. It refers to a tragedy in the 12th century, when a man called Johan Simon was burned publicly for resisting the local lord. One of the highlights of the carnival is when the boys of the village visit the young girls to read them their poems written in the Walloon language. Another highlight is when these girls are covered with paint and dirt in order to help them escape the ‘droit du seigneur’. The afternoon procession ends with the burning of the straw giant Johan Simon, followed by omelette being served to all the villagers.

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Destination

Lakes of the Valley Country

© Francois Delfosse

The centre for naturalists Brigitte, born in Antwerp, didn’t wait for the village to get this name. She came to live there with her family 30 years ago and feels so at home that she works as a guide for the tourist information office of Vierves. “You must visit our village on foot”, she advises. “The streets are narrow and sloping. The alleys, paths and stairs form a labyrinth.” The ‘Centre des naturalistes de Belgique’ is set up in the middle of that labyrinth and the former station houses the ‘Ecosite de la

© Jean-Vincent Biron

Vallée du Viroin’. So don’t be surprised if you come across a group of schoolchildren looking for wild orchids, listening to the magpie or hiding to observe a beaver family. □ Ch.S.

www.beauxvillages.be

-20% on the admission fee on presentation of this voucher (except on special days)

Destination

Sightseeing

Castillon

© DOC Bilambule

Bilambule, responsible fashion design “Fix your own ripped clothes and broken zips. Find elegant aesthetically pleasing solutions to hide a hole and make your favourite clothes as good as new. Enough overconsumption, from now on do it yourself by learning simple techniques.” Solange Lecomte is a socially responsible fashion designer. She has started Bilambule, a clothing brand which also runs dressmaking courses, a business that is close to the current trend in participatory tourism. With regard to the brand, Solange knows what she’s doing. “I’m fighting for the handmade clothing industry. My fabrics are European, I do the cutting myself, I have everything sewed together in Belgium and I do the finishing myself. I’m one of the last Belgian designers who still works that way.” This traditional method has a price, which is nonetheless reasonable for unique or limited pieces. The production ethics of Bilambule make the business vulnerable when competing with the international bulldozers of the industrial prêt-à-porter. That’s why Bilambule organises workshops: tailor-made dressmaking, basic sewing, efficient repairs, ideas to transform worn-out and oldfashioned clothes as well as advanced sewing techniques (fabric jewellery for instance). Solange Lecomte even helps her sewers to become fashion designers and create their own clothes using ‘made in moi’ fabrics. In order to do so they need to learn to use the loom and forgotten tailoring techniques. Finally, Bilambule also organises a women’s exchange event, a somewhat crazy moment of excitement when friends mix their clothes, their accessories, their shoes and end up with totally ‘new’ outfits. □ C.D.

Bilambule : Rue d’Havré, 35 — B-5650 Castillon

www.bilambule.com

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Destination

Lakes of the Valley Country

Philippeville

The Presbytery of Sautour

© Carole Verbyst

42

If you love peace and quiet, beautiful landscapes and walks, the gîte of Sautour is perfect for you. It’s situated in a village that rises above the valley and has been fitted out in a former presbytery from the 18th century next to the Saint Lambert church. The building was on the edge of collapsing when it was offered to the Corbisier family. André, the father and owner of several businesses, had lived in Sautour before he moved to the neighbouring city of Philippeville. He has kept a strong connection with the calm but lively village.

And in this area where authentic tourism is developing, André and his daughter got the idea to turn it into a holiday home.

They’ve nearly renovated the entire building, with respect for the character and for the local architecture: bluestone and black slate roofs. A substantial 700.000 € investment has given a charming and typical accommodation. And the result is on a par with the efforts of father and daughter Corbisier.

The gîte is divided in two parts: one part can welcome

12 people in three rooms, the other can welcome two people.

All mod cons are available as well as a sauna, a billiard room and outdoor games for children, who can play safely inside the enclosing stone walls. The gîte can be rented all year long and can be used for team building (except in the summer).

Soon it will be extended with five new rooms and a swimming pool in the former school next to the presbytery. After that it will have five rooms and a total capacity of 32 people.

An ideal place to recharge your batteries and relax in an area with a lot of tourist attractions! □ Th.D.

