A retired Belgian telecoms worker is among those behind an innovative smartphone app that aims to keep users fit while helping them discover “hidden gems” around the world.
Philippe Pleckspaen helped launch Jooks, an application that guides users around a destination while highlighting places of interest. Designed primarily for runners and cyclists, it can also be used while walking or, for instance, using a wheelchair.
The app combines geographical positioning with local information and also allows users to book personalised experiences, including hotels along their route, sightseeing runs and guided tours.
All routes are carefully curated, enabling users to explore villages, towns and cities at their own pace. Today, Jooks offers themed, touristic and training-focused routes in more than 300 cities across over 75 countries.
The first route was launched in Lyon, France, while Belgium’s first was created in Braine-l’Alleud, which now has three circuits and where Philippe also coaches a local jogging club.
Auckland, New Zealand, widely regarded as the birthplace of modern jogging, has the largest number of users. In Belgium, the app is most popular in Namur and Leuven. There are also numerous routes in the UK, including five in London, one of which has been designed for wheelchair users.
A special promotion will take place in Wavre this month, where three routes are available, to coincide with the World Hockey Championships.
An idea born on a run
The concept emerged during a business trip to Madrid.
After finishing work for the day, Philippe and two colleagues went for a run through the Spanish capital. Although they passed several interesting landmarks, they had no way of knowing their history or significance.
Reflecting on the experience afterwards, they realised how useful it would have been to have an app that combined exercise with local discovery. That idea eventually became Jooks.
Combining tourism and fitness
The initiative is developed in partnership with local tourism offices and chambers of commerce, which pay an annual fee of €500 to help create walking and running routes showcasing local attractions.
The free app includes information on landmarks, famous local figures and regional culinary specialities. It is available in 12 languages, including English, French, Dutch, Italian and Chinese.
Since the project began, around 500 routes have been created, including 42 in Belgium and 80 in Paris alone. One Belgian route has even been designed for Brussels’ famous annual 20 km race.
Routes range from around 4 km to an average of 10 km, while cycling itineraries generally extend up to 40 km.
The project is financed by participating municipalities, while Philippe and his two colleagues, Olivier and Christophe, continue to expand the network.
According to Philippe, the app is intended to be entirely self-guided, allowing users to explore destinations at their own pace while combining physical activity with cultural discovery. He said the team hopes the platform can improve wellbeing and encourage people to discover places that are often overlooked, even by local residents. Routes can also be adapted in response to user feedback.
Putting the app to the test
The latest route was launched on Sunday, 2 August, in Gerpinnes, a picturesque municipality in Wallonia’s Hainaut province.
This writer was among the first to test the app in Gerpinnes, located around 12 km south of Charleroi.
Known for its traditional folk marches, particularly the Pentecost march honouring Saint Rolende, Gerpinnes attracts more than 2,500 participants dressed in uniforms from the First and Second Napoleonic Empires.
Using the app, a small group of runners from Braine-l’Alleud completed an 11 km circuit through the town.
The route passed medieval monuments, castles, fountains and churches, including Saint Michael’s Church, where the remains of Saint Rolende, daughter of Didier, King of the Lombards, are kept. According to tradition, she died of exhaustion in nearby Villers-Poterie during the 9th century.
Regular stops allowed participants to learn more about the area’s history while also enjoying its quiet streets and green surroundings.
A boost for local tourism
Edmond Van der Meiren, president of the Gerpinnes tourist office, welcomed the initiative, saying it would help showcase the municipality to a wider audience while encouraging residents to discover places they may not have known before.
He said Gerpinnes already attracts visitors thanks to its heritage and traditions, but believes joining the Jooks network will further strengthen its tourism offer.
With more than 500 routes now available across over 75 countries, the initiative continues to expand by encouraging destinations to combine active travel with local heritage, culture and outdoor exploration.
