Chateau-l'abbaye, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais

This circuit is only available in French and in Dutch. Please feel free to download the FR map card.

This circuit is only available in French and in Dutch. Please feel free to download the FR map card.

Starting in Bléharies, you will take the River Escaut RAVeL (greenway). You will go past many rows of trees. Many large barges and cyclists travel along the Escaut and the towpath alongside it. A few kilometres farther on, you will come to the small village of Bruyelle. Stop for a while and contemplate the pretty church there. The itinerary continues through the most extensive nursery in Belgium, the very well-known Lesdain nursery. Thousands of trees – including fruit trees and ornamental trees – mark the way. An eye-opening show!Cycle-nodes : START 59 - 60 - 7 - 97 - 15 - 25 - 73 - 84 - 81 - 83 - 90 - 57 - 58 - 59 END

In Péruwelz between the cities of Mons and Tournai, the Saint-Daniel Hotel was opened in 2013. It is located in the peace and quiet, in the immediate vicinity of the station (±150m) and just a few minutes from the downtown area. Converted from a former seed trade establishment, the hotel offers warrm, contemporary and comfortable rooms. For relaxation, a private recreation area is envisaged as well as the reception’s bar.

The Centre de la Tapisserie, des Arts Muraux et des Arts du Tissu (Centre for Tapestry, Mural Arts and Textile Arts) is one of the five contemporary centres established by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in the field of textile art. The fact that it is established in Tournai is not insignificant, as the “capital” of Wallonie picarde was one of the country’s main centres of tapestry production in the 15th and 16th centuries. The TAMAT is housed in a beautiful mansion in neo-classicist style, the Museum of Tapestry of the City of Tournai.The collections of the TAMAT are an accurate reflection of the diversity of textile art. More than 250 items from 6 centuries of textile production are exhibited, from old 15th-century tapestries – remarkable heritage of the City of Tournai - over items from the post-war movement “Forces Murales” to contemporary works.The TAMAT also houses research workshops. Every year scholarship holders come here to work in total artistic freedom. A documentation and study centre welcomes researchers, students, teachers and the general public within the context of historical or biographical studies. Moreover, a conservation and restoration workshop, open to the public, enables visitors to gain an insight into the painstakingly slow and meticulous work done by the restorers, who will gladly answer any and all questions.

Located in the historical centre of the Town of Tournai, Hôtel Peeters houses an atypical museum which is devoted to puppetry arts in all their forms. The Puppet Centre will take you on a voyage of discovery, during which the Centre's hidden treasures will be revealed to you – treasures from the four corners of the earth. This trip around the world will thus take you in the footsteps of the most popular figures in European puppet theatre, known by the young and the not-so-young alike, but also in the footsteps of the typical characters and techniques found in the puppetry traditions of various African and Asian countries. Apart from the heritage items stored in the museum, the Puppet Centre offering for visitors also consists not only of various temporary exhibitions, educational events (upon request), creative workshops, but also many shows, training sessions and courses for children and adults. NEW! An unaccompanied tour for families entitled "Jack s'est fait la malle" – the puppet called Jack has disappeared! The only evidence of where he has been are the selfies that he has hidden, here and there, in the museum's rooms. We need you to help him to get back to his designated place amongst the other puppets! During your investigation, you will have to solve riddles, experiment with various puppet handling techniques, observe the puppets in detail, imitate their expressions, touch the material they are made of, and so forth. Available every day the museum is open. We prefer that you book in advance (by calling us on +32 (0)69 889 140 or by emailing us at maisondelamarionnette@skynet.be).

The catholic hurch at Bléharies is perhaps one of the major works of modern church architecture in Belgium. Built to a rectangular design without transepts, it has a lower, narrower, virtually square chancel and an octagonal tower 45 metres high. The nave has no side aisles and is covered by a concrete roof structure resting on reinforced concrete arches 18 metres high and 16 metres wide, set 5 metres apart. The roof, with its three rows of windows, comes down very low. Several stained-glass windows are set into the walls. The materials have been arranged to make full use of their range of colours (yellow stone and bluestone, brick on the outside, concrete and granite inside). Listed building (19-05-1993)

This is the private residence of the Princes of Ligne, that housed Philip the Good and Charles the Bold, Dukes of Burgundy, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and many others. Watch closely: if the flag is flying, then the master of the house is at home.This feudal castle dominates the entire Scheldt valley. It is surrounded by fortified walls from the 12th century and the entrance is protected by a barbican (an impressive fortified gateway). In the 19th century the castle was completely rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. Its keep gives it the appearance of a fairy-tale castle. The estate covers 72 ha.Only guided visits are possible. Access to the barbican, the lapidary museum, the dungeons, the great hall, the bedchamber and the top of the tower. The manor is private and therefore not accessible.

