Surroundings, Dinant

The village of Anseremme, not far south of Dinant where the Lesse enters the Meuse, is a good place for walking and hill-climbing.

Situated 2km/1mi north of Dinant on the left bank of the Meuse, Bouvignes, dating back to the seventh century, was a former rival of Dinant but is now incorporated. The fortifications of the 15th century Château de Crèvecoeur used to tower above the town but today only the ruins remain. There is a splendid view from the top. The remains of Poilvache and Géronsart castles are visible to the north high up on the opposite bank.

Built in the Meuse Gothic style the church of Saint-Lambert has two choirs: the east one dated 1247 and the 16th C. west choir.

The Renaissance building "Maison Espagnole" in the market place of Bouvignes houses the Musée de l'Eclairage (Museum of Lighting), which describes mankind's technical efforts to create light.

The Château de Spontin, an impressive moated castle, one of the finest in Belgium, is situated in the Bocq valley near the small town of Spontin 11km/7mi north of Dinant. It was built on the site of a 12th C. keep which was extended into a fortified castle in the 14th C. and rebuilt in Renaissance style in the 16th C. In 1622 the working quarters were added adjoining the courtyard in which there are beautiful 19th C. wrought-iron fountains.A tour through the castle rooms shows how styles have changed with time. The keep has two bare rooms with Gothic chimneys, the library a checkered floor, the Renaissance salon and the neo-Gothic south wing with the dining room and staircase.

Both train and bus operate to the village of Houyet on the Lesse, the starting point of a boat trip along the scenically beautiful lower reaches of the Lesse (Descente de la Lesse). It is possible to hire canoes or take a guided boat tour along the 21km/13mi stretch through the Furfooz nature reserve, past Walzin (13th century) and Pont-à-Lesse castles back to Anseremme with its 16th century bridge Pont Saint-Jean across the river.

The Furfooz nature reserve (Parc Naturel de Furfooz) extends around the lower reaches of the Lesse. In the caves of this limestone plateau above the meandering river Stone Age relics such as tools and bones have been found together with remains of Roman baths.

At Falmignoul, 8km/5miles south of Dinant, center for climbing in the nearby cliffs at FreÌr, there is an interesting bicycle, motorcycle and poster museum (Musée du Cycle et de la Moto et de l'Affiche). Its exhibits range from the 1818 dandy horse to the racing bike on which Eddy Merckx won the Tour de France, old motorcycles and posters from before 1914.

The village of Celles, 10km/6mi southeast of Dinant, is famous for its Church of St Hadelinus, built in the Mosan Romanesque style with a beautiful ninth C. crypt and squat fortress-like towers. The triple-naved interior houses a stone pulpit, a beautiful marble memorial slab for Louis de Beaufort and his wife and early Gothic 13th C. choir stalls, the oldest in Belgium.

Not far southwest of Celles stands the Château de Veves, seat of the Lords of Beaufort, a fine 15th C. building with a large keep and smaller side towers with pointed roofs. The rooms are furnished with family heirlooms from various periods.

Situated almost 10km/6miles east of Dinant Foy-Notre-Dame is a popular place of pilgrimage.The object of veneration is a miracle-working Madonna figure which was reputedly found in an oak tree in 1609. It is now housed in an outwardly apparently unassuming church but which has a splendid interior: outstanding wood carving and a highly impressive coffered ceiling with 145 biblical scenes, painted in the 17th C. by the Goblet brothers from Dinant.

Situated 20km/12miles south of Dinant the small town of Beauraing became famous in 1932 and 1933 for several alleged appearances of Mary before five children. These events dominate the character of the town. Various consecrated shrines, the chapel built in 1954 and a large pilgrimage church with over 7,000 seats (1968) are frequented by believers and those seeking cures.