The valley country - World Travel Market

Transcription

NAMUR PROVINCE
2015
Destination
Ardennes / Belgium
THE VALLEY
COUNTRY,
PREPARE
TO BE
SURPRISED!
Stéphane Halleux,
creator of Mr Hublot
Aurélie Marchal,
inside the world of a ‘greeter’
Marc Delire’s top tips
Relax and unwind
with Benoît Gersdorff
Brigitte Malou,
the Han cave renovation
Maxime Richard,
the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure,
the River Meuse…
and many more local figures
Spotlight
on dozens of
attractions
2
D E ST I N AT IO N
A Bit of ‘Sun’
on our Tourist Attractions
The ‘Sun’ label, which is granted to the tourist attractions, stands for an evaluation done by the Commissariat Général au Tourisme (CGT). It is a quality process which aims at encouraging and reinforcing the professionalism shown in the infrastructures.
The number of ‘suns’ (from one to five) of an attraction shows the level of excellence it has attained.
Hereunder, you will find the attractions* in the Province of Namur which were granted a label:
1 ‘Sun’ logo
Train miniature Haute Meuse in Agimont / Ferme de la Comogne in Focant /
Parc de Furfooz in Furfooz / Centre du Rail et de la Pierre in Jemelle
2 ‘Suns’ logo
Mustard factory Bister in Achêne / Musée de la céramique in Andenne / Maison du patrimoine médiéval mosan in Bouvignes / Aquacentre (the Lakes of
the Eau d’Heure) in Erpion / The Spin cablepark in Froidchapelle / Medieval
Castle in Lavaux-Sainte-Anne / The Museum of the battle of Ligny in Ligny
/ Musée Provincial Félicien Rops in Namur / Musée de la Fraise and Promotion du Pays de Wépion in Wépion / Site médiéval du Château de Poilvache
in Yvoir
3 ‘Suns’ logo
Centre d'Accueil de la Plate Taille in Boussu-lez-Walcourt / Caves of Goyet in
Goyet / Brasserie des Fagnes in Mariembourg / Brasserie du Bocq in Purnode
/ Draisines de la Molignée in Warnant
4 ‘Suns’ logo
Récréalle in Alle-sur-Semois / Dinant Evasion in Anseremme / Lesse Kayaks
(blue kayaks) in Anseremme / Kayaks Rouges in Anseremme / Relais de Falemprise in Cerfontaine / Abbey of Maredsous and Centre d’Accueil Saint-Joseph in Denée / License-free boats in Dinant / Citadel of Dinant / Citadel of
Namur / Parc Attractif Reine Fabiola in Namur / Chemin de fer à vapeur des 3
vallées in Mariembourg / Archeopark Rochefort-Malagne in Rochefort / The
Cave of Lorette in Rochefort / Espace Arthur Masson in Treignes / Musée du
chemin de fer à vapeur in Treignes
5 ‘Suns’ logo
Caves in Han-sur-Lesse / Wildlife reserve in Han-sur-Lesse
*As of 31 October 2014
www.tourismewallonie.be
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D E ST I N AT IO N
Editorial
Destination 2015
is a publication of
the Fédération du Tourisme de
la Province de Namur
avenue Reine Astrid 22 Bte2
B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 77 67 57
[email protected]
www.paysdesvallees.be
www.namurclic.be
www.tourismegps.be
www.visitardenne.com
www.namurcongres.be
Managing Editor
FTPN Director
Design and creation
Agence Texto asbl
Esplanade de l’Europe
2A Bte 2 – B-4020 Liège
+32 (4) 220 96 50
www.texto.be
A place
for everybody!
The Valley Country is all about its people. The people of Namur who love their
local environment. The men and women who live, love, work and play in the
region… The Valley Country is a heart that beats to the rhythm of its inhabitants,
some of them famous. Be they ordinary citizens or local heroes back from the
Oscars or the Olympics, proud owners of gold-medal wines or two-Michelin star
establishments, they all come together to extend a very warm welcome to visitors.
The Valley Country also boasts a rare diversity. Whether you like long solitary
walks, extreme sports or Haute Cuisine, there’s something for everyone. Planning
a weekend away with friends or family? Can’t decide between a gîte or a boutique
hotel? Are you a wine drinker or do you prefer beer? Looking for a delightful
setting with professional services for a company getaway? Our beautiful region
has everything that die-hard locals and visitors from all over the world could
possibly wish for. The Valley Country is a place for everybody.
Francis Malacord, Director
and Jean-Marc Van Espen, Vice-President
Editor in Chief
Jean-Willy Lardinoit
[email protected]
Design and layout
Philippe Dieu
www.washingmachine.be
©V. Matthys - Domaine Provincial de Chevetogne
Cover © Stéphane Halleux –
photo: Muriel Thies
Printed by:
Imprimerie provinciale de Namur
Destination 2015 contributors:
Anthony Dehez,
Carole Depasse, Jean Fauxbert,
Guy Focant, Alex Kouprianoff,
Léa Laïs, Simon Nicolas,
Benoît Noël, Adrienne Pesser,
Charlotte Quevedo,
Stéphane Renard,
Christian Sonon,
Thierry Strickaert, Marc Vanel,
Alain Voisot.
About Destination 2015
Destination is a magazine which showcases our region… every last, often quirky, detail
brought to life by its people. There is so much happening we can’t feature everything in print
form so why not visit www.paysdesvallees.be for extended interviews, excursion ideas,
editorials, photos and videos. And Destination is now truly interactive: find us on the web,
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media.
E N J O Y !
facebook.com/pays des vallées
twitter.com/pays des vallées
pinterest.com/pays des vallées
D E ST I N AT IO N
A7
A4
Mont St-Guibert
BRABANT WALLON
Walhai n
Chastre
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Genappe
Villers-la-Ville
Les Bons
Villers
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E411
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are here to help Thui n
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Saint-Georgessur-Meuse
A4
HAINAUT
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The Valley
Country
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Profondeville
Somme-Leuze
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Gerpinnes
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Le Grand Vivier
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Walcourt
36
Hastière
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MarcheFame n
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L1
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Rochefort
Cerfontaine
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Doische
L156
A4
Beauraing
Viroinval
Chimay
Nassogne
5
E411
Tellin
Wellin
L 51
8
Couvin
23
L5
(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
6
Onhaye
Florennes
L1
1
Vallées des Eaux Vives
Information Centre
L1
Ciney
eL2
RAV
L11
Hamois
26
Yvoir
Anhée
L1
11
L109/2
Saint-Hubert
Daverdisse
E411
A4
Gedinne
3
Libramont-Chevign
Val de Lesse
Information Centre
Paliseul
A4
E44
(Beauraing, Houyet, Rochefort)
Val de Lesse
RueF de
R ABehogne,
NCE 5
B-5580 Rochefort
+32 (84) 34 51 72
(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
(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
Bertrix
A
Bouillo n
Herbeumont
6
Condroz-Famenne
Information Centre
4
7
E44
Sambre-Orneau
Information Centre
Pays de Namur
Information Centre
Vresse-surSemois
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
5
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
16
5
2
Dinant and Haute-Meuse
Information Centre
Libi n
L524
L
4
Want to find out more?
Visit
(Information Centres)
5
CONTENTS
Discover
our themed
brochures
2015
Destination
6
34
14
26
30
Celebrity
And many more at
(Brochures)
p.6 Stéphane Halleux
An artist not of his time
Surprise
p.8 Aurélie Marchal
Clink glasses on the Namur
rooftops?
Amazing
p.11
Strange or what?
Relaxation & Leisure
p.12
p.14
Patrimoine
p.26
The Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse
marches
Keep in step
Kids
p.30
Domaine provincial
de Chevetogne Park
Escape for the day
Nature
p.34
Grottes de Han
Reach for the stars
Marc Delire
p.36
RAVeL
Everybody speaks to each other
A cyclist’s paradise
NE5T is best
p.38
Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure
Happy times at the lakes
Business
p.20
Domaine de Béronsart
Terroir
Attending to your every need
p.42
Château Bon Baron
Thierry and Tony,
men of passion
Our local vines
p. 22
6
D E ST I N AT IO N
Celebrity
Hamois
Stéphane Halleux
An artist not
of his time
In the world of visual artist Stéphane Halleux,
past meets future. Look at any of his work and
suddenly you will find yourself gently slipping back
to a time when everything was delightfully naïve and
dreams were not so modest… His studio is packed
with all sorts of materials from his universe, the
world of ‘Mr Hublot’, the animated character who
came to life in the short film of the same name. The
short is an industry classic and has already picked up
20 or so international accolades, including the
prestigious ‘Best Animated Short Film’ Oscar!
An unusual encounter with an artist like no other.
I Adrienne Pesser
V  ©Stéphane Halleux – photo: Muriel Thies
Where is the most
beautiful spot in the Valley
Country?
— I’d say the view from
Namur Citadel, the area
around Belvedere open-air
theatre.
Can you recommend any
walks or restaurants?
— I like Hamois and the
surrounding area, including
the village of Mohiville
where I live. I can think of
several places I’d
recommend for a meal.
Peanuts is a really nice
restaurant in the heart of
Namur’s pedestrianised
area. Le Chemin du Cèdre
for its great couscous and
lovely courtyard. Le
Pâtanthrope is first class or
the Sawasdee, a Thai
restaurant in Jambes. My
favourite local speciality is
still Blanche de Namur beer.
Who is your favourite Namur
celebrity (known locally as a
‘Naco’)?
— Without hesitation it has to
be Benoît Mariage. But if I had
to erect a statue in homage to
a local celebrity it would be
Li-Lo*, my partner, who is
also a singer.