This 1 ha landscape park is a true haven of peace characterised by the decorative style of the 1920s. The winding and undulating paths, secluded places with countless surprises, bucolic trails and romantic ponds will liven up your walk while you discover the broad-leaved trees, conifers and other wonderful plants in the park. Horticultural courses are given by the owner, agronomist and botanist by training, who loves to share his passion with enthusiasm. It is possible to stay in one of the 4 rooms of the B&B La Naïade (2 “épis” and 4 “épis”): view of the garden; bicycles and garden furniture available.

  Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours basilica is a neo-Gothic church built between 1885 and 1895 by the architect F. Baeckelmans on the site of a place of worship used since the 16th century. Originally, there was a statue of the Virgin, sheltered under an oak tree between the forests of Condé and Blaton. But in 1636, an initial chapel was built there and this was enlarged on many occasions. It was in 1910 that the church gained its status as a basilica. The building is constructed on a central plan in Tournai stone. The octagonal centre is flanked by a corolla of chapels with a massive light tower above. The façade features a jutting hexagonal porch with three large Gothic windows under a triangular pediment. Behind the porch, two square section towers rise five levels delineated by dripstone cordons. Above the towers is a square spire enclosed by corner pinnacles. Note the ceramics by Max van der Linden and the oak statue of the Virgin, formerly polychromatic, dominating the chancel and dating from the beginning of the 16th century. Listed (23-01-2001) Exceptional heritage site of Wallonia  

Antoing Castle was the stronghold of the powerful family of Melun and then passed to the current line of Princes. Today we can still see a large part of the 12th century enclosure and the bolewerk (fortified bastion) built in the 15th century. In the 19th century, the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc transformed the castle into a magnificent Neo-Gothic house.

The Plaines de l'Escaut (nature park of the Scheldt) covers the 6 green municipalities of Antoing, Beloeil, Bernissart, Brunehaut, Péruwelz and Rumes. The area is rich with agricultural, horticultural, and water features, as well as swathes of woodland. Within the natural park information centre, L'Escale Forestière will provide you with extensive detail and practical information on the region, the forest and hikes. On site, the Explor'forêt interpretation centre gives you the keys to the forest ecosystem. You’ll also enjoy the Promenoir des Cimes trail which leads you on a discovery of the forest 16 metres above the ground. Families will love the Pic'orée and boundary space and the barefoot trails. For hikers, 500 km of marked trails await them. Many walks take them along the Scheldt, in the middle of fields and nurseries or in one of the many wooded areas. For bird lovers, the Harchies marshes (classified as a Natura 2000 zone) are an essential site for the observation of migratory species. The natural park is also characterised by its heritage. The castles of Beloeil and Antoing, the Iguanodon museum and the mining museum are all attractions for visitors. Not to mention the good restaurants and craft breweries which abound in the natural park.

This brewery has been producing artisanal beers for 20 years (4 passionate generations!) already, using local ingredients: Blanche des Sources, La Vieille de Bon Secours (blonde, amber, dark, fruity), Blonde de Noël.

This brewery, one of the oldest in Wallonia, tells its story through a unique immersive experience. Then enjoy a drink on the Troll & Bush's large terrace in a lush green setting! visit.dubuisson.com/beerstorium/

Visit an authentic Belgian brasserie in Blaton. All beers are brewed and bottled on the premises.

The Biérodrome, located along the Escaut, is fully dedicated to craft beer: the perfect place to satisfy your curiosity about the brewing world... and your tastebuds, of course.

Our good old Belgian potatoes have finally been honoured! The brasserie restaurant PATATE HOUSE does your potatoes differently! It’s a new concept likely to appeal to a large number of gourmets! Guests can enjoy a wide variety of baked potatoes with the fillings of their preference. They have the tantalizing names “fromagère” (cheese maker), “chevrière” (shepherdess), “chicorée” (chicory), “marseillaise” (Marseillaise) and “nordique” (Nordic). There’s the full works! For those who don’t like potatoes, delicious salads are also available in various formats with each more original than the next. Grilled fish and meat complete this menu which can still vary with the seasons! All this in a welcoming environment where you can also have a delicious glass of beer or a bottle of wine selected by the manager, along with some home-made snacks that are also at attractive prices! Testing PATATE HOUSE... Is to adopt it!

