>> Province of Hainaut
The Château de Beloeil
Rue du Château
7970 Beloeil
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 69 68 94 26 - 00 32 (0) 69 68 96 55
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 69 68 87 82
E-mail: Foundation.ligne@skynet.be
Château – treasures inside and out and a train round the grounds
Owned by the Princes of Ligne since the 14th century, this magnificent castle rivals any in the Loire. The four medieval towers from the original building are cleverly incorporated into the 17th century château. Inside, it's a real treasure trove and an interesting one, at that. Over 20,000 books in the library give you a rare insight into how printing developed from its origins to the 21st century. The art collection includes paintings from the 15th to the 19th centuries, many of them depicting family events over the generations. And there are some fine examples of French cabinet making of the 17th and 18th century. And when you’ve had your fill, a little train takes you round the vast grounds of the estate with its exquisite French-style gardens and fine statuary.
Nearby, is Aubechies, one of the prettiest villages in Wallonia. It has a fascinating 'Archaeosite' with carefully reconstructed local dwellings from Neolithic to Gallo-Roman times.
Open
Weekends and holidays from April 1 to May 31; every day from June 1 to September 30.
Admission
Adults €5, Children €4 includes admission to castle and gardens.
106 miles from Eurotunnel
Château de Seneffe
Rue L. Plasman 6
7180 Seneffe
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 64 55 69 13
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 64 55 69 35
E-mail: chateaudeseneffe@hotmail.com
18th century life plus a gold and silver museum
A short drive from the site of the Battle of Waterloo, you can get a real insight into elegant 18th century life at the Château de Seneffe. Situated in a spectacular landscaped park with an impressive orangerie and neo-classical theatre, the tour takes you through the finely furnished rooms from the dining room to the valet’s antechamber. The Museum of Seneffe, housed within the Château, has a superb collection of finely wrought silver and gold and sometimes has temporary exhibitions of the finest modern jewellery.
Open
Daily, except in bad weather, 8am-6pm (4pm November - Easter).
130 miles from Eurotunnel
Château de Chimay
6460 Chimay
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 60 21 44 44
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 60 21 23 24
E-mail: chateau.de.chimay@skynet.be
Royal Château with superb theatre
Phoenix Castle might be a better name for this magnificent pile close to the French border. First mentioned in the 7th century, it’s been burnt down and rebuilt no less than eight times. The Château is one of only six which is still occupied by members of the Belgian royal family. In fact, if you take a guided tour, it’s quite likely that the Princess of Chimay herself will show you round. The tour includes a film of the Château’s fascinating history which is usually shown in the gorgeously ornate theatre, a copy of Louis XIV’s theatre at Fontainebleau. This is also the setting for various concerts including a Baroque music festival and international baroque singing competition. The town of Chimay is also famed for its trappist beers – which you can buy in the Château shop.
Open
Daily 10am-12 noon, 2.30pm-6pm from March 1 - November 1. Guided tours by appointment.
Admission
€6.
151 miles from Eurotunnel
>> Province of Namur
Annevoie Castle and Gardens
Les Jardins d'Annevoie
37a rue des Jardins
5537 Annevoie
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 82 61 15 55
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 82 61 47 47
E-mail: info@jardins.dannevoie.be
Château and wonderful water gardens
The garden is the star at this 17th palace which has been home to the same family for 16 generations. Designed and laid out between 1758 and 1776 by Charles Alexis Montpelier, it’s a wonderful mix of French, English and Italian style with over 20 ornamental lakes and ponds fed by 50 water jets, fountains and cascades. The magic is that all the water features work naturally and have been flowing here non-stop for the last 230 years! It’s fascinating to see the mix of styles, too: the formal French style where even nature must conform to the rules of symmetry; the 18th century English style where the natural look is created artificially, and the Italianate style which goes with the flow of nature. There’s a Brasserie here, so could be a good place to stop for lunch.
Open
Daily 9.30am-6.30pm from April 1 - November 1.
167 miles from Eurotunnel
Château de Lavaux-Ste-Anne
Rue du Château, 8
5580 Lavaux-Ste-Anne
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 84 38 83 62
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 84 38 73 02
E-mail: Chateau.lsa@yucom.be
Château & Hunting Museum in the Ardennes
This fortified castle complete with round towers, keep, drawbridge and moat, dates back to the 15th century, although it has sumptuous Renaissance additions. The Ardennes is traditional hunting country and the Château is home to a fascinating Museum of Nature and Hunting complete with falconry, while the fortified farmhouse has an intriguing collection of gadgets from 19th century rural life. The Château also boasts a gastronomic restaurant (closed Mondays & Tuesdays) so you could play at being lords and ladies of the castle dining off delicious local game! The famous Grottes de Han with their stalagmites and stalactites and underground lake are nearby, as is a wild animal reserve containing the species that would have been around the Ardennes in prehistoric times – like bison, bear and wild boar.
Open
Daily 9am-6pm (7pm in July and August). Closed for renovations from November 15 2004 - April 1 2005.
Admission
Adults €5.50, children €3.80.
188 miles from Eurotunnel
Château de Vêves
Noisy, 5
5561 Celles - Houyet
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 82 66 63 93
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 82 66 60 36
E-mail: Veves-noisy@skynet.be
Dramatically perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the pretty village of Celles, this is the castle of your dreams. Dating from 1410, it has turrets fit for a fairytale princess and is fully furnished with a good collection of 18th century furniture and rare porcelain. The village is even older than the castle and was in its heyday in 669 when the hermit and monk Saint Hadelin arrived. The superb 11th century Romanesque church was built in his honour and is well worth visiting for its 7th century crypt, 11th century stalls and 12th century stained glass. There’s evidence of more recent history, too, in the Panther tank, a relic of the Battle of the Ardennes in 1944.
Open
March 30 - November 3, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm (5pm in April & October). Open every day in July and August and on public holidays.
Admission
Adults €5, children €2.50.
187 miles from Eurotunnel
Château de Modave
4577 Modave
Tel.: 00 32 (0) 85 41 13 69
Fax.: 00 32 (0) 85 41 26 76
E-mail: info@modave-castle.be
Just south of Huy, one of Belgium’s oldest cities, the beautiful castle of Modave is perched on a rock wall surrounded by a nature reserve. Several castles have been built on this magnificent site and the current one dates back to the late 17th century. Its impressive exterior is as nothing compared with its interior. It boasts around twenty lavishly decorated, extravagantly furnished rooms with 17th century tapestries, Dutch masters and superb stucco work. With tables laid with beautiful faience from Gien and 19th century Val-St-Lambert crystal, it really is a feast for the eyes. Musical evenings are held in the castle and the Christmas decorations they have here are magical.
Open
Daily 9am-6pm April 1 - November 15 and Christmas period. At other times open only for groups on reservation.
Admission
Adults €4.96, children €2.97
190 miles from Eurotunnel