What’s your favourite Valley
Country event?
— I love the Namur Festival in
May with its street theatre. It’s
all pretty creative. I love the
improvisation of the street
entertainment and, of course,
the beautiful costumes.
Particularly the giant
grasshoppers on stilts. I also
love Namur’s International
French Film Festival [FIFF].
D E ST I N AT IO N
Celebrity
From 2 to 9 October 2015
FIFF,
30th edition!
Namur’s International French Film
Festival (FIFF) celebrates its 30th
anniversary in 2015. An extravaganza
of more than 150 films from the four
corners of the Francophone world,
attracting industry professionals and the
general public alike. The 7th art is most
definitely alive and kicking.
More info
Scan the QR Code opposite
www.fiff.be
Do you have a favourite
fictional hero?
— Batman! He’s the
colourful character of the
superhero world. He
makes himself who he is.
A Namur souvenir you’d
send to Mars?
— Bayard the horse.
Li-lo*
What would you call the
eighth day of the week?
— I’d call it ‘jeudredi’
[Thurfriday] because you
already feel like you’re
starting to wind down for
the weekend.
What’s your ultimate
bugbear?
— I hate routine! I don’t
really want to grow up
and you can see this in my
sculptures.
And your favourite
Walloon insult?
— ‘Gros sinsî’ (fat pig).
Stephan’s partner Li-Lo released
her first album, By the Way,
last March. Her acoustic pop is
hugely popular in the province…
and beyond.
Mr Hublot’s world is a
world of characters
hobbled together from
spare parts, mostly
mechanical. And yet it
is a very beautiful
world… and an Oscar
winner!
7
8
D E ST I N AT IO N
Surprise
Namur
Aurélie Marchal
Clink glasses
on the Namur
rooftops?
Young Aurélie Marchal, a Namur
local, is passionate about her
hometown. And she loves sharing
this passion with interesting people.
Visitors are referred to her via the
‘antenne namuroise de l’association’
and she takes them on a free,
personalised tour to the places they
want to see. Aurélie speaks several
languages and is a self-confessed
foodie.
I Carole Depasse — V  Guy Focant
A
urélie knows from experience that tourists
often have only one day in ‘her’ town. So
she’s on hand to make sure their day in the
Walloon capital is memorable, even if it is
brief. Aurélie will take you off the beaten track to little-known corners of Namur, shopping areas or foodie havens. She offers a range of two-hour tours. And
if she hits it off with the visitors, they may even take a
detour for a drink or a bite to eat. A highlight of the
tours is discovering local Namur products. Aurélie
takes visitors on a gastronomic journey of the local
specialities – hot sausage pastries known as avisances,
Biétrumé de Namur caramels, which take their name
from local joker Jean Biétrumé Picard – and she has
even been known to introduce them to Wépion strawberry schnapps, the many flavours of péket (a local
alcohol) or a good Blanche de Namur beer… just to be
sociable, of course! Want to raise a toast on the Namur
rooftops? She’s happy to accommodate any request.
Aurelie remembers a Canadian tourist, a history
PhD student, who absolutely had to visit the Citadel.
For the sake of authenticity, she took him round the
The ‘Greeters’ are not
professional guides
but love to share their
local knowledge and
passion for the
region.
Terra Nova and a lesser-known part of the site, the
living quarters, and then she handed him over to a
professional guide who specialised in the underground
passageways and fortifications of the ancient citadel.
Very soon Aurélie Marchal hopes to expand her tours
to places outside Namur. She herself lives in Thon-Samson, officially recognised by the Walloon Region as
one of its most beautiful villages, and would love to
combine her city tour with rural villages such as Thon,
Mozet and Gesves or Faux-les-Tombes. What a lovely
idea! □
More info Fédération du Tourisme de la Province de Namur
Avenue Reine Astrid, 22 - B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 77 67 57 — www.greetersnamur.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Surprise
9
Cooking the books
Books
It has been something of a ‘crazy’ journey for the former
banker who took the bold step to open Namur’s first cookery bookshop, modelled on the Librairie gourmande in
Paris. It holds less stock than its larger French counterpart
but there are cookery courses on offer above the shop.
Themed or technical, the courses cater for groups of 8 to
12 and are very much a hands-on experience. Benoît has
even been known to call upon great chefs to whip the
pupils into shape. One such chef, San Degeimbre from
L’Air du Temps**, has joined forces with Benoit and JeanLuc Pigneur (Atelier Vieusart) to form Generation W, an
association dedicated to the promotion of cooking and
Walloon products.
At the Libraire toqué they chop, cook, whisk, taste
and read. The ground-floor bookshop stocks a vast range
of books, ‘anything from aperitifs to after-dinner liqueurs
and from grandma’s recipes to molecular cooking’. Histories
of world cuisine, recipes from home and abroad, organic
trends, food-themed fiction, including a children’s section,
let Libraire toqué whet your appetite and awaken your
inner chef. □ C.D.
More info Place du Marché au Chanvre, 3 - B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 65 65 30 — www.lelibrairetoque.be
©DOC Le Libraire Toqué
In the heart of old Namur, Benoît Cloës of Le Libraire
toqué bookshop shares his passion for cooking with
fellow aficionados.
D E ST I N AT IO N
Surprise
Jewellery
Goldfinger
©DOC Éric Seidoff
Visual artist and teacher Éric Seidoff brings his
unique sheet metal jewellery-making skills to the
Valley Country. During the summer, participants
in his two one-week courses learn how to beat, cut
and shape sheet metal into jewellery. Whether the
trainees are professional or amateur, Éric Seidoff
makes sure they leave with one or two finished
items at the end of the first day. What better way
to ensure they’ll be back? □ C.D.
More info Éric Seidoff,
Rue de Fraire, 17 – B-5537 Bioul (Anhée)
+32 (71) 70 39 39 — ericseidoff.skyrock.com
Food and drink
A nose for
business
Think all French mustard comes from Dijon?
Then think again!
She may have left the University of Namur with a degree in economic and social sciences, but Fabienne
Bister’s career has not exactly taken the direct route.
She started out as a journalist and consultant and then
in 1991 entered the family mustard business, which
was founded in 1926. Four years later she was running
it. Since then she has been firing on all cylinders. Never missing her morning and evening checks on ‘her’
40 mustards and condiments, she devises new advertising campaigns, welcomes the ‘6,500 tourists who
choose to visit our company and small museum’ and
lobbies for Walloon businesses. ‘Some people spend
their free time knitting. I campaign for SMEs, when my
busy schedule permits,’ the first woman to hold the
position of Vice-President of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium tells us. □ C.S.
©Simon Nicolas
10
More info
Bister, Parc industriel d’Achène, 10 - B-5990 Achène (Ciney)
+32 (83) 21 47 02 — www.bister.com
Amazing
DE
E SSTTIINNAT
AT
IO
IO
NN
11
Strange or what?
Try to guess where these unusual photos were taken
and what they are.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Played on open
ground, sometimes
among the cows, I’m
originally from the
Netherlands and have
a British twin…
I was the inspiration
behind Franquin’s
‘Château de
Champignac’ but I am
in a much better state
of repair!
I am 60 metres high.
I am perched at 503
metres atop Belgium’s
third-highest peak.
I was ‘born’ in 2001
and weigh 82 tonnes.
In a laboratory
once used to make
gunpowder, I create
fragrances of peace
and serenity.
The very last of
my kind, I’ve been
travelling back and
forth from the cliff to
the castle and from
the station to village
since 1871, simply
taking in the scenery.
I am right at the
epicentre, using
all five senses to
discover Wallonia.
1
2
© M. Delicour
3
© MT Condroz Famenne
4
5
© Maes Christian_OTH
6
© MT Ardenne namuroise
©Thierry Strickaert
Still don’t know?
©S.I. d’Yvoir
For the answers, scan
the QR Code opposite or visit
(section: Amazing)
12
D E ST I N AT IO N
Wépion
Marc Delire
Here, everybody
speaks to
each other
After 20 years in Brussels, Marc
Delire, Proximus TV’s Mr Football, has
come back to live in Wépion, and
doesn’t seem to regret his return to
his roots...
I Gilles Bechet — V  Guy Focant
Do you go out and about in the region?
— I don’t really have a normal job with regular hours
so it’s not easy for me to spend time with family and
friends. Having said that, I do want my wife (who’s
from Brussels) and children to get to know the region,
so we go out on our bikes. To be honest, I think the
valley between Namur and Dinant might just be one
of the most beautiful spots in Belgium. Anybody I talk
to, and people who have visited, all agree that you’d
be hard pushed to find anything ‘ugly’ about it.
What are your favourite places?
— Right off the top of my head, the Café de la Gare in
Profondeville. The owner, a former deep-sea diver,
has become a friend of mine. It’s the place to head to
for a party atmosphere or something to eat when
everywhere else is closed. And as I often finish work
around 11pm… It’s a meeting place for people from all
walks of life. I’ve met a plumber, a heating engineer,
a gardener and a mechanic and there’s no snobbery.
Everybody talks to everybody else. I particularly like
it at night when it attracts a different crowd. And if my
great pal Benoît Poelvoorde comes in from the other
side of town, I just have to hope I don’t have a 10 o’clock
meeting the next morning!
What do you like to eat there?
— I love their ham knuckle. They also have excellent
meat, seafood and fish straight from Brittany. Seafood
is their speciality. And the place itself is quite surreal.
Even weekdays you need to book. It’s always full.
Any other tips?