Discover this old farmhouse with its bric-a-brac décor, just a stone's throw from the Aubechies Archéosite®, a visit the whole family will love. Step back in time as you enjoy a Roman meal on a leafy terrace. www.taverne-saint-gery.be/

"Freshness, simplicity and diversity" have been the values behind their cuisine for almost seven years now. Located in the largest tree-filled square in Belgium, you will easily find space to enable you to stop off there and to come and enjoy our Greek culinary specialities. In a warm and cosy atmosphere, in a setting in which the decoration has been freshened up, thanks to professional hosting, you will be able to discover freshly-prepared dishes straight made to order at the foot of the Acropolis or sip an ouzo while biting into feta with that lovely taste of Kolymbari olive oil with an uninterrupted view of the town of Oia in Santorini. Place 31 specialises in grilled dishes, and all dishes are carefully home-made. Dolmades, soutzoukakia, keftedes, kokalakia giouvetsi, to mention but a few: names that will surely remind you of pleasant evenings spent on holidays in Greece. Place 31: an opportunity to go back to Greece, without even having to get on a plane! Take advantage of this chance to visit the Haut Pays area, which is less than 20 minutes from Mons. Place 31 has two outdoor seating areas and a private garden.

Enter the magical world of Le Funambule (literally, the tightrope walker)... Step on to the rope and brave the delicious flavours, put together with so much skill. Soak up this feeling that overwhelms you and explore the flavours of food from the southwest. Let sunshine fill your plate and share this wonderful experience... in a rustic little town there is a peaceful restaurant that’s just as rustic as its setting. Your eyes as well as your taste buds will enjoy these dishes that are both innovative and traditional, at very reasonable prices... The paintings are real works of art where every stroke creates a feeling of wellbeing, joy and above all a desire to tell everyone you know about this place.

Gaetan Moury and his team invite you to join them in this warm, friendly medieval setting and give your eyes and your taste buds a treat at Le Médiéval. Traditional cooking and local specialities like stuffed pigs’ ears, tartiflette and grills. When it comes to what to drink, try one of the beers from near and far... the choice includes Orval, Karmeliet and Saint-Feuillien. Le Médiéval also organises banquets (parties, weddings, communions, etc.), offering customised packages to suit your preferences and your budget.

Thanks to its luxurious rooms, quiet park, functional seminar rooms and comfortable reception halls, Le Château d'Arondeau is ideal for an exhilarating stay, for seminars or for the most wonderful celebrations… This elegant 19th-century castle, located in the heart of the Parc naturel des Plaines de l'Escaut, did not lose any of its charm during its restoration and currently combines historical character with modern comfort, in the unique setting of a 15 hectare estate consisting of woodland, ponds and gardens.

Welcome to the Saint Daniel Hotel Housed in an ancient seed merchant’s house, halfway between Mons and Tournai, this warm, contemporary and comfortable hotel was designed in 2013. The Saint Daniel Hotel is located in very tranquil surroundings, whilst very close to the railway station (approximately 150 meters) and only a few minutes away from the town centre. https://www.hotelsaintdaniel.be/en

In Péruwelz between the cities of Mons and Tournai, the Saint-Daniel Hotel was opened in 2013. It is located in the peace and quiet, in the immediate vicinity of the station (±150m) and just a few minutes from the downtown area. Converted from a former seed trade establishment, the hotel offers warrm, contemporary and comfortable rooms. For relaxation, a private recreation area is envisaged as well as the reception’s bar.

Located amid pastures, the gite Oh la vache! is an old renovated farmhouse. Located in calm and relaxing countryside, the accommodation has a lounge, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room and two toilets. On sunny days, enjoy the terrace and the barbecue. In the heart of the Plaines de l’Escaut natural park, the village offers many opportunities for walks and discoveries. You’ll enjoy all the mod cons and many activities nearby, as the gite is located right next to Tournai and Péronnes lake. Only 35km from Lille and Pairi Daiza, 90km from Brussels and from Bruges!

Situated at the heart of the natural park of the Scheldt plains, this fully renovated dwelling accommodates you at a stone's throw from the Bonsecours forest. It offers you comfortably furnished quality rooms where you will get some well-deserved rest. The cottage is a rural gite that has been awarded three “épis” (ears of wheat) by the Tourism Commission of the Walloon Region and accommodates 2 to 10 people. Situated in the charming village of Roucourt, the gite boasts four fully-equipped rooms (balcony, three bathrooms including one with a jacuzzi and a hydromassage shower, dining room, separate kitchen, two living rooms, mezzanine, desk, terrace, 1 separate toilet) and a large garden. You are also offered a myriad of services throughout your stay.