Presbytère de Sautour : Rue Haut du Village, 16 — B-5600 Sautour

www.presbyteresautour.be

Sightseeing

43

© DOC Le Tri-Marrants

Destination

Froidchapelle

Restaurant Le Tri-Marrants Who could present restaurant Le Tri-Marrants in Froidchapelle better than its chef, Fabian Santi? □ C.D.

Do you think eating by the waterside makes food taste better?

Certainly: the setting plays an important role. The restaurant is situated in the centre of the Land of the Lakes, on the bank of the La Plate Taille lake, the largest artificial lake of the Eau d’Heure. Our guests enjoy a panoramic view over the water. They’re surrounded by windows offering a broad view. In the summer we lay the tables for about 40 on a terrace above the water.

You say that Le Tri-Marrants has a bistronomic cuisine.

What does that portmanteau word mean?

To me, bistronomic food combines the charm of an ordinary bistrot style restaurant with the delicacy of a gourmet restaurant: It's unpretentious cooking. We follow the rules of quality service but not in a stiff and starchy way.

Simplicity, service and hospitality are the foundations of the bistrot atmosphere. In the kitchen we start from French dishes, to which we add a gourmet touch both in terms of presentation and the nature of the ingredients, always perfectly in accordance with the seasons.

Is there an official recognition for bistronomic restaurants like Le Tri -Marrants?

We’ve got the ‘Bistrot et Table de Terroir' label, which means we guarantee quality local produce on your plate.

At Le Tri-Marrants we are keen to operate in a sustainable way. We aim to have an economic impact on the region by favouring short supply chains and local produce.

Can you give some examples?

We often work with unpasteurised dairy products and organic cheeses of local farmers. Goat and cow milk. The honey, the vegetables and the meat are also come from the area. A traditional butcher prepares all our cooked meats.

Can you name an original dish?

Our Lactiflette, a personal interpretation of tartiflette.

The potatoes and the bacon are cooked in a local beer (La Dame du Lac) and the Reblochon cheese is replaced with pressed, half-cooked cheese of unpasteurised cow milk from the Ferme de Queuwys in Froidchapelle.

Any other special feature?

The bar! Our guests can choose from around 20 top-level whiskies (among which the Belgian Lambertus) and excellent beers such as the La Dame du Lac from the Eau d’Heure.

Le Tri-Marrants : Rue de Oupia, 4/2 — B-6440 Froidchapelle

www.letrimarrants.be

Destination

Lakes of the Valley Country

Gourmet tour around the lakes of the Valley Country Between the wooded hills and the deep valleys, the lake district of the Valley Country has plenty of charming villages, folklore and fine food and drinks. In the area around the lakes, the largest of the country, respect for culinary traditions and love of the region are the first ingredients of local produce with a strong reputation that reaches far and wide.

A

s a starter there’s “escavèche”. This speciality has its origins in the Spanish occupation of the 17th century.

Escavèche is a vinegar-based preparation Spanish navigators used to preserve food during their long journeys. In Olloy-sur-Viroin, Philippe Demoulin has started the company Escavir that has been producing this speciality since 2006 according to a recipe he inherited from his family and which is called ‘La Madeleine’. He braises the fish in butter (eel

or trout caught in the Molignée valley), puts the fish in a clay pot made by a local craftsman and adds a marinade of white wine, vinegar, onions, lemon, flour and spices. The preparation then has to be kept for three months in cold storage before being eaten cold with chips and a good beer.

Beer. That’s the business of the Brasserie des Fagnes. The history of this brewery goes back to the end of the 19th century and the Degaucquier brewery, which continued brewing in Chi-

© Valery Derenne

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Flavours

45

© DOC La Brasserie des Fagnes S.A.

© DOC Escavir

Destination

may until 1970. In 1994 Frédéric Adant bought the machinery and equipment to start a traditional brewery in Mariembourg four years later. His ‘Super des Fagnes’ quickly became popular.

It’s a blond top-fermentation beer with a strong hoppy flavour.

Visitors can follow the entire brewing process live and the master brewer is always ready to answer customers’ questions.