— Well Le Lagon bleu in Jambes is also quirky, but in
a completely different way. It’s run by a former boxer
and is open right through the night. Tensions can rise
sometimes but things never get out of hand. This is
another place where everybody speaks to each other.
Marc’s
top3
You’re also particularly fond of little sports club
bars, aren’t not?
— My 7-year old son plays football at Wépion. It started
with one or two of the dads turning up for the
Wednesday afternoon training session and then the
group got bigger. Those who come to watch their kids
play are happy to get together at the bar and put the
world to rights. This is the kind of place where I feel
really at home. That’s how football is. Your dad can
be a lawyer or out of work but you wear the same
jersey and kick the same ball. It’s your kid against another. So we get the beers in and get back home much
later than planned. I’ve been to see Real Madrid,
Manchester and Anderlecht play. It’s a great atmosphere, but the people there know me from the telly.
Here, that makes no difference whatsoever. I’m Marc,
Victor’s dad. There’s none of the insincerity you can
come across in so-called trendy places. □
Le Café de la Gare
Rue Cel Bourg, 15
B-5170 Profondeville
+32 (81) 41 23 22
Le Lagon bleu
Av. J. Materne, 26
B-5100 Jambes
+32 (81) 31 12 38
Cuisinémoi
Rue Notre-Dame, 44
B-5000 Namur
+ 32 (81) 22 91 81
www.cuisinemoi.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Brothers of the lake
Relaxation
More info Hostellerie Dispa, Rue du Jardinet, 7 – B-5650 Walcourt
+32 (71) 61 14 23 — www.hostelleriedispa.be
©DOC Hostellerie Dispa
The Walcourt hostelry, built in the Art nouveau style with a few
discreet contemporary touches, has ten exquisite rooms ready
and waiting for hikers and sea sport enthusiasts. In the gourmet
restaurant, it’s Julien in the kitchen and Thibaud in charge of the
wine list. ‘We serve flavoursome, seasonal food,’ Thibaud tells us.
Everything is prepared on the premises, from starters to dessert,
with herbs from their own garden and artisan cheeses from the
village of Chastrès adding an authentic local touch. ‘We go abroad
two or three times a year to seek out new wines. If our guests are
willing, I have no qualms about turning my back on the old favourites
to offer them unusual food and wine matches.’ With chef ’s tables,
cheese and wine tastings in the cellar, and other food and drink-
related activities, plus GPS trails and kayaking for the more
sports-minded, Hostellerie Dispa really should be on everyone’s
itinerary. □ G.B.
©DOC Hostellerie Dispa
A stone’s throw from the Lacs d’Eau d’Heure, in a house
which once belonged to the local notary, we find Thibaud
and Julien Dispa at the helm of the business their parents
established some 40 years ago.
With its unusual
flavour
combinations using
seasonal produce,
the Dispa is perfect
for a meal with
family, business
colleagues, your
partner or friends
13
D E ST I N AT IO N
Namur
Benoît Gersdorff
NE5T is best
Michelin-starred restaurateur Benoît Gersdorff is a man of action,
both in and out of the kitchen. He has restored an old 1888 farm
in the heart of Namur’s historic Citadel into a high-tech residence
and a showcase for his passion and great taste.
I Gilles Bechet — V  ©DOC NE5T
M
r Bigneron in his red Willys jeep arriving
to deliver milk straight from the jug and
drop off the fresh eggs – this is an image
Benoit Gersdorff has never forgotten. He
was about four years old at the time and living with
his grandparents about 400 metres from the farm Mr
Bigneron rented from Baron de Fallon. That was over
40 years ago. The last owners and farmers had long
since left what was, for many years, the oldest working
farm in the Citadel. The building was pretty much a
ruin but was put up for auction and Benoît Gersdorff
came along with his son and bought it. He had no
particular plans for the building. He was simply acting
on impulse and a wish to hold on to a part of his childhood. Today the farm has been fully transformed into
luxury guest accommodation.
The NE5T (pronounced Nest) opened its doors in
2012, after nine years’ work, in a chic residential quarter five minutes from the town centre. It comprises a
number of large suites, ranging in size from 60 m2 to
140 m2. Generally a suite is a bedroom with its own
lounge, but you get even more at NE5T! Each has a
suite
Generally a suite is a bedroom with its own
lounge, but you get even more at NE5T! Guests
have their very own loft apartment!
14
The NE5T concept:
luxury accommodation,
beautiful décor and
peace and tranquillity.
The perfect getaway…
D E ST I N AT IO N
Each themed apartment
is comfortable and
luxurious without being
ostentatious. An
experience not to be
missed!
15
16
D E ST I N AT IO N
dining room, one or two lounges, one or two bathrooms and one or two bedrooms. Guests have their
very own loft apartment! The restaurant is set up for
groups of 8 to 16 people, providing a timeless setting
for a convivial dining experience.
Cosy nest
The name ‘NE5T’ is a nod to the dovecote that once
occupied the pointed roof. The ‘5’ represents the five
elements – water, wood, fire, air and earth – found
throughout the hotel, in its spa, construction materials and the location of the building itself. But top of
the agenda at NE5T are tranquility, well-being and
individual attention. Guests come here to get away
from it all and recharge their batteries, without having
to travel too far. ‘We don’t make any fancy claims. We
simply want to welcome guests and ensure they have a
pleasant stay in a place that we ourselves have created,’
Benoit Gersdorff told us.
ming pool and spa, Jacuzzi, hammam, gym, beauty
treatments, massages and more… The perfect setting
for fostering team-building and motivation. Now that’s
worth bearing in mind! □
B2B
With single-room accommodation for nine, companies
can block-book all or part of the building for seminars.
Corporate NE5T guests enjoy the luxury experience
and home comforts, with access to the full range of
services: private cinema, meeting rooms, indoor swim-
The restaurant can
also be used as a
private dining room for
business meals.
More info NE5T, Allée de Menton, 26 – B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 58 88 88 — www.ne5t.com
D E ST I N AT IO N
A little corner of
paradise
Relaxation
A former school has had a high-class makeover. Who said a
gîte had to be rustic?
More info Gîte « La Classe », Tienne Piot, 1 – B-5537 Denée (Anhée)
©Anne et Jean-Luc Laloux
+32 (71) 79 81 57 — www.laclasse.be
©DOC La Classe
This 19th century building in Denée (Anhée), near Maredsous
Abbey, once housed the school and municipal services. Today it
is a gîte. ‘I don’t think that adequately describes it. When people
think of a gîte they expect something basic. Ours is built from glass,
steel and blue stone and is far from basic,’ owner Jean-Luc Laloux
tells us.
And what a transformation! The chairs have been repainted
in bright colours and hung on the wall, the globe stands proud
on a beam, the wall bars serve as bunkbed ladders and there’s a
hopscotch painted on a wall! Awarded the highest Gîtes de France
accolade (4 épis), La Classe showcases the talents of photographers
Anne and Jean-Luc Laloux, both architecture enthusiasts. ‘We
had a shop and a studio,’ Jean-Luc adds. ‘But we were looking for
another challenge. When an old windmill at Bioul came on the market, we jumped at the chance to buy it and do up its sawmill. That
worked out well so we did the same with this old school we bought
from the local council.’ □ C.S.
Quality materials and
luxury designer
furniture take this
exceptional old school
building right to the
top of the class.
17
D E ST I N AT IO N
Designer haven
©DOC The Royal Snail Hotel
Luxury
Opened in spring 2013, The Royal Snail Hotel is still
as bright and fresh as the season in which it was born.
Step through the door to the hotel, or its trusty companion the Agathopède Restaurant, and you enter an
elegant world of designer fabulousness at the foot of
the Citadel. What a beautiful place! And we haven’t
even mentioned the bar or spa yet. Definitely worth
a visit – you won’t regret it. □ J.W.L.
More info The Royal Snail Hotel
Avenue de la Plante, 23 – B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 57 00 23 — www.theroyalsnail.com
©DOC The Royal Snail Hotel
18
D E ST I N AT IO N
Relaxation
A traditional
welcome
Discover…
The Valley Country has a solid
gastronomic tradition, with the Château
de Namur catering school producing great
chefs such as Pierre Résimont and
Gérald Watelet. The region is not short of
artisan food producers and Michelinstarred restaurants either: L’Eau vive**
and L’Air du Temps**, L’Essentiel*,
L’Hostellerie Gilain*, Chai Gourmand*,
Cuisinémoi*, La Bergerie*, Lemonier* and
Le Fou est belge*.
www.chateaudenamur.com
©DOC Château de Namur
©Alain Gilain
Plus…
©Alain Gilain
L’Atelier de Bossimé
www.atelierdebossime.be
Laurence and Alain Gilain take us back to the time of the ‘coaching inn’,
when travellers stopped off for food and lodging after an exhausting journey.
You’ll find nothing pretentious at this light and airy inn perched on the Dinant
hills, just a warm welcome, comfort and contemporary cuisine. There’s no
Jacuzzi bath in the bedroom but a sunny terrace open to nature in summer
and a cosy lounge with wood fire in winter. The simplicity extends to the
décor and menu, which champions top-quality local produce. Each meal is
hand-crafted by Alain, with the addition of the odd contemporary twist to
delight and surprise his guests. □ C.D.
More info Hostellerie* Gilain, Rue de l’Aiguigeois, 1 – B-5503 Sorinnes (Dinant)
+32 (83) 21 57 42 — www.hostelleriegilain.com
Stéphen Destrée’s biscuits
www.biscuiteriedestree.be
Visit www.paysdesvallees.be
(section: Tourism and gastronomy)
19
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
Gesves
Domaine de Béronsart
Attending to your
every need
In the soft rolling countryside of
Gesves, in the heart of the Condroz
region, a 17th century windmill has
been transformed into a high-tech
conference centre. Sitting
comfortably in its natural setting for
the last eight years, the venue is
prized by companies seeking to
(re)discover authenticity.
