The Gardens Of Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville

One of the best things about Belgium is its proximity to some of Europe's great cities and sights. Thanks to its central location, in two hours we can be in Paris or London; Brussels or Amsterdam. It really makes for great trips. But despite all of these world renowned locations we can visit, one of my favorite things to do on weekends is to explore the hidden places that are closer to home; these are the sights that locals know about and whirlwind visitors rarely get to see. These off the beaten path places  have yielded what I think are some of Belgium's best treasures. And one such place is the ruins and gardens of the Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville.

Like many Belgian abbeys, this one dates back to the early 10th Century when a small group of monks established an abbey in the secluded village of Villers and its ensuing history is also similar to other abbeys. It expanded in size and population, endured wars, internal crises and reign changes. By the 13th Century the estate covered over twenty-five thousand acres and was indeed one of the largest ones around. (The power once held by the abbey is still evident in wandering the grounds; in addition to the typical spaces and buildings one would expect, the abbey had their own prison). The abbey was "modernized" over time with mediaeval buildings getting transformed into a more classical style. During the French Revolution the abbey was closed and the surrounding property sold. During the following years the abbey fell into ruins with a small amount of restoration work finally beginning in 1893. It wasn't until close to a century later in 1984, however, that large scale restoration work began.

The remains of the guest house turned brewery

The great room of the guest house

Today visitors can walk through the still expansive grounds visiting the remains of the refectory, church, cloister and chapel as well as the numerous outbuildings that made the abbey a fully functioning city unto itself. The guest house provided space for up to one hundred pilgrims before it was converted into an onsite brewery. Today you can climb the stairs to what is now the roof but was once the second floor of the building and get a bird's eye view of the ruins and grounds. Various workshops, the pharmacy and infirmary, monk's dormitory and the afore mentioned prison are also open for exploring. And let us not forget the church itself as it was and still is the centerpiece of the abbey grounds. The sky is now its ceiling yet it is so easy to imagine how impressive the structure must have been when it was fully standing.

What remains........

Inside the chapel

Giant dill--it was taller than I am 

But by far, my favorite part of the abbey was its two remaining gardens. Gardens played a central role in the functioning of any community and as such were a vital part of abbey life. There was typically a cloister garden, a vegetable garden, a fruit orchard which doubled as the monk's graveyard, and a medicinal plant garden. Today, what is called the square garden and the wild garden remain. The square garden is manicured and filled with neat plants, gurgling fountains, benches for resting and wide pathways making it feel slightly regal and formal. It sits in juxtaposition to a backdrop of decaying ruins giving it a rather medieval and haunted feeling. The adjacent wild garden, however, is just that. The gardens are filed with (purposefully?) overgrown flowers with grasses hiding much of the more narrow paths and benches. And this garden is fragrant with herbs. Scents of lavender, mint and dill fill the air and grape vines, heavy with tart green fruit, hang over the trellises. Although this garden is only separated from the passing road by a brick wall, it feels untouched by modern society as though it is a world away from today. It is a truly tranquil place and I could have sat there forever.


The abbey grounds are the perfect place to spend a few hours walking, picnicking and simply enjoying the day. Paths are well marked, dogs are welcome on much of the grounds and there are plenty of benches and picnic tables for sitting and relaxing. And unlike many ruins we have visited, you can actually explore just about every nook and cranny of the old abbey. And if the winding stone stairs, shady paths and mysterious nooks aren't enough to entertain you, on the day of our visit there were even children's lawn games set up for visitors to partake in. Have you ever wanted to play "throw the ring around the monk"? If so, this is the place for you.

Looking down into the square garden

Looking through the square garden towards the chapel

If you go:
Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville
Moulin Abbatial
Rue de l'Abbaye, 55
1495 Villers-la-Ville BELGIUM
+32 (0)71 88 09 80
info@villers.be
www.villers.be

Open daily from 10.00-18.00 (April through October) and 10.00-17.00 (November-March)
Closed Tuesdays, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, New Years Eve & New Years Day
Adults- 6 Euro, children under 6 Free

Exploring The Gardens Of Wallonie: Parc du Chateau d'Attre

Chateau d'Attre 

We've covered a lot of ground since we moved to Belgium; we've visited the far north, south, east and west of Belgium as well as much of the surrounding countries. But as we are continually discovering, there is an amazing trove of places yet to be discovered right in our back yard. So that is what we're doing this summer: in between our larger planned trips, we're taking advantage of free weekends and checking out the sights close to home. First up was this past weekend when we visited Parc du Chateau d'Attre.

Grotto

Belgium is seemingly covered in chateaux, or castles. Grand in scale and in various states of (dis)repair, many of them are open to the pubic and they make for the perfect place to spend a weekend afternoon. And in that respect, Chateau d'Attre is no different. The exterior of the present day Neo-Classical chateau was commissioned by Count Francois Philippe Draneay d'Hyon van Gomegnies. It was built upon the foundation of the mediaeval castle that had been in his family since 1520. What does make this chateau different, however, are the gardens. Rather than sweeping manicured lawns, the grassy space at Chateau d'Attre is limited to a small back garden and a rather non-descript expanse stretching from the front of the house to the passing roads. But that doesn't mean that there aren't outdoor spaces here. Tucked away behind the house are out buildings, farm land and acres of woods complete with grottos, streams and hidden caves just waiting to be explored. And that is what we did.

