I WANDERED THROUGH THE Barvaux MAZE, BETWEEN CHALLENGES AND SUrprises
Laura et Seb, les Globe blogueurs
Member for 5 years 3 months
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Slow travel with the family
THE BARVAUX MAZE, Challenges AND surprises
Near Durbuy, known as the smallest town in the world, a verdant fantasy world is tucked away. The Barvaux Corn Maze really is essential sightseeing when visiting the Ardennes and offers an unusual and entertaining family outing.
4 min OF MAD FAMILY FUN
Every since he woke up this morning, our son has been hopping up and down with excitement. When we arrive at the entrance gate, he is bewitched by the botanical arch and – before you can say Jack Rabbit – he dashes through the gate and dives into the intriguing world of mazes.
The Giant Corn Maze: an enchanting adventure in the home of the “ Petit Prince”
When we finally catch up with him, he is standing at the top of a huge slide towering over the giant corn maze. From this vantage point, we enjoy spectacular views of the maize labyrinth (pun intended). We can’t wait to explore it, to get lost in it and discover - hiding around the tall corn ears - surprising activities and actors performing scenes or sketches. Each year, a new theme is chosen to breathe life into the corn maze. In 2019, the story of the “Petit Prince” (Saint Exupéry’s famous tale) was chosen to add a touch of magic to the tour.
Live entertainment in the maze - L. Le Guen
Each time we come to a dead end, we break into a fit of giggles
As soon as we set foot in the huge maze, we spot a plane stranded on a heap of sand and are instantly immersed in the story. Our son is spellbound, but above all intrigued…A few minutes later, an aviator emerges from the corn field and performs a spellbinding scene. He tasks us with an important mission: we are to help the Little Prince find his planet. Challenge accepted! We scour the maze hunting for the riddles that hold the key to the precious clues. Each time we come to a a dead end, we break into a fit of giggles, while each discovery or victory is greeted with loud squeals of joy. And we are not the only ones to be exhilarated by the challenge. Every family we meet seems to be 100 % game, and are playing along, fair and square.
The scenes played by enthusiastic actors are the highlights of our exploration. The sets, beautiful costumes and the talented actors take us by the hand and sweep us along into the popular story of the Little Prince. Our son is awe-struck; his face is filled with wonder. He is utterly and completely enchanted by the experience, even more so when he gets the chance to get up on the stage and tame a fox! His innate shyness vanishes like snow before the sun and he joins up with a flock of children who are amused by this odd character. Once we’ve solved all the riddles, we will find the Little Prince’s planet, and we really don’t care if it upsets the sneaky snakes! Thanks to our innate sense of direction (and with a teeny-weeny bit of help from a detailed map of the maze) we find the maze exit where a new adventure awaits us…
Between the corn fields, a maze - L. Le Guen
The maze of riddles: a sensorial and green experience
But the corn maze still has quite a few surprises up its sleeve. You can take a different path in order to find a totally different exit, by solving a series of 13 riddles. I decide to explore it on my tod, as my two men are extremely busy whooshing down the giant slide, which seems to be quite an irresistible child magnet! I find the entertainment factor quite appealing and relish each new challenge. I mull over the brain teasers, tackle small challenges, and use all of my senses to find the answers. Sometimes I need to rely on my sense of smell, tracking the trail by smelling boxes in order to find the smell that will show me the way. My puzzle-solving skills, as well as my sense of touch and hearing are put to the test.
Each challenge is also a great way to raise awareness concerning key environmental issues such as waste sorting, water consumption or even biodiversity.
The trail is perfect for learning how to protect our planet while having loads of fun!
The trail is perfect for learning how to take action and protect our planet, while having loads of fun in the process. The loves of my life, perched high up on their observation tower, are amused when they realize I am a wee bit lost. This time, the path to the exit is harder to find and I decide to cheat (just a little bit) and ask them to give me a hand. Thanks to their strategic position, they can easily spot the route I need to take so we can all be together once again. With exaggerated gestures, quite a few bouts of laughter and some playful teasing, they give me directions so I can join up with them and continue our family adventure.
The door maze: a dark yet entertaining world
After 3 hours spent wandering through the mazes, we are officially addicted and can’t resist the temptation of the door maze. The entrance alone is quite a thrill! To open the door, you need to find the entrance code by answering a question. The maze is interspersed with code-protected doors. To open them, you need to find the boards with the questions which will in turn reveal the right combinations. The questions are quite straightforward, allowing children to take part and finding the right answers is quite easy. We are amazed (yup, pun intended) to discover that there are mazes inside the maze. To travel across the first one you need to wear dark glasses, which our son hastens to put on. He looks quite the part with his glasses, so we waste no time immortalizing the moment. With the help of rope, he attempts to find the maze exit.
The Corn Maze seen from the observation tower - L. Le Guen
Along the way, the maze is dotted with loads of obstacles and surprises, which adds spice to the experience. Fearlessly he explores this mysterious world where the sense of touch is heightened. By listening to our advice, he manages to grab hold several clues, offering a glimpse into the twists and turns that lie ahead… And us? Well, we really enjoy watching our son having the time of his life!
A little further, a dark and gloomy world awaits us, a world that we decide to explore as a family. Plunged in total darkness, we fumble along, groping to find our way out. Once we get past our initial apprehension, we enjoy a fabulous sensorial experience that really stimulates our imagination and brings us closer together as a family. Inside the maze, we are amused to see a mummy cheating a bit by turning on her phone’s flashlight. We, on the other hand, manage to escape from the maze without using any kind of trickery, a feat of which we are inordinately proud. Anyway, to see our son’s face glowing with happiness is enough reward for any parent.
Before we leave the maze, we decide to enjoy a stroll in the the gardens and learn more about the site’s eco friendly approach. We are sorry to hear we just missed the workshop on the subject of “zero waste” which would definitely have interested us. Oh well, we’ll just have to come back another time…
Be what may, getting lost was never that much fun!
Inside the door maze - L. Le Guen
Enjoy this expérience - Attention! In 2020 the maze will unfortunately not be accessible.
Labyrinthe de Barvaux
Theme for 2019 : Le Petit Prince
Rue Basse Commène, 6940 Barvaux-sur-Ourthe
http://www.lelabyrinthe.be
Time tables:
In July & August, from 10:00 to 19:00 ( last entry at 17:00) with actors & performances
From 01 September to 01 October, on weekdays from 11:00 to 17:00, without actors & performances, on weekends and on 27 September, from 10:00 to 19:00, with actors & performances
Tickets:
Adults: € 14,5
Children under 1m50: € 11
Children under 3: free
Laura's top tip: Bring a pen and paper. We also recommend you stay at the "Ferme du pré charmant" holiday cottage, it's really not far away from the Barvaux Maze, and its the ideal place to recharge and spend quality time with your family.
Getting lost was never that much fun! !