I Christian Sonon — V  Régis S.
‘T
he idea came to me when I was looking for
conference venues,’ explains Hélène, who
was an HR consultant before embarking
on this adventure. ‘There was always something that wasn’t quite right. Either the technology was
perfect but the venue was depressing, or the venue was
pleasant but not practical. I dreamt of an old building
with character, equipped with up-to-the minute technology to meet every need.’
Bought complete with park, woodland and pond
in 2006, the Domaine de Beronsart, 15 minutes from
Namur, offered a magical setting and a versatile working space. ‘When I saw the two yew trees at the entrance,
I fell in love with the place,’ the owner admits. But it
was pretty dilapidated at the time and the renovation
was a mammoth task. Luckily the new owners had
Herculean determination and, unlike the divine hero,
did not need to divert the Samson, the little stream
that flows across the property. And today, what drives
owners Hélène and Daniel more than ever is a desire
to offer companies an amicable, yet professional,
experience.
Mission accomplished
The end result is a conference room with large picture
windows overlooking the park, pond and river,
©Domaine de Béronsart
20
At the Domaine de
Béronsart, guests are
welcomed to a
magnificent setting…
and their every
business need is met.
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
750 m
2
The truly unique Fantaisies de Béronsart
glasshouses can accommodate almost
450 guests in their 750 m2.
equipped with a plasma screen and a state-of-the-art
sound, image and light control system, a versatile
function suite, a lounge with fabulous wood burner,
dining room and bar. ‘All these spaces can be adapted
to meet the needs and wishes of our guests,’ Hélène tells
us. ‘We’re also fortunate enough to have the truly unique
Fantaisies de Béronsart glasshouses which, at 750 m2,
are large enough to accommodate almost 450 people.
We renovated them ourselves and they are now our unique
selling point.’ Eight years have passed, much water
has flowed along the Samson, but the owners have
not lost sight of their original ambition: to create for
their clients a cosy, yet professional, environment
where they are treated just like guests. Daniel sums it
The Domaine de
Béronsart, 15 minutes
from Namur, complete
with park, woodland
and pond, offers a
magical setting and a
versatile working
space.
up: ‘We never take more than one group at a time so we
can devote ourselves entirely to them. All the hard work
we put into our estate and receiving our guests definitely
pays off.’ □
More info Domaine de Béronsart
Rue des Carrières, 7 – B-5340 Gesves
+32 (83) 23 07 00 — www.domainedeberonsart.be
21
22
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
Beez
Thierry and Tony,
men of passion
Cruises and motorsports... the
gentle flow of a river and the speed
of the racetrack. Two skilled
craftsmen championing two very
different sectors.
I Jean Fauxbert — V  Anthony Dehez
P
assion? The word is overused but there is no
other way to describe our respect for these
two entrepreneurs. Thierry and Tony are
men with different personalities, from different backgrounds, who are driven by a common passion
to create (dare we say it) masterpieces which are, if
not unique, produced in very small numbers.
Thierry Van Frachen was one of the last civil engineers to graduate from, and work as assistant at, the
Catholic University of Louvain’s naval architecture
department before it closed in 1980. His passion is
building boats. But not just any old boat. He builds
cruise ships, those fabulous luxury floating hotels which
navigate rivers and canals the world over! Since he
took over the Beez shipyard, 30 such ships have been
built. And there are more to come. Despite competition
from China and Turkey, the director and his teams
keep a firm hand on the helm.
Tony Gillet has been a petrol-head all his life. He’s
a brilliant racing driver and was Belgian hill-racing
champion many times. He also competed in two
Paris-Dakar rallies at the wheel of cars he adapted
himself, before starting a business importing Donkervoorts (the Dutch version of the Lotus Seven). In
1990 he took the world speed record at the wheel of
one such car, which he modified himself.
FIA GT2
Tony Gillet entered his cars in the FIA GT2
championships, carrying off the category title in
2006, 2007 and 2008!
He then threw his heart and soul into a mad idea he’d
been nurturing for a long time: building his own car.
He brought out his first Vertigo in 1991 and has now
built some 30 of these exclusive cars, which have been
sold to wealthy private clients in the US, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Revered by all as works of art,
Tony’s cars have been driven by Prince Albert of Monaco, Johnny Hallyday and other well-known figures.
But Tony couldn’t shake off the competition bug so he
entered his cars in the FIA GT2 championships, carrying off the category title in 2006, 2007 and 2008!
At 69 years of age, this champion has a long way to go
before he reaches the end of the road. And there’s
plenty for him to do before he gets there.
Tony Gillet and Thierry
Van Frachen (right), two
entrepreneurs who
create exclusive
products, each in their
own individual way.
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
23
And on our rivers…
One may design welded-steel ship hulls while the other
has his eye on the carbon fibre body parts in his autoclave furnace, but both men are driven by a shared
passion to achieve the level of perfection many of our
engineers and designers have long been known for…
with the humility and simplicity that is the hallmark
of the great! □
Thierry Van Frachen’s team began building the ‘Belle de
l’Adriatique’ in Beez; the work then continued in
Brussels Port and was completed in Zeebrugge. This
impressive water giant (110 m x 14.5 m and 4 decks) is
operated by CroisiEurope, sailing between different
ports of call in the Adriatic. Have you ever considered
visiting the Valley Country by boat? You take in the
scenery from an entirely different angle and there are
plenty of stopovers along the way: Heer-Agimont,
Waulsort, Freyr, Anseremme, Dinant, Anhée, Yvoir and
Lives-sur-Meuse, to name just a few. CroisiEurope also
offers cruise and excursion enthusiasts trips along the
Rhine and its tributaries. Choosing this international
tour operator is almost as good as stepping on Namur
territory, as the Strasbourg-based company is a
customer of our shipyards.
www.croisieurope.be
The speed of the
Vertigo or the slow
gentle progress of a
pleasure craft. All made
in Namur.
Discover…
Plus…
Close to Namur town centre, with a lovely view over the Citadel, the marina is the
perfect spot for hanging out on your own or with the family, or for holding business
meetings. And now Bertrand Loute is at the helm of the Charlie’s Factory events company,
there’s also summer fun to be had at the ‘Happy Summer Times’ event.
www.charliesfactory-event.com
RAVeL, leisurely travel along
the two waterways
www.ravel.wallonie.be
Cruises on the Meuse and the Sambre
www.sambre-tourisme.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
Novel
All the fun of the cruise,
Namur-style
A meeting or wedding
on the water? Why not?
Boat for you has
recreated the classic
luxury of the yachting
world. All aboard!
©DOC Boat for you
Ever considered holding a meeting on the water? What about tying the
knot on a boat? For the past five years and more, Boat for you has been
attracting private and business clients to its classic luxury yacht-style
cruiser, which is just made for parties. ‘We not only provide the venue, but
can organise your whole event: sound, lighting, décor, food, all tailored to
your needs. That’s where we’re different!’ explains Bernard Schorkops, project designer.
And coming soon, waterlubbers will be able to set sail on the Astaga,
a small craft which has been fully renovated for use as a water taxi or
dinner cruiser. Taking luxury to a new level in our region. All aboard!
□ A.P.
©DOC Boat for you
24
More info Bernard Schorkops — +32 (475) 49 38 90 — www.boat-for-you.com
Discover…
Plus…
It’s generally thought that gambling is part and parcel of most societies. From ancient
Greece to the Romans, through Napoleon’s France and the kingdom of Queen Elizabeth,
it’s a familiar phenomenon. One of the first casinos was built in Venice around 1638.
Our casinos in Namur and Dinant also offer quality dining and accommodation.
www.casinodenamur.be — www.casinodinant.be
NEW (Namur-Europe-Wallonia)
www.new.be
Wallonia-Brussels Tourism
www.opt.be
Cercle de Wallonie
www.cercledewallonie.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Business
25
Tourism
Company directors, are you looking for
somewhere to host a cocktail party, a symposium
or a product launch? Or perhaps you’re an
association and you’re looking for a venue for
your water, tree or four-wheel sports challenges?
Well, there are many forms of business tourism
in Namur province so making the right choice is
never easy. This is where Namur Congrès comes
in. The province’s official conference office has
a digital catalogue of around 100 meeting venues, almost 50 motivational courses
and some 40 accommodation addresses. A total of 140 different operators!
Once you’ve outlined your requirements, the Namur Congrès team will check
availability and put forward a number of suggestions. A cocktail reception among
the cannons of Dinant Citadel, team-building at the Domaine des Grottes de Han, a
segway tour around the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure, a night in a former school, now a gîte,
in the Molignée valley… simply choose the best option for your event. □ C.S.
More info Namur Congrès — +32 (81) 77 67 58 — www.namurcongres.be
A long golfing
tradition
©Shutterstock
Guiding you
through the business
tourism maze
Namur is more than just a province
of the Valley Country. Several topquality golf courses have gradually
appeared between the rivers and
the citadels. There’s Falnuée
(Mazy) and Rougemont
(Profondeville), the Golf Club
d’Andenne and Avia Golf Club on
Florennes airbase, and the oldest
of all, the Royal Golf Club of
Château Royal d’Ardenne (Houyet),
which was built by King Leopold II
and goes back to 1895.
