Dinant: Collégiale Notre-Dame, Maison de Monsieur Sax and the saxophone bridge
From Dinant station On foot about 2 hours morning easy
Dinant is squeezed between the Meuse and a cliff, about a 30-minute train ride south of Namur. The Collégiale Notre-Dame, built in Mosan Gothic, rests its choir against the rock; the earlier Romanesque church collapsed in 1227 after a rockfall. The bulb-shaped tower, the town’s symbol, was destroyed by a fire in 1914 and rebuilt in 1927. Inside, the stained-glass windows stand out.
Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, was born in Dinant in 1814 and patented the instrument in Paris in 1846. On Rue Adolphe Sax, the house where he was born houses the Maison de Monsieur Sax, a small interpretation center about the inventor and the instrument, which can be seen in about 20 minutes. The Pont Charles de Gaulle, in front of the collegiate church, has displayed giant colorful saxophones since 2010, each painted with the colors of an EU country. By the bridge, a statue recalls that Charles de Gaulle was wounded in Dinant in August 1914.
On the left bank, about 800 m from the station, the Grotte La Merveilleuse, discovered in 1904, offers a guided tour of about 50 minutes through white formations.
Stops: Dinant, Collégiale Notre-Dame de Dinant, Maison de Monsieur Sax, Pont Charles de Gaulle, Grotte La Merveilleuse.
Includes: Self-guided walk. The Collégiale and the Maison de Monsieur Sax have free access; the Grotte La Merveilleuse charges an admission fee. Check the current schedule.
Tip: Try the couque de Dinant, a hard cookie made of honey and flour, pressed in wooden molds. For the Grotte La Merveilleuse, wear non-slip shoes: there are many steps and low ceilings in some sections.
Best time: All year. On August 15, the Régate internationale de baignoires puts decorated bathtubs to descend the Meuse, and the town fills up.
Citadel of Dinant via the 408-step stairway
From Dinant town centre (next to the Collégiale) On foot via the stairway or by car to the upper parking lot about 2 hours morning moderate (408 steps and steep ramps)
The Citadel of Dinant sits atop the cliff, more than 100 m above the Meuse. The first castle on the site dates to the 11th century; it was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and the fortress you see was built by the Dutch from 1818 to 1821. In 1914 Dinant was the scene of fighting in the First World War, and the Citadel was taken again in 1940; the site has served as a museum of arms and history for over a century.
The visit covers soldiers' life in the Dutch period, the use of the fortress as a military prison, and the battles of 1914, with a reconstructed trench and a collapsed shelter showing the impact of an artillery shell. Guided tours are offered in French and Dutch and there is a tablet-based augmented reality route. From the top, the view drops directly onto the onion-topped tower of the Collégiale, the bridge, and the valley.
The climb on foot is via the 408-step stairway that starts beside the Collégiale. By car you reach the plateau, where there is a large parking area.
Stops: Citadel of Dinant, Collégiale Notre-Dame de Dinant, Meuse.
Includes: Guided visit or tablet-based tour, depending on the ticket. There is a ticket package that combines the Citadel and the cruise to Anseremme. Check the current price list.
Tip: Ascend the stairway slowly, bring water, and wear sneakers: inside the fortress there are ramps up to 30% incline. At the top there is a snack bar, terrace, and play area.
Best time: Open year-round, with a schedule that varies by season and is shorter in winter. Check before you go.
Cruise from Dinant to Anseremme and Rocher Bayard
From Quay on Avenue Winston Churchill, Dinant Sightseeing boat about 45 minutes to 2 hours afternoon easy
The Croisières Mosanes boats depart from the quay on Avenue Winston Churchill, about 500 m from the station. The Dinant–Anseremme–Dinant trip takes about 45 minutes, with commentary in several languages: the boat goes upstream between the town’s two locks and passes at the foot of Rocher Bayard.
Rocher Bayard is a rock spire about 40 m high on the right bank, separated from the cliff. According to legend, the horse Bayard, which carried the four sons of Duke Aymon fleeing Charlemagne, split the rock with its hoof when leaping over the Meuse. The road passage was opened by soldiers of Louis XIV. You can also see the rock on foot from the center, on the way to Anseremme.
In July and August there is also the Dinant–Freÿr cruise, about 2 hours round trip, to the Château de Freÿr, with one departure per day.
Stops: Meuse, Dinant, Rocher Bayard, Anseremme, Château de Freÿr.
Includes: Boat cruise with commentary. Tickets available, with a package that combines the cruise and the Citadel. Check the current timetable/fare.
Tip: Bring sunglasses and sunscreen: the boat is open. The departure for Freÿr is usually only once per day; arrive early at the quay.
Best time: From April to early November, departures every hour; from November to December, only on weekends. The route to Freÿr runs only in July and August.
