Discover Wavre: Leisure, River Paths and Cultural Heritage

Wavre combines a wide range of leisure experiences with riverside paths, a vibrant heritage and remarkable cultural attractions. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, it is therefore worth first considering what kind of days you prefer: action-packed hours in theme parks, walks along the Dyle or a tour exploring church and regional history.

Theme parks and activities for different age groups

Aventure Parc, a treetop adventure park, is located in the heart of the Bois de Beumont. Anyone who wants to combine exercise and nature will find a particular focus for their stay here. Walibi is a family theme park with attractions for all age groups. The Walibi park complex also includes Aqualibi. There, swimming pools, water slides and a wave pool are part of the offering, as are areas intended entirely for children.

Another option is WIK, with a 650-metre-long go-kart track and 15 electric karts. These different offerings make Wavre appealing to families in which not everyone has the same idea of a successful holiday day.

Walks along the river and avenue

The Pré des Graisses footpath leads to a naturally preserved site; you reach it via paths along the river. The Boucle Touristique offers a different perspective. QR codes there provide access to audio commentary in French and Dutch. This allows a walk to be combined with regional information, without the trip having to consist exclusively of classic sights.

The Belle Voie is a tree-lined avenue along the Dyle. After passing various sports facilities, it leads to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Basse-Wavre. Along its present-day route, a path was laid in 1628 on the initiative of Affligem Abbey to make it easier to reach the priory. For visitors who want to combine historical context with physical activity, this provides a particularly vivid way of accessing the history of the place.

Churches, processions and local history

The Church of Saint John the Baptist belongs to Brabantine Gothic and was built between 1470 and 1480 on a Latin-cross plan. Inside are wall paintings from the 16th century; the paintings in the southern transept depict Saint Guidon. A cannonball from the battles of 18 June 1815 is still embedded in a pillar of the nave. Visiting the carillon in the tower requires climbing 140 steps – a specific aspect you can take into account when planning your visit.

The Basilica of Basse-Wavre also bears several layers of history. At this site, monks from Affligem founded a priory at the end of the 11th century. Later, the basilica developed into a centre of Marian devotion. The Roman villa of Basse-Wavre was probably in use between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD; today, the site lies buried beneath the grounds of the present-day de l’Hosté farm.

The Grand Tour, an annual procession covering 8 kilometres, is part of the cultural calendar and commemorative tradition. Jeu de Jean & Alice is a folk performance in the form of a musical comedy. It commemorates the historic granting of the Charte des Libertés et Franchises communales on 23 April 1222 and is performed every five years.

Wavre as a starting point for planning your trip

VisitWavre provides information on Wavre’s cultural heritage, walking routes, events and activities. Use these themes to define the character of your stay: family leisure, riverside paths, sacred history or the most varied mix possible. As another destination for planning your trip, you can also view Limal.

For the overview of the wider region: Brabant.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Zemst, Waterloo, Grimbergen, Jette, Court-Saint-Etienne, Boutersem, Villers-La-Ville.