Plus…
Are wide open spaces or caves
your thing? Or how about Vertigo
Bridge, the longest and highest
rope bridge in Belgium? Are you a
Laser Game fan or kayak
enthusiast? Then bring your
friends or colleagues along to
Dinant Évasion. Fun and adventure
guaranteed.
www.dinant-evasion.be
(section: Business tourism)
26
D E ST I N AT IO N
Heritage
Walcourt,
Cerfontaine et
Florennes
Keep in
step
Throughout spring and summer, to the sound of the fifes
and drums, thousands of enthusiastic, but harmless, foot
soldiers descend on the towns and villages of EntreSambre-et-Meuse. For decades these regiments have been
keeping alive a tradition which is now recognised by
UNESCO as a heritage of humanity.
I Jean-Pierre Ducastelle
V  Alex Kouprianoff
T
o date, 16 marches have been named Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage
of Humanity and 15 of these acquired
UNESCO status in 2012. So they are officially recognised, but what actually are they?
It all started in the 19th century when increasing
numbers of armed escorts appeared between the Sambre and the Meuse, on the boundaries of the provinces of Hainaut and Namur. These companies of ‘unofficial soldiers’, often in Napoleonic costume (see pho1
2
From 12 to 16 June,
Ligny will witness largescale historic reenactments as part of
the bicentennial
celebrations of
Napoleon’s epic battle
on our land in June
1815 (photos 1 and 4).
www.1815ligny2015.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Heritage
3
tos 2 and 3), add a touch of military splendour to the
religious processions.
One or more companies make up the armed escort
and they all march in a specific order. First out is a fire
squad led by a fire sergeant who carries a mace or a
ceremonial spade. Traditionally, the men in the squad
wear an embroidered apron, which is sometimes
replaced by a leather apron. The fifes and drums follow
with, after them, the flag and the young officers
(children) and the major on horseback. Now it’s time
for gunpowder as the gunmen march out, armed with
rifles and tromblons. These are light infantrymen,
grenadiers or zouave regiments. Bringing up the rear
come all the more experienced marchers, who are
responsible for organising the march and making sure
there are no problems when the guns go off. It’s always
a spectacular sight! □
More info www.unesco.org/culture/ich/fr/RL/00670
(section: Commemorations 14-18)
4
Namur and Dinant are of course united by the river Meuse but both cities
also have a citadel. Once military observation points and defensive posts,
these fortifications are no longer at
war.… if you discount the onslaught
of tourists. Don’t miss the view.
www.citadelle.namur.be — www.citadellededinant.be
©SPW Moers-Balloïde
Discover…
Plus…
— The majestic meanderings of the River Meuse
have inspired poets but also builders of many
constructions. Castles, fortresses and villas have
all taken shape along the Meuse, creating a
paradise for visitors. Find them at
— Visit Namur’s Provincial Museum of Ancient
Arts to see the work of Henri Blès, a famous
landscape artist born in Bouvignes or Dinant
around 1510 (there is no clear record of his birth).
www.museedesartsanciens.be
27
D E ST I N AT IO N
Heritage
Museum
The property of Namur Province, the Félicien Rops museum
lies in the heart of the old town, not far from the house where
the artist was born. The museum presents aspects of his work,
the major stages of his life, his encounters and his creations,
and now technology has been used to showcase some of his
talents (etching, drawing and painting).
Late 2014, in a groundbreaking move, the museum scanned
and then published online the 500 or so Felicien Rops-penned
letters in its possession. This provided academia with a mine
of information, which will gradually be added to by other institutions. As part of the same initiative, the museum also introduced an interactive desk where the public can read some
of the artist’s correspondence, and a ‘magic’ armchair from
which visitors can listen to some of the letters.
The museum also overcame the odds to reach out to a teenage audience. It provides iPods on which visitors can watch
eight short documentaries created by fifth-year secondary
school pupils, with the assistance of the Province’s audiovisual
department. The students were assigned a Rops work (Nadar,
Pornocratès, Les dames au pantin, etc.) and told to let their
imagination run riot. The result is both surprising and funny.
Just like the artist! □ C.S.
Rops, Fabre, Namur. A
pertinent place for two
impertinent artists to
come face-to-face.
Watch this space next
spring.
More info
Musée Provincial Félicien Rops
Rue Fumal, 12 ‑ B-5000 Namur — +32 (81) 77 67 55
www.museerops.be — www.ropslettres.be
©DOC Musée Félicien Rops
Félicien in the
modern world
©DOC Musée Félicien Rops
28
D E ST I N AT IO N
Heritage
29
Museum
In 1187 four brothers arrived from Walcourt with their widowed mother and settled in
Oignies, some 30 kilometres further north. This little hamlet on the banks of the Sambre
had a vacant estate adjacent to an ancient chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas, where the
family set up a priory. Three of the four brothers – Gilles, Robert and Jean – were priests.
The fourth, known as Hugues or Hugo, did not join the order but became a goldsmith,
going on to make his mark in the history of Wallonia. Living under the order of Saint Augustine, the family worked around Hugo and the workshop attracted apprentices seeking
to meet the master. Hugo d’Oignies was a goldsmith, scribe and miniaturist. He signed
several of his works and even appeared in some of them. However, a lone endeavour will
never achieve great things. In 1207 Marie de Nivelles arrived in Oignies and joined the little
community. Marie was well acquainted with a certain Jacques de Vitry, a Parisian theologian
who was to be appointed Bishop of Acre in the Holy Land in 1216. Ten years later, he would
be ordained as Bishop of Tusculum, some 20 kilometres south-east of Rome. A central
figure in the Fifth and Sixth Crusades, he took advantage of his position to have relics,
precious stones and other riches brought back to Oignies Priory. Hugo used the
artefacts pillaged in the Holy Land to create marvellous reliquaries, which
now feature prominently in our goldsmith legacy. □ A.V.
More info
Musée Provincial des Arts Anciens du Namurois
Hôtel de Gaiffier d’Hestroy – Rue de Fer, 24 ‑ B-5000 Namur
+32 (81) 77 67 54 — www.museedesartsanciens.be
©Guy Focant
Treasures of
Oignies Priory
Shown here, the foot of
Saint James. Follow in the
footsteps of Saint James
in Namur and throughout
the province at
www.saintjamesway.eu
30
D E ST I N AT IO N
Kids
Chevetogne
Domaine de Chevetogne Park
Escape for
the day
Chevetogne is more than a park –
it’s a whole different universe.
I Léa Laïs
V  © V. Matthys - Domaine Provincial de Chevetogne
O
f course you’ll find a swimming pool and
themed, age-specific play areas at Chevetogne. Of course there are walking trails.
And yes, free mini-golf and sports fields are
available. Yes, it has a history, events and educational
activities. Behind the trees, beyond the clearings, it
gets increasingly charming with age.
The site already appeared in Ferraris maps at the
end of the 18th century but the construction of the
current baroque revival castle by Baron Wykerslooth
Walks, themed play
areas, museums,
events… Chevetogne
has something for
everybody.
Kids
Cool kids
de Rooyesteyn in 1868 was, without a doubt, a defining
moment. Back in the late 19th century it measured a
mere 200 hectares. Having been extended several
times, the park – bought over by Namur Province in
1969 – now covers an impressive 550 hectares.
Something for everybody
Enjoy a stroll, alone or with the family. Hire a gîte with
friends. Stay at the ‘Les Rhodos’ motel, once the winter
pavilion. Rent a chalet. Bring your class for a nature
study lesson. And if you’re an early riser, and don’t
make too much noise on your morning walk, you may
just encounter doe deer, wild boar and many other
things we have lost sight of in our urban lives. During
the springtime Operation Robinson® there are rope
activities in the trees, sleepovers in suspended tents
or tree huts, not to mention a zip slide and rope bridge
for the adventurous. But sometimes it’s kids only.
Adults must wait behind on solid ground. And that’s
how it should be. □
More info
Domaine provincial de Chevetogne, B-5590 Chevetogne
+32 (83) 68 72 11 — www.domainedechevetogne.be
On the banks of the Semois,
Recréalle has everything you
need for an action-packed
day. Kayaking, mountain
biking, electric quad bikes,
mini-golf, climbing wall, table
tennis and more… Or why not
explore the village or local
countryside by segway?
Great fun!
More info Recréalle
31
An absolute
classic
The Queen Fabiola
amusement park is Namur’s
largest playground. For a
reasonably priced entrance
fee, you have access to
games, mini-golf, trampolines,
electric cars and pedal
go-karts… and not a traffic
policemen in sight!
More info
Rue Léon Henrard, 16
Parc Attractif Reine Fabiola
B-5550 Alle-sur-Semois
Rond-point Michel Thonar, 1
+32 (61) 50 03 81
B-5000 Namur
www.recrealle.com
+32 (81) 73 84 13
www.parf.be
©DOC Récréalle
D E ST I N AT IO N
D E ST I N AT IO N
Kids
©DOC Espace Arthur Masson
Wallonia of old
Adventure
©DOC Espace Arthur Masson
32
How about a trip back in time? Trignolles
is the village of Mayor Toine Culot, a colourful character invented by Belgium’s very
own Pagnol, author Arthur Masson. The
hour-long total immersion tour takes you
back to Ardennes in the years 1930 to 1960.
A little further on, your little darlings can
discover what school was like in 1932.
They’ll soon realise modern-day is heaven
in comparison. □ C.D.