Inside the grotto, looking
out

Visitors are invited to explore the grounds and see such sights as the ruins of the Vignou tower, the 15th century dovecote (bird house), a Swiss chalet, the bathing pavilion, grottos and an artificial cave that inspires visions of mysteries. (The gardens are oh-so Nancy Drew and readers know how much I love this young detective). A well marked path takes you through the woods where you can not only see but explore the afore mentioned ruins. The Vignou tower looks as foreboding as the legend that surrounds it.  Lore says that the tower was once the den of the highwayman Vignou who lured passers-by to his house after which they were never seen again. He later confessed to assassinating 14 people and burning their bodies in his stove. (Locally the name Vignou is still used to refer to someone who is a scoundrel). You can also clamber over a 33 meter stone grotto that was used as a viewing point for annual rabbit hunts.  A Swiss style chalet, long abandoned yet still mostly intact, overlooks a small pond and provides a view of the surrounding grounds. And one must not forget the caves; where a series of small inter-connected caverns invites exploration and imagines to run wild. (I again return to the Nancy Drew reference). A larger pond sits in the center of the gardens and is linked to the crystal clear stream that runs along the parc's boundary. All of these sites are linked together through a series of well laid out paths that are lined with strategically placed benches for resting and contemplating.  It is all so peaceful.

The view from the Swiss chalet

And because we are in rural Belgium, the gardens and grounds are surrounded by farm land filled with grazing cattle and goats. You can catch glimpses of the fields from various points in the garden and you can see them from the passing road where nothing differentiates them from the other fields and farms in the area. You will definitely take brief pause when you pass by the chateau but from the road you would never know the mysteries and gardens hidden behind the main building. It is well worth stopping and taking time to explore. Now that we've visited we know we'll be back. After all, the gardens are right down the road from us and really beg for further exploration.

A peaceful path through the woods

If you do:
Parc du Chateau d'Attre
Avenue du Chateau 8
Attre, Belgium B-7941
 +32 (0)68 45 44 60
Chateau.de.attre@skynet.be
www.jardins.tourismewallonie.be

Open Sundays and holidays from April to October, 14.00-18.00
July and August open Saturday and Sunday, 13.00-18.00

Adults: 4.50 Euro
Children 6-12, 3.50 Euro

Channeling Monet In Giverny

It is probably one of the most peaceful and enchanting places I've visited to date. Tucked away in a tranquil corner of Haute Normandie, the village of Giverny, France was once home to Impressionist artist Claude Monet. It was from here that he drew his inspiration the gardens and ponds made famous through his paintings. And all it took was a single walk through the gardens and around the lily pond depicted in his paintings to understand where his inspiration came from.

Born in Paris in 1840, Claude Monet began painting as a teenager living in the Normandy coastal town of Le Havre. Following military service in Algeria, Monet returns to France where he continues painting and befriends his fellow artists including Pierre-Auguste Renior and Pablo Picasso. His work slowly gains a following and he begins to exhibit and sell his artwork throughout Europe. In 1890 he moves to the town of Giverny which he would use as a home base until his death in 1926. Monet traveled throughout Europe but found much of his inspiration right in his own backyard.

Today visitors to Giverny can tour Monet's house and walk through the numerous gardens which fans of Monet will immediately recognize from his paintings. Walking through the gardens was truly like experiencing a deja vu since it felt as though I was walking through his paintings. With eight children, Monet's green shuttered, pink stucco house was clearly one that was designed to be lived in and that is reflected as you walk through the warren of rooms that his family called home. The large windows of his bedroom offer sweeping views of the gardens below while the kitchen and dining room--my favorite two rooms in the house---are brightly colored and exude a warm and welcoming lived in feeling. It is easy to imagine family and friends gathering in these rooms to share food and ideas. But a visit to Giverny is really about seeing the gardens. Immediately surrounding the house lies the Clos Normand, which is comprised of fruit trees, boxwood hedges and row upon row of brightly blooming flowers. With each look you can see yet another one of Monet's palates reflected in the landscape.

The real star of the show, however, is the water lily ponds and surrounding gardens. While the Clos Nomand is filled with brightly colored blooms, the water garden, across the street tucked away from the house is a pastel dream. The garden has a distinctively Japanese feel with bamboo, peonies, ginkos bibola, Japanese maple trees and a wisteria covered green bridge framing the famed lily pond. This garden is truly enchanting. The flowers fragranced the air without over powering it and a chorus of frogs serenaded visitors from their lily pad filled pond. And even with a good number of visitors sharing the pathways on the day of my visit, the garden was peaceful and it was possible find your own quiet little nook. It is so easy to see how Monet found inspiration there and simply being there inspired me to want to both garden and to paint.