Lesse kayaking: from Houyet or Gendron to Anseremme
From Anseremme (Dinant) Rented kayak, with transport to the put-in point about 2 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours full day easy to moderate, depending on the section
The Lesse is a tributary of the Meuse that runs through a valley of forest and cliffs, in a nature reserve area, and flows into the Meuse at Anseremme, south of Dinant. Kayak descent is a classic Belgian summer outing.
There are three sections: Houyet–Gendron, 9 km, about 2 hours, with no weirs; Gendron–Anseremme, 12 km, about 2 hours 30 minutes, popular with families, with two small weirs that are negotiated while sitting in the kayak; and Houyet–Anseremme, 21 km, about 5 hours, which fills the day. Along the way the Château de Walzin appears, perched on a rock above the right bank: the castle is private, and it is from the river that it is seen in full.
The main rental company is based in Anseremme, where you leave the car; a bus takes you to the put-in. If you come by train, get off at Houyet or Gendron stations, a few meters from the launch points.
Stops: Lesse, Houyet, Gendron, Anseremme, Château de Walzin.
Includes: Kayak rental, life jacket and transport to the put-in point. There is a per-person fee depending on the section. Check the current rate table.
Tip: Book in advance, especially in July and August. Bring clothes that can get wet, closed-toe shoes and a dry bag for your phone. The descent is canceled when the river is too low or too high; check the conditions for the day.
Best time: From April to October, depending on water level; the 21 km section usually ends in early October. In summer droughts the descent may be suspended.
Château de Freÿr and its gardens
From Dinant Own car or summer cruise from Dinant about 2 hours afternoon easy (there are stairs)
Château de Freÿr stands on the Meuse bank, between Dinant and Hastière. There was a fortified castle there from the 13th century, destroyed in 1554; what is seen today is Renaissance, from the 16th century, with the river-facing wing dated to 1571. It has received visitors such as Louis XIV and Prince Naruhito of Japan, and is recognized as exceptional heritage of Wallonia.
The 18th-century formal French gardens rise in terraces up the slope, with small hedge mazes along the main axis. Two conservatories, the orangeries, house a collection of orange trees, some around 200 years old. Inside the castle, the visit is self-guided with panels and a guided tour by cellphone via QR code; a live guide can be reserved.
Stops: Château de Freÿr, Hastière, Meuse.
Includes: Visit to the castle and the gardens. There is an entrance fee; small children accompanied do not pay. Check the current price list.
Tip: The lower garden is flat; the upper garden has stairs, grass and a slope. Dogs are allowed on leash only in the gardens. In July and August it is possible to arrive by boat from Dinant.
Best time: From April to mid-November, Thursday to Sunday and on holidays; in July and August, Tuesday to Sunday. The garden is greenest from May to September.
Jardins d'Annevoie: 18th‑century water gardens
From Namur or Dinant By private car via the N92 about 1 hour 30 minutes morning easy
The Jardins d'Annevoie are in Anhée, in the Meuse valley, between Namur and Dinant. Created in the 18th century, they combine features of French, Italian and English gardens around a water network fed by four springs.
The fountains, cascades, reflective pools and jets operate without pumps or machinery: the water runs by gravity alone, taking advantage of the site's slopes. The château remains inhabited and is viewed from the outside. The gardens are maintained without pesticides or herbicides and carry the Jardin remarquable label.
Stops: Jardins d'Annevoie, Anhée, Meuse.
Includes: Self-guided visit. There is an entrance fee. Check the current price list.
Tip: The last admission is in the mid‑afternoon. Combine it with the Abbaye de Maredsous in the neighboring Molignée valley on the same day.
Best time: From late March to mid‑November, daily; closed in winter. In spring and summer the gardens are more in bloom.
Abbaye de Maredsous: Benedictine abbey, cheese and beer
From Namur or Dinant Private car about 2 hours afternoon easy
The Abbaye de Maredsous is in Denée, in the Molignée valley, and is still inhabited by Benedictine monks. It was founded in 1872 by monks from Beuron in Germany, with support from the Desclée family, publishers; the local-stone neo-Gothic buildings were designed by architect Jean-Baptiste de Béthune and were completed in 1892. The abbey church was granted the title of basilica in 1926, and the library holds about 500,000 volumes.
The Centre Saint-Joseph, the visitors’ welcome centre, has a café, shop, bookshop and play area. The abbey’s cheese, made in the on-site dairy, and Maredsous beer, produced since 1963 under licence by a brewery in Flanders, are available there. The basilica and monastic spaces are mainly seen on guided tours, usually on the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
Stops: Abbaye de Maredsous, Centre Saint-Joseph, Denée, Vallée de la Molignée.