More info
Espace Arthur Masson
Rue Eugène Defraire, 36 – B-5670 Treignes
+32 (60) 39 15 00 — www.espacemasson.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Kids
33
Entertainment
Rainy
day fun
Parents allowed
A heated and covered play paradise: what better place
to spend a bleak day? Pirouette is a centre dedicated
to early motor skills with different age-specific areas
(1-2, 2-5 and 3-12 years). Plus there are 250 seats for
parents to read, relax or have a drink while their offspring play. Safety is paramount and fun is top of the
agenda. Parents can kick their shoes off and accompany little ones into the ball pool or foam circuit, while
adventure awaits their elder offspring on the rope
bridge and in the transparent suspended tunnel and
dark room. A height-appropriate maze leads children
safely through a 3-level course to the grand finale…
the triple slide or the giant 6 m high slide! □ C.D.
Indoor mini-golf
Goolfy combines indoor mini-golf with a neon-lit set-
More info
Pirouette
Chaussée de Liège, 159 – B-5100 Jambes
+ 32 (81) 301 301 — www.pirouette.be
More info
©DOC Pirouette
ting and breathtaking soundtrack to take you and your
family, friends or colleagues to another era. Ready for
departure? □ C.D.
Goolfy - Complexe ACINAPOLIS
(section: Attractions)
Rue de la Gare fleurie, 16 – B-5100 Jambes
+32 (81) 30 94 00
Discover…
Plus…
Four routes in the Hamois region punctuated by perils, tests and challenges. And Aventures
Légendaires, near Dinant, takes families with kids from 6 to 12 years – and the young
at heart – on a magical, fairytale journey.
www.dinant-tourisme.be — www.valleedessaveurs.be
La Maison de la Pataphonie
www.pataphonie.be
La Marmaille
www.lamarmaille.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
Han-Sur-Lesse
Caves of Han-Sur-Lesse
Reach for
the stars
Millions of years, hundreds of
thousands of visitors and
a site which gets more modern
by the minute.
I Stéphane Renard
V  ©DOC Domaine des Grottes de Han
T
he Han Caves are a prehistoric underground
attraction, one of those heritage sites we have
all visited at some point or other before filing
the memory away in the ‘pleasant but old’
category. And this is precisely the image that Brigitte
Malou, Managing Director of the Han domain since
January 2011, has been trying to throw off since the
day she agreed to take charge of the company. It’s the
sort of challenge she relishes, with her business background and ‘love of all things operational’.
34
The dry valley of the
Lesse, epicentre of the
250 ha park, is today
home to some quite
extraordinary flora and
fauna
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
been preserved intact. And it covers 250 hectares!’ It is
also a rare addition to Belgium’s archaeological heritage. ‘It’s the only prehistoric site of its kind in Europe. It
was probably a place of worship which attracted people
from far and wide. In the water we found a whole series
of very old objects which had probably been thrown in
during rituals.’ There are scientists from all disciplines
at Han at all times. Currently there are several clubs
of speleologists and diver archaeologists who have
been on site since 1963, working assiduously on their
research and constantly adding to the collections on
display.
More visitors
At the time, visitor numbers were falling and management costs were excessively high for a small to
medium-sized company. ‘We wanted to see a return to
growth,’ as she says, so 2012 saw the introduction of
projects such as ‘Han d’antan’ [Han of yesteryear] and
the renovation of PrehistoHan. ‘Highlights included the
opening of a new chamber, Les Draperies, and the start
of a forest path in the reserve. These two projects really
kick-started our strategic development, which we’ve managed to sustain,’ Brigitte continues. Footfall has started
to increase, with a 15% growth in visitor numbers. The
projection for 2014 is that Han will have welcomed
some 300,000 people.
‘The Caves of Han-sur-Lesse are an exceptional natural environment. It’s the only place in Western Europe
where such a mighty river, the Lesse, is completely swallowed up by a mountain and flows out the other side,’
she enthuses. ‘Plus, it’s the only dry valley which has
To reach out to a wider audience, the Han Caves have
had to reinvent themselves. ‘There is significantly more
on offer at Han today. The reserve serves simply as a
showcase for the caves. We offer a visit which combines
the wildlife park, caves and footpath.’ The reserve is
very much devoted to the rehabilitation of threatened
species, a place to bring the animals back to health
before they are released back into their natural environment. ‘This initiative has led to the reintroduction
of bison into Scotland, aurochs into Spain and great
European predators such as the lynx, wolf and bear.
We’re introducing LED technology and wheelchair access
to bring this prehistoric site up to modern-day standards
but that’s not all. We also play an active role in the preservation of biodiversity in Europe.’ So, true to their own
slogan: ‘Han: nature full size’. □
The wildlife park is
always changing and
the caves are
constantly being
explored. Nothing stays
still at Han!
More info Le Domaine des Grottes de Han
Rue Joseph Lamotte, 2 – B-5580 Han-Sur-Lesse
+32 (84) 37 72 13 — www.grotte-de-han.be
35
36
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
Walcourt
RAVeL
A cyclist’s paradise
The aptly named Valley Country is an adventure
playground for mountain biking. The Lacs
d’Eau d’Heure is an area which is constantly
changing. With 70 km of shoreline and hundreds
of hectares of forests and fields, the route is already
fabulous terrain for two-wheel travel but it is about
to get even better.
I Benoît Noël
V  Warren Goldswain
For all cycling info,
visit www.
paysdesvallees.be
(section: Cycle
tourism)
O
ne 17-km section of the L’Eau d’Heure autonomous slow travel network, or RAVeL,
is extremely popular. It takes cyclists and
walkers from the Plate-Taille information
point, around the lake of the same name, to Ri Jaune
Lake then Falemprise Lake and back to the starting
point. The marked route is hard surface (concrete and
tarmac) all the way, bordered on one side by the lake
and on the other by trees. There are a few link paths
but it is generally a safe route. L’Eau d’Heure has a
total of 35 km of RAVeL tracks.
In 2016, proclaimed the Year of the Bicycle in Belgium, the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure will host the Belgian
National Road Race Championships – quite a coup for
the park, which has a long-term collaboration with the
Belgian cycling league, the Ligue vélocipédique belge.
And well deserved, when you consider everything it
does to promote bikes and ‘sustainable’ tourism, of
which bikes are very much a part. Work began on the
Bike Park in spring 2014 and starting this season the
Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure will become the cyclist’s paradise. Another ambitious project...
There are 80 km of permanent marked mountain
bike trails, a trial area with natural and artificial surfaces, a dual slalom track, free rider tracks graded
according to the ski classifications (green, blue and
red), a big air bag for amateur stunt cyclists, a Pump
Track area (succession of rollers, berms and jumps)
and dirt tracks, all with mechanical lifts to facilitate
access. The bike will be king and the members of the
local Superbikers mountain bike club, founded in 2003
by Marc Soussigne, will be its most active subjects.
This ‘school’ is already the biggest in Wallonia but
it didn’t have suitable facilities to meet the increasing
demand for adult lessons so its partnership with the
Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure is the perfect solution. The Bike
Park, at the ‘Ferme de Badon’, brings at least two advantages: it adds another dimension to an already
well-known club and boosts visitor numbers. The Lacs
de l’Eau d’Heure has set up a dedicated project team
with the remit to engage experts in the field and turn
this into a centre of excellence. Former professional
cyclist Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke, who needs no introduction, now devotes himself entirely to the project. □
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
37
Tourism
How do you like the idea of spending a
night under the stars with one of the finest
views in the Meuse valley spread out before
you? Turn your idea into reality in the
Sphair bubble, perched 300 m high on the
terrace of Les 7 Meuses restaurant. The
4.5 metre wide polyester cocoon has a
comfortable double bed and even a concealed blower heating system. Guests staying in this ‘room like no other’ have access
to a more traditional bedroom and lounge
with every creature comfort they could
dream of. This innovative overnight solution was launched four years ago and is the
perfect complement to the restaurant’s
gourmet menus. ‘Often people surprise their
partners, announcing their night in the bubble over dinner in the restaurant. They can
of course be slightly taken aback and it’s a
bit of a gamble, but to date our guests have
always spent a fabulous night,’ manager
Benoit Chiaradia tells us. Sphair is the
brainchild of local Namur man Laurent
Kefer. It can also be hired by outdoor sleeping enthusiasts for a night in the grounds
of a castle, on the deck of a boat or even a
city-centre location. □ G.B.
More info Les 7 Meuses
Sart à Soile, 27 ‑ B-5170 Rivière
+32 (81) 22 05 05
The European Commission EDEN (European Destinations of Excellence) accolade is
awarded each year to promote the development of sustainable tourism. The Lacs
l’Eau d’Heure joined the ranks of Durbuy, Ath, Viroinval, Marche-en-Famene and
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve when it received the EDEN award in 2010 for its sustainable water tourism offering.
Cycling and hiking, two major eco-friendly activities at the watersports centre,
both fit perfectly with the sustainable tourism concept. Another fine example, the
Spin Cablepark, is the first in the world to be fully self-powered. Comprising a
620-metre cable, capable of towing 30 water-skiers and wakeboarders, the attraction
reopened last May after renovation and is now 100% powered by 168 solar panels.
For 30 years, water-skiers and wakeboarders (the water equivalent to snowboarders)
had no option other than to be towed by motorboat, which was both costly and
harmful for the environment. During a day’s water-skiing, a boat consumes around
150 litres of fuel! Nature can thank Cédric Vandermot and Xavier Bonnet, the two
men behind the Spin Cablepark, for their wonderful invention. □ B.N.
©Artech.be
©DOC Sphair
Hanging
out above
the valley
Long live
sustainable
tourism!
A feast for
the eyes
Cinema
The International French Film Festival (FIFF)
celebrates its 30th anniversary this autumn but
it is not alone in marking an important year.
