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Louvain-la-Neuve Attractions

The university town of Louvain-la-Neuve is a product of the conflict between the Walloons and the Flemish. When this confrontation reached another zenith in 1968 the Flemish expelled their Walloon colleagues from the Catholic University of Leuven founded in 1425. The Walloons looked for a fresh place and found it 30km/19miles southeast of Brussels in the French part of Belgium and Louvain-la-Neuve, "New Leuven", was founded; it was the first newly set up town in Belgium since the foundation of Charleroi in 1666. Building went on from 1971, and between 1972 and 1979 all the French-speaking faculties moved out of Leuven with the exception of the medical faculty which was accommodated in the Brussels suburb of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. Today in this town, which was conceived for 35,000 people, about 4,500 permanent residents and 18,000 students live. It can be seen that the aim of a homogeneous structure of residence has not been achieved and as a consequence at weekends and in the university holidays it can be very quiet in the town.

The Giants' Festival takes place here.
Read More Townscape
Louvain-la-Neuve was designed to capture a small town feel, with brick buildings, narrow streets, and pedestrian only areas.
Genval - Water and Fountain Museum
A collection of fountains from olden days.
Address
Water and Fountain Museum in Genval
Avenue Hoover 63
B-1332 Genval
Belgium
Hours
January 15 to December 15
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open9:309:309:309:309:3010:0010:00
Close12:0012:0012:0012:0012:0018:0018:00
Open13:3013:3013:3013:3013:3013:3013:30
Close16:3016:3016:3016:3016:3016:3016:30
Disabled
Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
Guides
Interpretive sessions sometimes available.
Transit
Station of Genval.
Typical Visit
1 hour
Hot Air Balloon Festival
In 5km/3miles west lies Céroux-Mousty where in May a festival of hot air ballooning is held, attracting many visitors.
La Hulpe, Belgium
(Near Louvain-la-Neuve)
A little further to the west of Rixensart lies La Hulpe where the Belgian paper industry had its beginnings. Today it is an elegant residential quarter of Brussels with eight little châteaux. A walk in the Domaine Solvay, named after the industrial family, who in the 19th C. owned the château in the middle of the park, is well worth while. Today the château is a cultural center.
Typical Visit
1 hour
Lac de Genval
A little outside Rixensart lies the Lac de Genval which is a favorite rendezvous at weekends for the people of nearby Brussels; it has excellent facilities for angling and a considerable number of good restaurants.
Typical Visit
4 hours
Ottignies - Bois de Reves
Spread over 50 ha, this provincial estate provides ample walking paths for visitors.
Address
Bois de Reves Provincial Estate
allee de Bois des Reves 1
B-1340 Ottignies
Belgium
Hours
January 1 to March 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open8:308:308:308:308:308:308:30
Close18:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:00
April 1 to May 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open6:006:006:006:006:006:006:00
Close19:3019:3019:3019:3019:3019:3019:30
June 1 to August 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open6:006:006:006:006:006:006:00
Close21:0021:0021:0021:0021:0021:0021:00
September 1 to October 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open8:308:308:308:308:308:308:30
Close19:3019:3019:3019:3019:3019:3019:30
November 1 to December 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open8:308:308:308:308:308:308:30
Close18:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:00
Tips
Additional activities have an extra charge. Barbecues are also available upon request.
Facilities
Beach
Restaurant or food service
Rixensart - Château de Mérode
In the township of Rixensart, 8km/5miles northwest, the pretty red brick Château de Mérode was built between 1631 and 1632. It is square with four corner towers and many windows and is open to the public. It is impressive because of its tasteful furnishings which include Gobelin tapestries, Louis XV pieces, pictures (including some by Nattier and Tischbein) as well as a collection of weapons which the French mathematician Monge brought back from Napoleon's Egyptian campaign.
Address
Merode Castle
B-1330 Rixenshart
Belgium
Hours
April 8 to October 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed14:0014:00
Close 18:0018:00
July 1 to August 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosed14:0014:0014:0014:0014:0014:00
Close 18:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:00
Tips
Open public holidays.
Wavre, Belgium
(Near Louvain-la-Neuve)
Wavre, 6km/4miles to the north of Louvain-la-Neuve, has three attractions: the museum of living water plants in the suburb of Limal, the Walibi Adventure Park and the Aqualibi aqua park.
Typical Visit
6 hours
Wavre - Aqualibi
Some of the attractions to be found at this water park include a wavepool, waterslides, a jacuzzi and solarium.
Address
Walibi
Rue J.Deschamps, 9
B-1300 Wavre
Belgium
Hours
April 3 to September 5
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open18:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:00
Close23:0023:0023:0023:0023:0023:0023:00
September 6 to October 17
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosedClosed14:0014:0014:0018:0018:00
Close 23:0023:0023:0023:0023:00
October 24 to April 28
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosed14:0014:0014:0014:0014:0014:00
Close 22:0022:0022:0023:0023:0022:00
Tips
Open during summer days only to WALIBI visitors.
Facilities
Restaurant or food service
Transit
Train: Bierges-Walibi
Wavre - Living Water Plant Museum
An unusual open-air museum of living water plants is in the suburb of Limal, with over 800 species of plants.
Hours
April 1 to October 31
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open10:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:00
Close17:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:00
Typical Visit
1 hour
Wavre - Walibi
A water park featuring Flumes, steam trains and shows.
Address
Walibi
Rue J.Deschamps, 9
B-1300 Wavre
Belgium
Hours
April 29 to September 3
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open10:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:00
Close18:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:0018:00
September 6 to October 17
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed10:0010:00
Close 18:0018:00
Tips
Children are defined as up to 4 ft.
Transit
Train: Bierges-Walibi
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