Includes: Free access to the Centre Saint-Joseph and the green areas. Meals, products and guided tours are charged separately. Check the current price list.
Tip: This is a place of prayer: speak quietly in the basilica and respect the times of services. If you drink, don’t drive; the valley roads are narrow and winding.
Best time: All year; the welcome centre only closes on January 1. On summer weekends it is often busy.
Maison Leffe: the story of Leffe abbey beer
From Dinant centre On foot about 1 hour afternoon easy
The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, of Premonstratensian canons, was founded in 1152 at the mouth of the Leffe valley, on the northern approach to Dinant. The beer named after the abbey grew out of the religious community’s tradition and is today produced by the AB InBev group in Leuven, in the Flanders region.
Maison Leffe occupies a former convent in central Dinant, overlooking the Meuse valley. The route is interactive, with touchscreens, and tells the story of the abbey and the beer. The visit finishes with a tasting and a toast.
Stops: Maison Leffe, Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, Dinant.
Includes: Interactive visit, tasting and toast. There is an entrance fee, with a municipal tax. Check the current price list.
Tip: Book in advance online on weekends. The tasting is small; anyone who drinks should not drive.
Best time: All year; open every day. A good option for rainy days.
Bouvignes-sur-Meuse and the Crèvecœur ruins
From Dinant On foot or by car about 2 hours 30 minutes morning moderate (ascent to the ruins)
Bouvignes-sur-Meuse is a district of Dinant on the left bank of the Meuse, north of the centre. It was a medieval town and reached its peak in the 16th century with the copper beaters. On the Place du Bailliage, the Maison espagnole, dating from about 1570, houses the Maison du Patrimoine Médiéval Mosan, a museum about the river, the town and the castle, daily and religious life, ceramics and copperwork. The Église Saint-Lambert, Gothic, has a tall square tower.
At the top of the spur are the ruins of the Château de Crèvecœur, dating from around 1320. In 1554, the troops of Henry II of France took Bouvignes and besieged the castle. By tradition, three officers’ wives led the defence and, when the resistance ended, jumped from the tower hand in hand to avoid capture. From the restored ruins, opened to visitors, the view stretches over the Meuse and the valley.
Stops: Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Crèvecœur Castle, Maison du Patrimoine Médiéval Mosan, Maison espagnole, Saint-Lambert Church.
Includes: Self-guided visit. The Crèvecœur ruins are open at all times; the Maison du Patrimoine Médiéval Mosan charges an entrance fee. Check the current price list.
Tip: The museum is closed on Mondays. Climb up to the ruins wearing trainers: the path is steep. Bouvignes is close to the Maison Leffe and the Abbaye de Leffe, at the same north exit from Dinant.
Best time: All year. On clear days, the view from Crèvecœur reaches far across the valley.
Ruins of Poilvache and the village of Crupet
From Namur or Dinant Private car about 3 hours afternoon easy (uneven terrain)
The ruins of Poilvache stand atop a cliff above the Meuse, in Houx, municipality of Yvoir, between Namur and Dinant. The castle and walled town covered about 2.5 hectares between the 13th and 15th centuries. In 1430 the town was besieged and almost completely destroyed by troops from Liège, Dinant and Huy. The wall remains are in a nature reserve with tall black pines, and from the walls you can view the Meuse valley.
Nearby, Crupet, in the municipality of Assesse, is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie. At the village center is the Grotte Saint-Antoine, an artificial grotto opened in 1903 with 22 religious statues, many depicting scenes from the life of Saint Anthony of Padua. Below the village lies Crupet Castle, a medieval farm-castle by the stream.
Stops: Poilvache, Houx, Yvoir, Crupet, Grotte Saint-Antoine.
Includes: Self-guided visit. Poilvache charges an entrance fee; Crupet and the grotto have free access. Check the current price list.
Tip: At Poilvache, wear sneakers and take care with children near the walls. There is a café and parking on site.
Best time: Poilvache is open from April to early November: daily in July and August and during school holidays, and on weekends for the rest of the season. Crupet can be visited year-round.
Château de Vêves and the village of Celles
From Dinant Private car about 3 hours afternoon easy
Celles is in the municipality of Houyet, southeast of Dinant, and is part of Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie. The Collégiale Saint-Hadelin, in Mosan Romanesque style, dates largely from about 1030–1040: it has a square tower, two crypts, and oak choir stalls predating 1338. A stone Stations of the Cross climbs from the church up to the hermitage of Saint-Hadelin.
Just above the village, Château de Vêves stands on a rock outcrop. It is an example of 14th-century military architecture in Belgium and received the European Historic Houses Award in 2016. During the visit, children can dress up.
Stops: Château de Vêves, Celles, Collégiale Saint-Hadelin.