Namur’s nature festival, Festival Nature Namur,
turns 21 in October 2015. With 260 films, conferences, photo workshops and video-making courses, the FNN will bring the big screen to 35,000
people over a ten-day period. □ J.W.L.
www.les7meuses.be
www.sphair.eu
More info www.festivalnaturenamur.be
©DOC FNN_ Franco Limosani
Relaxation
38
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
Walcourt
Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure
Happy times at
the lakes
With 1,800 hectares of water, forests and meadows,
the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure resort is perfect
for nature lovers, sports enthusiasts and healthy,
sustainable tourism.
I Benoît Noël
V  ©DOC Les Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure
I
n the water. On the water. Beside the water. What
a wonderful, healthy place to spend your time!
In a few short decades, the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure has become Wallonia’s number one tourist
resort, attracting visitors mainly from Belgium, the
Netherlands and France. Sporty or not, we guarantee
there will be something for you on its 70 km of shoreline (longer than the Belgian coastline), which extends
View over some of the
70 km of shoreline.
Simply spectacular.
through Cerfontaine in the province of Namur and
Froidchapelle in Hainaut.
Back in the 1970s, the dam designers were really
only thinking in purely practical terms. They had no
idea their engineering structure would become a major tourist attraction. So much so that today, the Lacs
area is a real driving force of the regional economy.
The lakes became quite an attraction, mainly for
sports at the outset. Then the public authorities (Walloon Region and Europe, with the famous ‘Objectif 1’
plan) decided to turn it into a proper tourist resort in
1994 to help boost the local economy. This was when
it really took off.
Boredom impossible
Initially aimed at the day tourist, the resort went on
to target longer stays, offering an increasing selection
of overnight stay options, including holiday villages,
a hotel and chalets and later a camping site and motor
home park. A much-needed development to cater for
the ever-growing number of visitors the resort attracts
with more than 25 different types of activities!
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
Fans of Laser Game and treetop rope circuits have not
been forgotten and golfers will shortly be catered for
with a golf course under construction. There is also
an Olympic-size manege on the cards for equestrian
sports.
A guided tour of the Plate-Taille dam, the largest in
Belgium, and its viewing platform renovated in 2013,
take visitors back in time to remind them of the original purpose of the structure which became the foundation stone for this remarkable, constantly growing
resort.
©Goodluz – fololia.com
All year round
The walking and cycle routes are complemented by
recreational activities and, unsurprisingly, many water
sport disciplines: sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle
boarding, diving, fishing, water golf, jet-skiing, traditional water-skiing (towed by a boat), cable water-skiing
(towed by a fully solar-powered cable, the only one of
its kind in the world), and more… The Aquacentre,
with 140,000 visitors annually, is the most popular
attraction. The fully renovated facilities will re-open
their doors in May, offering pools, wellness areas and
balneotherapy at a year-round temperature of 30°C.
Whether your stay is
short or long, for
relaxation or extreme
sport, nature has
something for everyone.
Alongside its steady stream of day visitors, the Lacs
de l’Eau d’Heure resort is developing its facilities and
activities aimed at the holiday market. The accommodation available is increasing in number and variety
and the focus is now on developing more accommodation options for a resort which has yet to fully exploit
and promote the diversity of its activities, accommodation and natural landscape (Aquacentre, Natura
park, Adventures of Crocodile Rouge, Dam visit…).
The Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure is now an all-year-round
resort.
Visitors come every season for different activities
(nature, sports, beaches and recreation) or simply to
get together with the family round the fire in one of
the comfortable holiday villages. Indeed, the resort
welcomes over 2,000 visitors each year for Christmas!
39
40
D E ST I N AT IO N
Nature
A brief history
It all began with a reservoir
This steady stream of visitors has obvious knock-on
effects for the local economy. Aware of the financial
benefit, the local tourist offices, Vallees des Eaux Vives
and Botte du Hainaut, have joined forces to provide
information and the best possible experience for holidaymakers and locals visiting the lakes. And that makes
for a lot of happy people, from Chimay to Couvin,
Namur to Thuin, and also Charleroi and Dinant.
Since 2003, Landal Villages (60 holiday villages in
Europe) have been accommodating large numbers of
holidaymakers from all over Belgium and the neighbouring regions in a 250 holiday home complex. A
more recent addition to this offering was a 100% Belgian project, managed by Lamy, a well-established
group which operates mainly in the South of France.
Over the last few years, 85 very comfortable holiday
homes have been built and are now fully operational
and there are a further 17 currently under construction.
This development furthers the Walloon Region’s
quest for year-round tourism in the Pays des Lacs so
the public authorities have dug into their coffers to
develop plots of land. And their investment has paid
off because every euro of public money invested has
attracted five euros of private investment. ‘We don’t
just pay lip service to the public/private partnership
concept. These partnerships are really happening on a
daily basis,’ Lamy Construction proudly told us. And
the company is set to continue its investment in the
Lacs de L’Eau de L’Heure with a 92-room hotel complex
about to take shape. The first stone was laid in October
last year. The complex will double up as a conference
Fun
The walking and cycling routes are
complemented by other recreational activities
such as sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle
boarding, diving, water golf and jet-skiing…
Before it became the number one tourist attraction in southern Belgium,
the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure, ‘Les Barrages’ to the locals, was built for
an entirely different purpose. In the 1970s the designers’ brief was
to ensure the water in the River Sambre did not fall below a certain
level. The widening of the Charleroi-Brussels canal, modernised in the
latter half of last century to improve navigability, placed higher demand
on the water resources of the Sambre basin and it was decided to
create reservoirs to mitigate water shortages during dry periods. To
keep water transport moving and ensure optimum operation of the
water-thirsty steel industries, the Sambre requires a water flow capacity of 5 m³/second.
The Eau d’Heure valley was the obvious choice, bearing in mind its
reputation for flooding the surrounding area at lightning speed. The
name Eau d’Heure goes back to the Middle Ages when, if it rained for
an hour, it took the river one hour to flood the region before returning
to its normal waterbed. The original French ‘Eau qui vient en une heure’
(literally, ‘water which comes in an hour’) was shortened to ‘Eau d’Heure’.
The first dam provided a reservoir of 27 million m³, the Eau d’Heure
Lake, but this was not sufficient. To keep the waters of the Sambre
flowing in the dry season required 48 million m³ so a second dam was
built, creating Plate-Taille Lake, the largest in Belgium (351 hectares
and 52 m deep, with a capacity of 68 million m³)! Engineers capitalised
on the 45 m height difference between the two lakes to build a hydroelectric power station, which is still in operation today.
Three other pre-dams were then built to create three further reservoirs: Falemprise, Féronval and Ri Jaune. The project, completed
in 1981, was not intended for the tourist sector but the majestic
environment very soon started to attract nature lovers and water
sports enthusiasts. The rest is history… for you to discover.
Bambois Lake near Fosse-la-Ville is another ideal spot for nature lovers
or walks with family and friends.
www.lacdebambois.be
centre with eight high-tech modular rooms. And to
attract other types of tourists, there are plans for a
campsite and motor home park at the Lacs de l’Eau
d’Heure.
Not only are these two holiday villages the newest
in Wallonia, but they are also generating an important
virtuous economic cycle for the region, as tourism
jobs cannot be relocated. Soon there will be absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t head off to the Lacs
de L’Eau d’Heure for a few days of peace and quiet in
a natural environment which is becoming more attractive by the day… and in every way! □
More info Centre d’Accueil de la Plate-Taille
Route de la Plate-Taille, 99 – B-6440 Boussu-lez-Walcourt
+32 (71) 50 92 92 — www.lacsdeleaudheure.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Sport
From Dinant
to Rio
A 27-year old kayakist from Dinant, Maxime
Richard, has set his sights on the Rio Olympics,
having made waves with his 13th place finish in the
sprint trials (K1 200 metres) at London 2012.
London set the ball rolling and, thanks to seven
weekly training sessions (mainly on the Meuse,
sometimes the Lesse) and daily workouts at the
gym, the young man has already an impressive list
of achievements under his belt, notably the title of
world river kayak champion (2010). □ B.N.
Brief Bio
©Eventsee
→→ Born in Dinant in 1988
→→ 2004: first selected for the national
team at the age of 16
→→ 2010, a first career highlight.
He becomes world river sprint champion.
→→ 2012, takes part in the London
Olympics, coming 13th in the finals.
→→ 2013, Maxime is once again crowned
world champion in Solkan, Slovenia.
→→ The two-time world champion is heading
for the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Nature
41
42
D E ST I N AT IO N
Terroir
Lustin
Château Bon Baron
Our local
vines
Planted in Lustin in 2003 and producing
since 2005, Château Bon Baron is today one of
Wallonia’s five main vineyards.
I Marc Vanel
V  ©DOC Bon Baron
I
n Lustin, near Dinant, stands a house with
half-timbering, turrets and pointed roofs, which
could easily have been taken from a children’s
fairytale. But no, the house was bought in 2000
by a Dutch family, the van der Steens, together with
its vast unexploited land and view right over the River
Meuse. Jeanette and husband Piotr had learned that
the area used to be given over to vast vineyards and
decided to reintroduce this noble crop. ‘I signed up
right away for courses in Bordeaux and Germany. I read
and studied vast amounts. We commissioned analyses
of the soil and subsoil and studied the climate statistics
for the last 30 years to determine the most suitable varieties to grow.’ Many Belgian winegrowers choose interspecific, disease-resistant varieties such as Regent,
Solaris and Phoenix, but Jeanette van der Steen took
a more traditional route, opting for Pinot Blanc and
Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Müller-Thurgau
(also known as Rivaner).
