1.5 Wallonia: Namur, Dinant, the Meuse and Durbuy

Starting from Brussels and heading southwards to Namur, our first stop is the Citadel of the Walloon capital, historically a strategic point in the country where the local forces stopped the French (XVIIth century) and German (XXth century) troops in their invasion.   

From there we have a wonderful view of the valley of the Meuse and its tributary, the Sambre.

We then follow the main river up-stream to arrive in Bouvigne located just in front of Leffe Abbey (yes, the home of the famous beer!). Just a little bit further is Dinant with its spectacular cliffs and the impressive fort that dominates the entire valley. This unique town is also the birth place of the inventor of the saxophone, Adolph Sax. A small but free museum exploring his life is located in the street named after him. This is usually the point to enjoy lunch with draft beer in the first Leffe café of the country.

In the afternoon, as our way crosses the Condroz region, the landscape gradually becoming more abundant in hills and revealing its beautiful valleys.

We pass in front of various famous castles, such as Veves before reaching Celles, a village graced by the Saint-Hadelin 11th-century Romanesque church and hermitage. From there we can start exploring to the east, coming across more charming villages, farms, woods and fields, discovering local products and crafts to arrive in the afternoon in the medieval “smallest city in the world”: Durbuy. Visitors can then choose how to spend the rest of the day: staying to savour Durbuy’s delights in depth, go further in search of more local products, or return to Brussels via little known back roads.

Time: minimum of 9 hours departing from and returning to Brussels.

Potential museums or visits to be added during the tour:

Annevoie Gardens: http://www.annevoie.be/

Modave Castle: http://www.modave-castle.be/