Gierle: Village Centre, Mills and Green Trails

Gierle combines an exceptionally well-preserved village centre with mills, protected buildings and green destinations for excursions. To this day, the settlement centre is almost completely surrounded by a green belt. This allows you to plan your trip in many different ways: with a cultural and historical walk along the Singel, a hike through woodland and heathland, or an excursion to the swimming lake.

History around the Singel

Gierle has one of the best-preserved village centres in the Kempen. The village centre, with the Singel, the church, the walled cemetery, the Latin school, the genever distillery and the old town hall with busts and a village pump, was protected in 1979. Café Den Eik and several village houses are also part of this protected ensemble. Anyone interested in local history will gain a concentrated impression here of the different traces of village life.

The parish church of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Geboorte and the historic cemetery complex are also protected. The present church was completely rebuilt from 1861 to 1865 on the site of an older place of worship, according to plans by the architect Edmond de Perre-Montigny. The oldest church at this location is already mentioned in the 13th century. To the south-west of the centre, the monumental chapel of the former “Pensionaat der Religieuze Ursulinen” also recalls the institute’s worldwide reputation at that time.

In Stormen Sterk and the History of the Mills

A prominent part of the cultural profile is In Stormen Sterk, a stone grain windmill of the Oberkruier type (ground-sailer), built in 1837. The mill contains two pairs of millstones, an oat crusher and a cake crusher made by Vandevelde & Arras of Lier. The volunteer millers open In Stormen Sterk to visitors and talk about the mill and the grinding of grain. It opens on the last Sunday of every month, except in December.

Woodland, Water and Publicly Accessible Trails

For active days, Het GielsBos offers freely accessible hiking and cycling trails. There is also an interactive game in which visitors can search for hidden geocaches on the grounds. The Gierlebos is the remaining part of the former Grotenhoutbos, one of Belgium’s oldest deciduous forests. Together with the green belt around the settlement centre, this historic landscape connection shapes the character of Gierle. De Lilse Bergen adds a recreational area with a large swimming lake to the range of options.

Hikes with Different Themes

The “Langs de Gielse molens en Aa-beemden” hike begins at the Singel in Gierle. Parking is available behind the church. Another option is the “Louis Neefs wandeling”, which starts at the Louis Neefs bust on the Singel. Along the way, you can listen to stories and anecdotes about Louis Neefs via QR codes. The memorial bust was erected at the Schuur in Gierle in 2007; Louis Neefs lived from 1937 to 1980.

The “Van Krawaten & heksen” hike begins at junction 93 near the entrance to the De Lilse Bergen recreational area and leads through woodland, heathland and meadows. It passes the Warandeplas, where dogs are allowed to swim in a designated off-leash area, as well as the special Achtzalighedenboom. This route is therefore an interesting option when nature, exercise and a stay with a dog are all part of the plan.

The Right Location for Planning Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment in Gierle, you can first decide what daily rhythm suits your trip. The historic village centre offers points of interest related to culture and local history, while the trails described allow for various forms of exercise. Those who want to include water in their holiday can consider De Lilse Bergen. For a trip with a dog, the designated swimming area at the Warandeplas is a specific selection criterion.

More Travel Ideas

If you would like to get to know another place in addition to Gierle for planning your trip, you can also visit Wechelderzande.

For the overview of the wider area: Lille.