So eight varieties – five white and three black – were
planted in 2003. In the first two years of operation,
Jeanette and her husband continued to travel the
European vineyards, meeting fellow growers who were
happy to invite them into their cellars. ‘They don’t think
of Belgium as a wine country. They were curious and so
glad to have us visit. It was a hugely enriching experience
because each grower has their own philosophy so you
learn fast. My husband and I also took a course at Peter
Klosse’s gastronomy academy, the Academie voor Gastronomie in Hoog Soeren in the Netherlands, to learn
how to pair wine with food. We need to be able to advise
people.’
In 2005 a mere 100 litres were put into production.
The wines went on sale for the first time in 2008; the
following year Bon Baron entered three vintages of its
Acolon wine for the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
and they immediately carried off a silver and two gold
medals. Earlier that year the estate had won the prize
for the Best Belgian Wine at the national Flemish Sommeliers competition, a feat it repeated in September
2011, this time for its Cabernet Dorsa. ‘Of course I’m
delighted to have won this prize but today it is nothing
more than a judges’ decision. We need to continue to
improve the quality of our wines. Quality in Belgium has
actually improved significantly over the last few years.
Ry d’Argent, Aldeneyck, Chardonnay Meerdael, Domaine
des Agaises and Entre-deux-Monts are just a few examples
of these higher quality wines.’
Today the estate produces over 20,000 bottles. It
has expanded into small plots in Profondeville, Wépion,
Namur and Dinant and has just planted 15 hectares of
vines in Houx, on the banks of the Meuse. ‘When the
new plantations are ready, we will be kept busy all year
round…’ □
Plus…
Domaine du Chenoy (Emines)
www.domaine-du-chenoy.com
Quality and flavour. Bon
Baron white and red
wines are growing in
popularity and picking
up more and more
medals along the way.
Coude à Coude (Jemeppe-sur-Sambre)
www.lecac.be
Château de Bioul
www.chateaudebioul.com
D E ST I N AT IO N
Terroir
43
Discovering the origins
of the famous beer
Tourists from all over the world visit Maison Leffe, opposite
the Citadel in Dinant, to discover the secrets of this c enturies-old
beer. The Leffe brand goes back to 1240, when Nobertine canons at Leffe abbey decided to brew a beer as an alternative to
the brackish water they had to drink each day. Plus, boiling
the water during fermentation killed off the germs. Their activity came to a halt during the French Revolution and did not
begin again until 1952, when Father Abbot Nys and Albert
Lootvoet revived the abbey’s brewing tradition to produce a
wide variety of beers.
The Leffe tour takes place in the chapel of a former convent.
It begins with touch screens explaining the brewing process
before moving on to various interactive experiences based
round beer flavours and aromas and culminating with a tasting
of all nine varieties!
The site also includes the Les Bains de Dinant thalassotherapy centre and the Hotel La Merveilleuse where you can stay
in one of seven former nuns’ rooms or the four-room Mother
Superior’s residence (rooms not available separately).
Le Couvent de Bethléem’s four-course menu based entirely on
Leffe beer (well, not the dessert) is a foodie’s paradise. Definitely
one for the itinerary! □ M.V.
More info Maison Leffe
Charreau des Capucins, 23 – B-5500 Dinant
+32 (82) 22 91 91 — www.leffe.com
©DOC Maison Leffe
Food and drink
Discover…
The Valley Country is a haven for beer and cheese lovers.
With Rochefort Abbey, which brews Namur’s only Trappist
beer, and Maredsous Abbey, you’re on your way to paradise.
Add a beautiful slice of cheese and you’ve reached seventh
heaven. The region also has a few treats brewing for serious
beer drinkers.
www.abbaye-rochefort.be — www.maredsous.be
44
D E ST I N AT IO N
Terroir
Food and drink
‘50% of our produce comes from within a 50 km radius.’ Magasin d’ici, which
translates literally as ‘local shop’, lives up to its name. In 2005 Frank
Mestdagh read an article which struck a chord. Pierre Ozer, a Doctor of
Geographical Sciences from the University of Liège, wrote about the number
of kilometres travelled by the components of a three-course meal. ‘There
were tomatoes from Morocco, prawns from Denmark, Australian wine, Argentinian beef, potatoes from Israel, lychees from Thailand, Peruvian bananas and
more…,’ Frank Mestdagh remembers. ‘The whole lot totalled 135,000 km.’ And
so the Magasin d’ici seed was sown.
The entrepreneur got together with his business partner to try to come
up with a project which could help change people’s buying habits. ‘We look
for local producers who, although not necessarily organic, subscribe to a sustainable ethos.’ The first shop opened in 2013.
Customer numbers are growing weekly, as is the average basket value.
‘People are buying into the idea. Apart from a few items, everything really does
come from the local area. We also display the origin of our products and the
number of kilometres they have travelled to reach our shelves. Strawberries from
Upigny, lettuce from Sambreville, tomatoes from Ossogne, wine from Château
de Bioul… all well-received by customers. Of course, we don’t stock shaving foam
or toilet paper, but customers can at least do all their food shopping with us.’
At the end of 2014, the company won two rather major awards: the Namur
Province sustainable development prize and Wallonia’s entrepreneurship
award in the sustainable development category. □ M.V.
Discover…
Pré gourmand
In the beginning there was a field...
and then, little by little, the idea of
bringing it back to life began to take
root. There were gourds in all shapes
and sizes, green, black and pink
tomatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and
heritage vegetable varieties…
and don’t forget the herbs! Soup
made with long-forgotten vegetables,
small fruit and edible flowers, all
organic, produced without chemical
fertilisers or pesticides.
www.pregourmand.be
©DOC ASBL Le Pré Gourmand
Championing
local produce!
Plus…
The Citadel gardens in Namur
www.nature-namur.be
Valériane organic expo at Namur
www.valeriane.be
The river contract
http://environnement.wallonie.be/
contrat_riviere
Marie Victorin Ecocentre at Vierves
www.viroinval.be
(section: Tourism and gastronomy)
More info
Magasin d’ici
©DOC Magasin d’ici
Chaussée
de Marche, 940
B-5100 Naninne
+32 (81) 84 82 09
www.d-ici.be
D E ST I N AT IO N
Terroir
45
Walks
©Christine Goedert
Between history
and legend
1888), who was well known for his travel
journal about life along the Semois river.
Famous organists come from all over
Belgium and further afield to give recitals
on the splendid Georg Westenfelder organ
in the pretty little church.
03
© LIC_789.Formar Belgium ID 789
Your visit will end with a walk through the
Camp du Maquis, the only vestige of its
kind from a dark heroic period of recent
history, before you head back down to the
starting point. Vresse does not have any
accommodation options but has some
lovely restaurants and pavement cafés.
Vresse
12 km
Level of difficulty:
pleasant but challenging
(very steep parts). Not
recommended for families
with young children.
01
Leaving from Vresse, you will pass through
the village of Laforêt, recipient of the ‘Un
des Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie’ [One
of the most beautiful villages in Wallonia]
accolade in the early 1990s.
Laforêt is one of the few villages of
Southern Ardennes which has changed
little over time. As you wander along the
small, steep streets you will notice the
little old farms which, even if restored,
have maintained the division between
living quarters, stable and barn. Laforêt
church, dating back to 1779, houses
contemporary stations of the cross by
Jacques Vander Elst and its truly unique
multi-coloured ceiling is another major
attraction.
04
Laforêt is also home to the Pinocchio
puppet theatre, the only one of its kind in
Namur province, where you can meet
puppets of all the legendary Ardennes
characters.
The village is also known for its craft
fair, which attracts almost 10,000 visitors
each year and, an all-time favourite with
summer walkers, the very famous ‘Pont de
Claies’, a rustic bridge of woven branches
attached to frail pillars driven right into
the riverbed.
02
The village of Membre grew up along the
Roman road from Reims to Cologne in the
centre of a wide bend in the river,
surrounded by high wooded hills. The
Saloru viewpoint offers a magnificent
panoramic view over the area. Discoveries
of Roman coins and medals, and then cut
and polished flints, point to very early
civilisations in the area.
Membre was the adopted home of
painter Yvonne Tellier, who died in 2007,
and writer Alphonse de Prémorel (1799-
After a restorative drink you can pay a visit
to the local art centre, the Centre
d’Interprétation d’Art de l’Ecole de Vresse,
which earns Vresse its title of ‘Village
d’Art’, or art village, and then take a quick
look at Le Belge, a faithful wooden
reproduction of the locomotive which left
the Cockerill workshops in 1835.
(section: Hiking)
46
The Valley Country
D E ST I N AT IO N
visit the website
Fabulous !
An invaluable tourist portal,
www.paysdesvallees.be is packed with
places to visit, personalities worth a
detour and detours worth the trouble...
Things to do in Namur province. What
you must not miss. Where to eat ?
Where to stay ? Find all the answers at
www.paysdesvallees.be !
Hiking
Attractions
Tourism and
Gastronomy
Creative tourism
Business Tourism
Tourism and Riding
River Tourism
Tourism and Cycling
Châteaux de la Meuse // Commemorations 14-18 // Beer in Namur Province // From the four corners of Europe in
the footsteps of St James of Compostela // Wallonia, Destination Quality // Trade Fairs & Salons and lots more
to discover at
D E ST I N AT IO N
Domain of the
Caves
of Han
IN THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH,
IN THE HEART
OF THE WILD LIFE.
Belgium
www.grotte-de-han.be
Highway E411, exit 23 Tel : +32(0)84 37 72 13
47
48
FTPN
D E ST I N AT IO N
-B o s s
iro y
udheure.be
a
e
l
e
lacsd
.
w
ww

The valley country - World Travel Market

Transcription

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