
Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, these two great university cities, are linked by their past. The University of Leuven was founded in 1425 in Flemish Brabant. It is one of the oldest universities in the world. During the 20th century, the Catholic University of Leuven saw its student population gradually split between Flemish and French speakers. At the end of the 1960s, the presence of French-speaking students and professors was increasingly contested by their Dutch-speaking compatriots. In 1968, paving stones were thrown and demonstrations were held with cries of "Walen Buiten" ("The Walloons out"). The situation was such that the government of the day fell. This community quarrel, combined with the sharp increase in the student population, forced all the French-speaking faculties of the UCL to move to Wallonia. The municipality of Ottignies hosted the project on the Lauzelle plateau. The first stone of the new town was laid on 2 February 1971.
You will then leave Louvain-la-Neuve in Walloon Brabant to reach Wavre and its Adventure Park. You will then travel through Flemish Brabant to discover its architectural gems. You will arrive in the historic city of Leuven via the Heverlee woods and the magnificent Parc Abbey!