There are so many reasons to get to know and love the Walloon Brabant region, from annual markets in picturesque towns, to flower festivals, to historic battle sites and award-winning art museums and culture trails, there is a whole world to discover – and it’s all right on the doorstep of the Belgian capital.
1. Hergé Museum
Here, in the heart of the modern university town of Louvain La Neuve, you can devote yourself to finding out more about one of Belgium’s foremost cultural exports: Tintin, and his creator, Hergé.
The Hergé Museum’s fantastical architecture reflects the unique universe of Tintin, his dog Snowy (also known in French as Milou), Captain Haddock and all the crew, offering sliced up views of some of the world’s most beloved comic book characters across angular walkways, windows and open spaces, and revealing 80 original plates, 800 photos, documents and other artefacts.
There is a pleasant café on site and an excellent gift shop for comic book lovers of all ages.
Open Tuesday to Friday from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm and at weekends from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Closed on 1/01 and 25/12. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month, otherwise adult tickets are priced at €12. Discounts are available for children, seniors, students, large families and others.
2. L Museum
Also in Louvain La Neuve, just a 12-minute walk away, and also sited in an extraordinary architectural gem designed by Andre Jacqmain, the L Museum used to be the Science and Technology Library of the Catholic University of Leuven.
These days it displays 1,500 works from its 20,000-strong collection of worldwide art and artefacts, marrying creativity with science. With a self-imposed mission to bring artworks and objects alive by placing them shoulder-to-shoulder, Museum L “seeks a dialogue between the arts and sciences, between cultures, between eras, between objects, to experience the complexity and beauty of the world.”
Open Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 am until 5:00 pm, and on weekends and holidays from 11:00 am. On the third Thursday of the month, the museum offers evening visits until 10:00 pm. Closed on 01/01, 21/07, 15/08, 24/12 and 25/12. Admission is free on the 1st Sunday of the month. Otherwise, adult entry is priced at €8, with discounts for seniors, children, groups and people with additional needs.
3. Solvay Regional Estate
Setting foot in the Solvay Regional Estate, once part of the ancient ducal hunting grounds of the Sonian Forest, gives you a sense of time gone by, its sweeping driveways, tranquil lakes, and landscaped vistas full of magnificent tree specimens, rhododendrons, lawns and wisteria, a reminder of the wealth and elegance of Belgium’s upper classes and a glorious sight on spring and summer days.
Bequeathed to the Belgian state by the grandson of renowned chemist and industrialist Ernest Solvay, the estate is a significant natural heritage site, where it is possible to walk among ancient trees and see a 400-tree fruit orchard where important species conservation takes place. Three walking routes averaging 5 km in length have been mapped by the estate.
Free to visit and open from 1 April to 30 September, 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, and from October to March until 6:00 pm. Dogs are allowed.
4. Fondation Folon
Although the 19th century Chateau de la Hulpe on the Solvay Estate is only available for private events, it is possible to visit the excellent Fondation Folon, where over 500 works by the prolific Belgian artist, illustrator and sculptor Michel Folon are stunningly curated.
In an old farmhouse building, visitors are invited to step inside a giant comic book to discover the warm watercolour palette and plump, elongated figures and Magritte-inspired surrealism that characterise Folon’s oeuvre, which spans 40 years and countless recognisable commissions for world famous magazines, including Time and The New Yorker.
The Homme Bleu tavern on site would be worth a visit on any occasion, with an appealing menu of Belgian classics and a great selection of beers.
Open Tuesday to Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm and on weekends and bank holidays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed on 24th, 25th, 31st December and on 1st January. Adult entry is €12, with the usual discounts available.
5. Villers Abbey
Another of the Walloon Brabant region’s most magnificent gems must also be highlighted here: the 12th century abbey of Villers-la Ville. A truly exceptional site, where sensitive restoration work and excellent tourism infrastructure meet a vast Cistercian complex of ruins and a pharmaceutical herb garden. One of the best days out Belgium has to offer, the abbey also hosts events and exhibitions.
Check out Villers Abbey’s calendar and see also how you can combine a trip to the abbey with a 2-day heritage-inspired cycling tour put together by Destination Walloon Brabant, taking in the delights of medieval Braine-Le-Chateau and the historic charm of Nivelles too.
Open 1 November – 31 March, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm every day and in high season until 6pm, every day. Annual closing: December 24, December 25, December 31 and January 1. Entry for adults is €10 with the usual discounts.