And while you are in Giverny, visit the neighboring Musee des Impressionnismes (Impressionist Museum). This small but well laid out museum features temporary Impressionist exhibits from Paris' Musee d'Orsay. From now through the middle of Edgar Degas after which the exhibit will feature photographs of Monet's gardens.
July the exhibit features the life and works of

If you go:

Fondation Claude Monet
84 Rue Claude Monet
27620 Giverny, France
+33 (0)2 32 51 28 21
fondation-monet.com/en

Open daily from late March to early November, 09:3-18:00
Adults-10 Euro, students-6.50 Euro, under 7 Free

Musee des Impressionnismes
99 Rue Claude Monet
27620 Giverny, France
+33 (0)2 32 51 94 65
www.mdig.fr

Open daily from late March to early November, 10:00-18:00
Adults- 7 Euro, students- 4.50 Euro, under 7 Free

Wordless Wednesday: English Garden In Winter

In The Valley Of The Seven Chateaux: The Gardens Of The Grand-Chateau D'Ansembourg

The god of grapes/wine..what isn't
to like?

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a.k.a. Luxembourg, a.k.a. the "lux" of BENELUX is a tiny sovereign nation sandwiched between Belgium, France and Germany. It is a member of the European Union, NATO and the United Nations as well as other international organizations. Luxembourg has the second highest GDP in the world and is officially tri-lingual with French, German and Luxembourgish (who knew there was such a thing!) being the languages of choice. And as is the case with most of western Europe, English is also widely spoken. Luxembourg is a country I had only driven through when going from Belgium to Germany and back again. From the highway the land looked a lot like neighboring Belgium and Germany with rolling farm land filled with cows, soaring windmills keeping the power on and immaculately kept villages. And as I discovered on a recent trip to Luxembourg where I actually got off the highway, it is all that and so much more.

The scenery in Luxembourg is truly spectacular with lush fields and forests and the afore mentioned quaint villages. But Luxembourg also has castles, or as they are called in French, chateaux. Lots of them. In the central part of the country lies the Valley of the Seven Chateaux, which as the name aptly describes, is home to seven impressive chateaux that date back to the earliest days before Luxembourg was called Luxembourg. They dot the hillsides, some are obvious and others hidden, but all add to the charm and beauty of this bucolic valley. Today the chateaux are in various states of (dis)repair with most of them being closed to the public. The (new) Chateau of Ansembourg however, is one that is partially opened to the public.

The restored gardens as viewed from the Chateau

The new Chateau of Ansembourg was first built in 1639 (only in Europe would this be considered "new") by a prosperous Belgian industrialist who benefited from the local timber and iron industries. Over the years the chateau changed hands through marriage, expanded its footprint, changed hands again and ultimately fell into a state of neglect when its upkeep simply became too much for the family to bear. (This seems to be the case with so many great estates--upkeep and maintenance is expensive). Unfortunately, the estate was abandoned for years.

After years of neglect, the chateau is currently undergoing an extensive renovation. The current owner purchased the property in 1987 and immediately set about a series of renovations to the buildings that is still ongoing today. While the chateau itself is still under construction and closed to the public the stables have been fully restored and currently house event space. During my visit they hosted a Japanese art and porcelain exhibit.

Reflection

The chateau as seen from the back garden; this is, in my opinion, the
most impressive view

But the real show stopper is the gardens, whose renovation took place in 1999. Today they are fully restored and visitors can tour the garden daily. What appears to be a single large garden is actually a series of specialized garden spaces. Fruit trees line the stone walls of the upper part of the garden producing apples and pears which are turned into juice and jams which visitors can purchase. (Honey is also available and it is some of the best honey I have ever tasted). Below the terraced walls lies a series of koi ponds and fountains which are surrounded by boxwood hedges. All of the water features in the gardens are spring fed from the nearby Eisch River. A manicured boxwood maze invites visitors to find their way to the center and out again as does the shady walkway that separates the garden from the river. Our guide informed us that this walkway was designed with two purposes in mind; first for ladies to be able to get fresh air without their skin being colored by the sun and secondly, for these same ladies to be able to discretely walk with suitors without out prying eyes taking notice. There are also numerous rose gardens and open green lawns. Statuary Row features a series of carefully restored statues featuring various gods and goddesses. And throughout the garden, in both sunny and shaded areas, there are benches inviting visitors to stop and take in the atmosphere.

This is definitely a place that is serene and invites lingering. The restoration of the chateau itself is still a work in progress but when it is complete if it is anything like the gardens it will be a masterpiece. But in the meantime, if you find yourself in the Valley of the Seven Chateaux, take some time to stop and stroll through the garden. You won't be disappointed.

Statuary Row

If you go:

Grand-Chateau d' Ansembourg
10 Rue de la Vallee
L-7411 Ansembourg
Luxembourg
+35 2 30 88 41 316
info@gcansembourg.eu
www.gcansembourg.eu

Open most days from 09.00