Includes: Self-guided visit to the castle, without a fixed time. There is an entrance fee. The village and the church have free access. Check the current price list.
Tip: Combine it with kayaking on the Lesse or with Anseremme on the same day. In the church of Celles, respect mass times.
Best time: The castle is open from late March to early November, on weekends and holidays, and every day during Belgian school holidays, such as July and August; in February it opens during Carnival week.
Huy: Collégiale Notre-Dame, Grand-Place and the Li Bassinia fountain
From Huy Station On foot about 2 hours 30 minutes morning easy
Huy lies on the Meuse, between Namur and Liège, and was part of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. The town preserves what locals call the four wonders: li Pontia, the bridge; li Rondia, the rose window; li Tchestia, the castle; and li Bassinia, the fountain.
The Collégiale Notre-Dame had its first stone laid in 1311 and was not completed until 1536. The Gothic rose window on the façade, Li Rondia, is about 9 m in external diameter; it was destroyed in the 1944 bombings and rebuilt with abstract stained glass in 1974. In the Romanesque crypt is the treasury, with four Mosan goldsmith relicaries from the 12th and 13th centuries, including that of Saint Mengold, attributed to Godefroid de Huy.
On the Grand-Place, the bronze fountain Li Bassinia dates from 1406. The Hôtel de Ville, dating to 1766, has a carillon of 37 bells. Narrow streets link the square to the riverbank and to the hillside chapels.
Stops: Huy, Collégiale Notre-Dame de Huy, Grand-Place de Huy, Li Bassinia, Hôtel de Ville de Huy.
Includes: Self-guided walk. The collegiate church and the square are freely accessible; the treasury requires visits with specific conditions and hours. Check before you go.
Tip: Huy is on the Namur–Liège train line, about 25 minutes from Namur. In April, the climb up the Mur de Huy is the finish of the Flèche Wallonne cycling race, and the town becomes crowded.
Best time: All year. From April to October you can combine it with Fort de Huy and the cable car.
Fort de Huy and the cable car over the Meuse
From Esplanade Batta, Huy Cable car or on foot about 2 hours afternoon easy to moderate (stairs in the fort)
Fort de Huy stands on the hill above the town, on the site of the old castle, li Tchestia. The Dutch built it from 1818 to 1823, with limestone walls reaching up to 17 m. From May 1940 to September 1944, the German army used the fort as a detention site: thousands of political prisoners and hostages of various nationalities passed through it, and from 1941 the fort served as a transit camp for prisoners sent to concentration camps.
Today the fort is a Second World War memorial, housing the resistance and concentration camp museum. The visit passes through isolation cells, interrogation rooms and reconstructed barracks, and a documentary presents survivors’ testimonies. From the ramparts you can see the town and the valley.
The Huy cable car departs from Esplanade Batta, crosses the Meuse, stops at the fort and continues to La Sarte on the plateau. The line is about 1.3 km long with 131 m of elevation change, covered in roughly 4 minutes.
Stops: Fort de Huy, Téléphérique de Huy, Esplanade Batta, La Sarte, Meuse.
Includes: Fort visit and cable car ride require separate tickets. Check the current schedule.
Tip: It is a place of memory: visit respectfully and consider before taking young children into the cells. A path around the fort, with views over Huy, remains open year-round.
Best time: From April to October, when the fort and the cable car are open; hours are extended in July and August.
Hastière: the Romanesque abbey and the Grotte du Pont d'Arcole
From Dinant Private car or TEC bus about 2 hours afternoon easy (narrow steps in the cave)
Hastière is on the Meuse, about 12 km south of Dinant, near the French border. A Benedictine monastery was founded there around the year 900. The church of the old abbey, now Église Saint-Pierre, was built around 1033–1035 in the Mosan Romanesque style, with a 13th-century Gothic choir. Beneath the altar, the Romanesque crypt, rediscovered in 1882, houses Merovingian sarcophagi. The choir contains Gothic stalls from 1443 with carved misericords, and a Virgin and Child.
In the village, the Grotte du Pont d'Arcole has five galleries, and only one is open to visitors. The entrance is through the basement of a bistro on Rue d'Inzemont, and the self-guided visit with a helmet takes about half an hour among formations as delicate as lace.
Stops: Hastière, Église Saint-Pierre d'Hastière, Grotte du Pont d'Arcole, Meuse.
Includes: Self-guided visit. The church is freely accessible during opening hours; the cave charges an entrance fee. Check the current schedule/prices.
Tip: There is no regular train to Hastière: go by car or by TEC bus from Dinant, about 15 minutes. The cave is not wheelchair accessible and has narrow passages. Combine with Château de Freÿr on the way.
Best time: The church usually opens from April to early November. The cave is open year-round, Wednesday to Sunday; check by phone beforehand.
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