Around the abbey of Maredsous

Maredsous Abbey was founded in 1872 by Benedictine monks and is located in the beautiful valley of the Molignée in Maredsous, hamlet of Denée, district of Anhée. The monastery church and St. Joseph's Visitor Centre are freely accessible all year round and you can also visit the abbey itself under supervision. (Schedules and prices of visits on tourisme.maredsous.be/nl/). Go to the St. Joseph's Visitor Centre (V). Turn back to the visitor centre on the right and after 75 metres, turn left onto the lane between the two car parks. After 100 meters, leave the car park and walk straight ahead and get off onto the narrower asphalt track. • Soon you will have the Château de Maredsous (1), a beautiful castle farmhouse from the 17th-18th centuries. Cross the Molignée River and the wide paved track and turn left and go up the forest road. After 100 meters, cross the old railway - now RAVeL (Réseau Autonome de Voies Lentes) - and walk further and higher into the forest. In spring, you'll find forest garbage grass, spotted arum, and dark spore forest purple. Ignore all side roads into the forest and stay on the wide paved forest road. • Ignore, once out of the forest, take a clear exit on the right and continue straight ahead and go up towards Denée. The country road becomes a paved road and plunges. At the fork, continue to go down to the right. After 300 meters, you have the Chapel of the Sacred Heart (2) on the left and you enter the buildings of Denée. Soon you will have a beautiful view of the center of the village and the church on the right. Ignore Rue d'Ermeton on the left and some unmade exits on the right and continue to Place Frédéric de Montpellier. Turn right towards the village church, Saint-Rémi church. Turn left at the church until you reach the main road. On the right you have the Chapel of St. Barbara (4). • Walk right towards Maredsous in Maharenne Street. Where the main road turns right, you continue straight, still in Maharenne Street. Now ignore all side streets and exits. After almost a kilometre, the asphalt track becomes a concrete track. Ignore the wide dirt road on the left and turn right onto the concrete track. After another kilometer with wide views, you will arrive at the forest. Walk straight into the forest and after 400 meters at the fork, turn right and go down. When you leave the forest a little later, you will see the towers of the abbey church of Maredsous on the right. Ignore a wide field road on the right and continue walking straight and down. The country road eventually rises and immediately takes you into the forest. • Once out of the forest, walk immediately to the right. There is a beautiful chapel here on the Way of the Crucifix (5). In spring, you can find wild daffodils here. After more than 800 meters, leave two wide forest roads on the left and turn a little further left, now on asphalt. Ignore the right turn 50 meters after the turn and walk straight on the asphalt and descend. The paved track bends to the right and soon you have a beautiful view of the village of Sosoye on the left. Walk on the main road on the left and on the Molignée. After 100 meters, you have on the left the elegant limestone church of the Nativity of Our Lady (6) from 1764. • After a possible visit, leave the church and continue walking along the main track and under the railway bridge. Immediately after the railway bridge, turn right along and under the old platform of the railway. Stay 150 meters further at the fork on the left and above and now walk more than a kilometer on the asphalt track. At the top of the intersection, turn right towards Maredret Abbey. After 300 meters you will arrive at a fork. On the left you will find the entrance to the abbey of Maredret (7), founded in 1891 and also a Benedictine monastery. On the right you will return after 400 meters to the visitor center of the Abbey of Maredsous. At least visit the abbey church (8) and in the visitor center you have the opportunity to taste the famous beers and cheeses of Maredsous.