Lillois-Witterzée: Hiking Trails, Farms and Living History

Lillois-Witterzée combines an appealing hiking route with remarkable Brabant architectural heritage and distinctive historical sites. Anyone looking for a mix of outdoor activity, architecture and regional traditions for their holiday will find a variety of starting points here for planning their trip. You can decide for yourself whether to focus on the promenade, the historic farms or the local festivals and traditions.

Hiking Across the Brabant Plateau

The Promenade de Lillois-Witterzée begins at the car park of Lillois railway station. Its route crosses the Brabant plateau, which reaches a height of around 150 metres in this area. These details alone provide clear orientation when planning your walk: the route connects the starting point at the station with a landscape whose elevation and open character invite you to experience the surroundings consciously. Take the length and character of the plateau into account when planning your day if you would like to discover Lillois-Witterzée on foot.

Farms and a Donjon: History in Stone

The Neuve-Cour Farm is a particularly impressive example of Brabant architecture. Its origins date back to the 13th century, and it was owned by Aywiers Abbey. Residential buildings, barns, stables and farm buildings are grouped around a rectangular courtyard. Bluestone and brick define the architecture, including the entrance portal. This makes it possible to see in a single building complex how agricultural and representational functions were combined.

The Ferme Del Tour also directs attention to the area's earlier history. It preserves a tall seigneurial donjon from the early 13th century. Historically, the Ferme Del Tour was also the seat of a full fief that, under the name “court de Witterzée”, was subject to the Duchy of Brabant. For visitors interested in medieval architecture and regional history, this site therefore offers a different perspective from the rural farm complex of the Neuve-Cour Farm.

Rural architectural heritage also includes La Rivelaine, a Brabant quadrangle farm with a paved courtyard. The various farms and buildings thus open up several perspectives on the history of Lillois-Witterzée, without requiring you to focus on a single theme.

Mill, Grove and Religious Memorial Sites

The Lillois mill was built in 1859. It ceased operating at the beginning of the 20th century after losing its sails. Its history thus also represents the transformation of an earlier use. Another regional trace is the stream formerly called Braine, which rises in Witterzée. The name preserves a historical designation that you can take into account when exploring the landscape.

A replica of the Grotto of Lourdes is said to have been built around 1890. This cautious form of transmission is part of its history and makes it another distinct memorial site in Lillois-Witterzée.

Saint-Jean Between Procession and Remembrance

The Tour de la Saint-Jean procession includes floats, religious and folkloric displays, as well as horse riders. The Saint-Jean celebrations also include a procession accompanied by a marching band. In the evening, a reconstruction is presented of the pyre on which a witch is said to have been burned in the village of Lillois in 1613. Anyone interested in local customs, religious practices and orally transmitted history will gain a special insight into the area's cultural identity.

Taking Your Travel Idea into Account When Choosing Accommodation

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Lillois-Witterzée, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your trip. Should the Promenade de Lillois-Witterzée shape the active part of your stay, or would you mainly like to explore the farms, donjon, mill and religious memorial sites? The Saint-Jean traditions can also offer an important cultural perspective for planning your trip. This way, you choose your accommodation not only based on the place name, but on the kind of holiday days you would like to spend in Lillois-Witterzée.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would also like to explore other destinations, you can find further places to choose from here: Wavre, Kampenhout, Herne, Ramillies, Tubize, Huldenberg, Bekkevoort and Tervuren.

To the overarching travel overview: Brabant.