Maredsous - Maredret

À Maredsous

A - Maredsous - The abbey


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. Its position in the midst of the luxuriant pastures of the Namur plateau provided inspiration for the monks, who have been refining Maredsous cheese for over half a century.

However, it is not only gastronomy that brings international recognition to the neo-Gothic abbey. It is primarily as a religious and monastic institution that it has been manifesting itself for decades. The Bible, the research conducted through it, and its Saint Benedict College are the foundation of its religious and intellectual work.

Contact
Rue de Maredsous,11
5537 Anhée
Tel : 0032(0) 82 69 82 84
Web : http://www.maredsous.com


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


Meet and savour

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, a haven of peace, nature and silence


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.

The abbey is home to Benedictine nuns of many different nationalities. The community was founded in 1893 and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2043! The community gained worldwide renown in the 1920s for the art of illumination, and organizes workshops and courses throughout the year, open to the public. It welcomes guests for shorter or longer stays and organizes numerous artistic and spiritual activities.

 

Services are open to the public.

 

For further information, please visit the abbey's website.



Rue des Laidmonts,9
5537 Anhée
Tel : 0032(0) 82 21 31 80
Web : http://abbaye-maredret.be/

Meet and savour

Products made by the sisters of the Abbey

A small monastic store is open every day and offers not only home-made products such as apple juice, homemade jams, honey and cookies, but also Maredret beers, ceramics, handicrafts (illumination, knitting, sewing, etc.), books, cards, religious objects and much more.

Maredret - An international solidarity project

In tune with nature and concerned with the holistic health of the human being, body-mind-soul, the nuns of Maredret perpetuate the prodigious know-how of Saint Hildegard of Bingen. Teachings, courses and retreats are organized every year. In 2021, two Maredret craft beers were launched. Their particularity lies in the use of spelt and natural plants recommended by St Hildegarde, such as coriander, galanga, sage etc.... The result is sublime. The inspiration for the recipes and the exquisite choice of ingredients comes from the sisters' medicinal garden, orchard and kitchen garden.

The range includes two beers: Triplus (blonde, 8%) and Altus (amber, 6.8%).

Did you know?

Did you know that brewing beer was actually a matter of woman ?

Since the dawn of time, it was the housewife who brewed beer for the whole household as well as for the workers, just as it was she who baked bread. And it was indeed a woman, St Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), Benedictine abbess and founder of Rupertsberg Abbey and Bingen, in the Rhineland, who first mentioned the virtues of hops for preserving beer (Liber simplicis medicinae ou Physica(1151-1158). And one of the founding sisters of Maredret Abbey brought all her beer-making know-how back to Maredret from her abbey in England.

A guided tour

Maredret Abbey (Church, Crypt, Illuminations Exhibition) can be visited with a guide in different languages (French - Dutch - English - German).  In summer, the medicinal plant garden can be visited by prior arrangement.

Please send your request by e-mail to welcome@accueil-abbaye-maredret.info

À Anhée

C - Walking


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. 

The right plan

The Vachement Ferme shop, located in the heart of a family farm just a few metres from Maredsous Abbey, offers farm produce and a selection of local artisanal products with a wide choice of beers.

À Anhée

D - Reception and tourist information site

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