Éghezée: Hiking, Orchards and Gallo-Roman Traces

Éghezée reveals its most interesting side especially where paths lead through agricultural areas, orchards and traces of historic landscapes. Anyone looking for a mix of activity, nature observation and culture during their holiday will find several different options here for planning their days. The routes described do not all start from the same point: Saint-Germain, Upigny, Taviers, Longchamps and other places each give the excursions their own character.

Hiking between the church, fields and orchards

One notable experience is the 15.5-kilometre hike Saint Germain – the bell-tower walk. It begins at the listed church in Saint-Germain and leads through agricultural areas. Its length should be taken into account when planning personally. This makes it easier to decide whether this route should be the focus of an active day or be combined with other impressions of Éghezée.

The orchard walk in Upigny offers a different perspective on the landscape. The route leads to Mehaigne and, on the way back, runs alongside the orchards of Upigny. The focus is therefore not only on being out and about, but also on the transition between the places mentioned and the orchards. For a travel group with different interests, this route can be a quieter alternative to a longer hike, without any specific walking time or level of difficulty needing to be inferred from it.

Gallo-Roman history along the way

In Taviers, the Gallo-Roman hike combines activity with historic traces. As far as Noville-sur-Mehaigne, it uses a section of the ancient road. The hike also passes a Gallo-Roman site whose area is estimated at around 10 ha. The approximate area figure remains part of the context. Anyone interested in older settlement traces and the history of roads thus has a concrete reason to perceive the surroundings not only as a landscape, but also as a cultural space.

Another historic detail is located next to the Ferme du Roissia on Rue de Labie: the tumulus there may date from Roman times. It is precisely this cautious classification that makes the site an intriguing observation point for anyone who wants to look out for less obvious traces while travelling.

RAVeL and migratory birds

The Éghezée–Longchamps–Leuze hike uses the RAVeL on the former railway line 142 between Namur and Tirlemont. The former railway route gives this excursion its own historic setting while also opening up another way to explore Éghezée actively. In Longchamps, the settling ponds of the sugar beet factory serve as a resting place for many migratory birds. Anyone wishing to combine nature observation with exploring the landscape can take this aspect into account when planning the excursion.

The right accommodation for planning your trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Éghezée, it is advisable to first decide which experiences you would like to have. Should the hike near Saint-Germain be the focus, are you more interested in the orchards of Upigny, or would you like to include Gallo-Roman traces in Taviers and the RAVeL? The hiking leaflets distributed free of charge by the Commission Nature & Loisirs d'Ecrin can provide additional guidance for the routes.

For further trip planning, you can also look at Hamois, Temploux, Haltinne, Sosoye, Mettet, Surice, Houdremont and Assesse.

To the main travel overview: Namur.