Maredsous - Maredret

À Maredsous

A - Maredsous - The abbey Voir sur la carte

Maredsous Abbey has shone forth at the heart of the Molignée valley for 140 years. Its plan, inherited from that of the abbeys of Aulne and Villers-la-Ville, is impressive, giving an idea of what the abbeys were during the time of their splendour. Set in the midst of the luxuriant pastures of the Namur plateau, its position provided inspiration for the monks, who have been refining Maredsous cheese for over half a century.

Did you know ?

By prohibiting the exportation of cereals to the Netherlands, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, forces farmers to turn to another source of proteins: milk. Milk being quickly perishable, it is transformed into cheese for storage.

Exploring the site: http://www.meusemolignee.be

Meet and savour Voir sur la carte

Beer and its flavours

At the Saint-Joseph Centre, visitors can taste the abbey’s traditional specialities: bread, cheese, beer and local produce.

À Maredret

B - A neighbouring abbey Voir sur la carte

Monastic fervour in the late 19th century gave rise to new abbeys in Europe. Maredret, which lies not far from Maredsous, displays the characteristic neo-Gothic style, impressive and austere. It was home to Benedictine cloistered nuns.

Meet and savour

The produce of Maredret Abbey

The abbey shop has jams, fruit jellies and apple juice made from the fruits of the orchards. The abbey is not open to visitors, but the Benedictine cloistered nuns will welcome you to stay.

À Anhée

C - Walking Voir sur la carte

The Molignée valley, by bike, on foot or by draisine

A lovely RAVeL route links Anhée, on the edge of the Meuse, to Maredsous Abbey by bike. And here, one means of locomotion - the bicycle, follows another - the Molignée draisine or railbike, a flat-bottomed wagon which, like the bicycle, is propelled by the power of the calf muscles. It makes the most of this old railway line, the L150, which once carried stones from the limestone quarry. This new RAVeL is a green trench through the winding valley. It even passes beneath two tunnels. Be sure to follow this superb RAVeL route, which soon runs alongside the old Maredsous station, now a stopover that we warmly recommend. Bon appétit !

À Anhée

D - Reception and tourist information site Voir sur la carte

Syndicat d'Initiative Anhée-Meuse-Molignée– www.meusemolignee.be