Moreover, visitors discover the history of the brewery thanks to an exhibition displaying equipment and accessories used by brewers in the past. Of course, there’s also a pub and a nice terrace to enjoy a good beer. Each year they brew around fifty different beers in keeping with the seasons. Fruity in the spring, light and refreshing in the summer, amber-coloured with a rounder taste in the autumn and stronger, often brown ales in the winter. The Brasserie des Fagnes welcomes over 140,000 visitors a year and therefore is one of the major tourist attractions of the region.

Do you feel like a bit of cheese now? Then go to Jamiolle in the district of Philippeville and visit the Chèvrerie de la Machine, a cheese factory. The Saanen goats of goat keepers Carole and

Dany graze on 7 ha of natural meadows, without pesticides or antibiotics. They produce excellent milk that is transformed on site into delicious cheese with thyme and honey to add extra flavour. The quality of the products was awarded with a Coq de Cristal at the agriculture fair of Libramont.

Fish, beer and cheese, authentic products for a gourmet tour across an area where the specialities match the local environment. Visit the lakes of the Valley Country with your eyes wide open for a treat for your taste buds. □ Th.D.

M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :

www.escavir.be www.brasseriedesfagnes.com www.tourismephilippeville.be

© DOC FTPN

© Warren Goldswain

Agenda

© Festival du Cinéma Belge

Destination

March ⟶ November 2016

7 May 2016

550th anniversary of the siege of Dinant in the streets of Dinant

Fun car and bicycle rally “Auto-cyclo ballet in the Namur Ardennes” in Vresse-sur-Semois, Gedinne and Bièvre

www.cinemabelge.be

www.dinant-tourisme.be

www.ardenne-namuroise.be

© DOC FTPN

© Dany Danino

© DOC Province de Namur

7 ⟶ 13 March 2016 Belgian Film Festival of Jemeppe-sur-Sambre

21 May ⟶ 04 September 2016

23 ⟶ 24 july 2016

Tattoo 2016 International Military Music Festival on the esplanade of the Namur Citadel

Dany Danino exhibition at the Musée Félicien Rops Rue Fumal 12, 5000 Namur

20 years of Malagne the Gallo-Roman meeting point of Wallonia In Malagne (Archéoparc de Rochefort) Rue du Coirbois 85, B-5580 Rochefort

www.citadelle.namur.be

www.museerops.be

www.malagne.be

© Bossiroy

© DOC FTPN

© Frairie des Masuis et Cotelis

20 May 2016

August 2016

September 2016

Folklore Festival of Jambes At the local primary school Parc Reine Astrid, Allée du Parc Astrid 9, B-5100 Jambes

L’Intime Festival – Chapter 4 At the Namur theatre Place du Théâtre 2 B-5000 Namur

Walloon Festival in the streets of Namur

www.festivaldefolkloredejambes.be

www.intimefestival.be

www.fetesdewallonie.be

© Jean-François Meunier

© Espace Arthur Masson

August 2016

© PH Roland - FTPN

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25 September 2016

26 ⟶ 27 September 2016

October 2016

“Balades et vous” Themed walks festival in Gesves

Toine Culot Festival At the Espace Arthur Masson Defraire 36, B-5670 Treignes

Festival Nature Namur At the Acinapolis cinema and in the streets of Namur

www.valleesdessaveurs.be

www.espacemasson.be

www.festivalnaturenamur.be

Reviving

Enchanting

Belgique France Luxembourg

www.visitardenne.com

Crédit photo - ©Bruno Gouhoury

The Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia in the Province of Namur Are you looking for a close destination that’s nevertheless very different from where you live? The Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia invite you. They’re full of charm and a wealth of architectural and cultural treasures. Time seems to stand still here. 24 villages hold the label because of their unique character, their heritage and their authenticity. So, don’t hesitate, put on your shoes and come visit us!

CELLES

CHARDENEUX

CRUPET

FA G N O L L E

FA L A Ë N

G R O S - FAY S

L AFORÊT

MOZET

SOSOYE

SOULME

THON-SAMSON

V I E RV E S -SU R -V I ROI N

Association Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie Rue Haute, 7 – B-5332 Crupet Tél/Fax : +32 (0)83 65 72 40 – info@beauxvillages.be

www.beauxvillages.be