Discover Yvoir

Yvoir combines impressive history with paths through forests and valleys, as well as special excursions in the Bocq Valley. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home for a varied stay can combine different interests here: medieval fortifications, archaeology, a commentary-guided train journey, green paths and the nature of Île d’Yvoir are among the defining experiences.

Hiking and soft mobility around Yvoir

Yvoir has a remarkable network of green paths for soft mobility on foot, by bicycle and on horseback. The local network includes 14 signposted walking routes, 26 local and interlocal connections, as well as three routes developed as Arrêts Verts, connecting railway stations. This makes it possible to plan your trip according to your preferred pace, without devoting the days exclusively to a single excursion destination.

One specific option is the circular route through the Tricointe state forest and the lower Bocq Valley. It leads from Yvoir through the Tricointe state forest and the lower Bocq Valley, and then back towards Yvoir. This variety is interesting when choosing accommodation: if you enjoy getting around on foot, you can select your holiday apartment according to the focus of your daily plans and take walking routes into account alongside cultural destinations or excursions in the valley.

Medieval sites and archaeology

Poilvache is the largest surviving fortified medieval complex in the Meuse Valley. The site is open on weekends and public holidays from the beginning of April to the end of October. If Easter falls in March, opening begins at Easter. During the school holidays in Wallonia—in the spring and autumn holidays, as well as in July and August—the medieval site is open daily. You should take these precisely defined periods into account when planning your trip.

The Château de Spontin also adds a historical touch. The castle has an authentic drawbridge and is classified both as a monument and as a site. In addition, the Musée archéologique de la Haute-Meuse presents archaeology from the Meuse Valley, its tributaries and the Meuse plateaus. This allows you to combine an active day outdoors with a visit that conveys the region’s historical character from another perspective.

Bocq Valley, railway and island nature

The Chemin de Fer du Bocq offers a commentary-guided journey of around 1.5 hours through the Bocq Valley. Either an authentic railcar or a hauled train from the 1950s is used. The journey is therefore an experience in its own right, rather than merely a means of transport to another activity.

Tourist leisure activities are offered on the 2.5-hectare Île d’Yvoir. The island is reached by an electrically powered boat; the island’s nature reserve can also be explored there. The combination of a boat trip, leisure activities and nature observation expands the options for a stay in which not every day has to have the same focus.

The local history also includes the Brasserie du Bocq, which has existed in the village of Purnode since 1858. A tourist visit is no longer organised there because the new production facilities can no longer accommodate visitors. If you want to put this aspect of the region into context, the brewery’s long history nevertheless remains a distinctive part of the local character.

The right accommodation for planning your trip

When looking for accommodation in Yvoir, it is worth first deciding on the desired mix of activities. For active days, the network of paths and the circular route through the Tricointe state forest and the lower Bocq Valley are the main attractions. Those interested in culture can include Poilvache, the Château de Spontin and the Musée archéologique de la Haute-Meuse. Île d’Yvoir and the journey through the Bocq Valley each offer their own highlights. A holiday apartment in Yvoir can therefore serve as a base for an individually planned trip, without requiring you to focus on just one type of experience.

More destinations for trip planning

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Yvoir, you can also view Andenne, Purnode, Gedinne, Furnaux, Temploux, Havelange, Jemeppe-Sur-Sambre and Hastière-Par-Delà.

For the higher-level travel overview: Names.