A fun, spiritual day in the Molignée Valley

Fancy a day exploring the region by handcar? It’s a small, pedal-operated cart which only goes around the old railways. This is a fun and original way to spend time as a family or with your friends, and you’ll discover the heritage of Molignée at the same time.

Off we go for a rather busy day! You’ll head off from Warnant at 10 o’clock, and at your own pace, you’ll pedal for seven kilometres along a track which hugs the picturesque Molignée Valley. And what’s your goal? To get to the old Maredsous station. Your path will take you through an abundantly wooded stretch of countryside beside the Molignée, which meanders down in the valley. Bridges along the way offer stunning views overlooking the winding road and the clear waters of the river below. Once in Maredsous, you’ll walk for one and a half kilometres (along the marked path) through the woods until you arrive at the famous Abbey, founded in 1872 by German Benedictine monks.

As an Ardennes-étape member, you’ll get the exceptional bonus of visiting this magnificent neo-Gothic monastery with a guide who’ll take you around to the monks’ private area, where you can uncover the abbey, the monks’ cemetery, their garden...

Flavours and traditions

Maredsous has a rich history and an extraordinary past, but also houses ancestral know-how passed down from the monks’ decades of experience in brewing and refining. A paradise for beer and cheese lovers! Take the opportunity to visit the “Small Maredsous Cheese Factory Museum”, where you can discover the secrets behind maturing such a famous cheese. And after that? In total, the guided visits last around an hour and a half.

Then, you’ll have some free time! You can either enjoy your picnic (if you brought one along), or grab a bite to eat from the café. And of course, don’t miss out on the chance to taste the famous, unmissable Maredsous cheese tartine, paired with their famous 6° beer!

And as for the kids, they’ll love the play area. To round up the trip after a quick trip to the gift shop, you’ll be ready to head back to Maredsous station at 4 pm to find your handcars, before heading back to the carpark you started off at.