Discover Belœil: Château, Gardens and Trails

Belœil is a destination for anyone wishing to combine historic estates, landscaped surroundings and distinctive cultural sites. The Château de Belœil has a history spanning more than eight centuries. The princely de Ligne family has lived in the Château de Belœil since the 14th century, and its library contains 20,000 books. For a trip catering to different interests, the surrounding area therefore offers both historical insights and opportunities to enjoy trails and nature.

Château, Gardens and Landscape Art

The French gardens of the Château de Belœil were laid out in the 18th century and are regarded as an example of classical landscape art. The Parc du Château de Beloeil also tells the story of a long tradition of landscape design: its original plan dates from 1664. The park also includes a six-hectare area of water. A guided tour of the Parc du Château de Beloeil lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes for groups. Anyone wishing to discover the history of the château not only inside the building but also through garden vistas, water features and park design will find several different ways here to explore the same subject.

The Mer de Sable offers a distinctive natural setting. This state nature reserve forms part of Wallonia’s significant cultural heritage and includes dry heathland, wet heathland with heather, peat hollows and young birch forests. This landscape provides a clear contrast with the formally designed gardens. When planning your day, you can therefore choose between cultural and historical exploration and open, nature-oriented landscapes, without limiting your trip to a single experience.

Exploring on Foot or by Bike

From Beloeil, the W1-RAVeL route follows the Blaton-Ath Canal towards Blaton. The route has complete signage, including a route identification marker. Anyone wishing to include a bike ride in their travel plans therefore has a clearly marked route and a defined direction. For walks around the château, the Promenade du château de Beloeil is a good option. It starts at the Office du Tourisme de Beloeil at 12 Rue de la Hunelle, 7970 Beloeil, and passes through hornbeam avenues, by fountains, pools and old sculptures around the Château de Beloeil.

Archaeology, Crafts and Regional History

The Archéosite and Musée d’Aubechies - Beloeil offers a 5,000-year journey through the history of the populations of our regions, illustrated by archaeological reconstructions. A temple, a necropolis, a villa and a flat-bottomed boat illustrate the Gallo-Roman period there. From mid-April to mid-October, craft demonstrations take place at the Archéosite on Sunday afternoons, including bone working, weaving, wheel pottery, iron forging and bronze casting. The Château de Belœil’s events programme also includes the Exposition d'Amaryllis.

Smaller historic sites also add to the picture. The Moulin du Rié watermill was built on the site of a former fortified castle called Dubuisson and is already mentioned in the 1493 cartulary of the County of Hainaut. In the heart of the Stambruges forest lies the place known as « La fontaine bouillante ». Among the notable furnishings in Saint-Pierre Church is a painting by Michael van Coxyen that was reworked or completed by Rubens.

Getting There and Choosing Your Accommodation

Belœil can be reached by car via the E429/A8. Take exit 30 near Ath, then follow the N56 and N527 towards the N526. By train, travel to Blaton or Ath station and then take line 81 to the Beloeil Place stop. This information will help you organise your journey around your planned combination of château, park, nature, archaeology and trails. When searching for a holiday apartment in Belœil, you can therefore first decide which experiences will be the focus of your trip and which modes of transport you would like to use.

More local pages: Fleurus, Sivry-Rance, Braine-Le-Comte, Estaimpuis, Frasnes-Lez-Anvaing, Momignies, Leernes.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Hainaut.