Micro-adventures in Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park
DISCOVER NATURE IN FLANDERS
Dear Friends of Flanders,
Little moments of happiness are what make your holiday or your day out complete.
And in the Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park, they’re not hard to find. Turn a corner on a hike and discover a breathtaking panorama. Treat the kids to a delicious farm ice cream and have one yourself. After a day of walking, slide your legs under the table for a freshly cooked trout with a local beer....
The Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park has something for everyone. Cyclists and hikers can get their fill on the many roads and paths. Nature lovers and gourmands alike will be in 7th heaven. And there is also plenty to do for families with children.
The name gives it away: the Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park is not limited to Flanders. This brochure is primarily about the Voer region. But it flows seamlessly into the Land of Herve (in the province of Liège) and the Heuvelland (in Dutch Limburg). So don’t miss the chance to visit our neighbours while you’re at it.
Read on, get inspired and go on a micro-adventure in Boundless Bocageland!
LOCATION AND HOW TO GET THERE
In the green triangle between Aachen, Liège and Maastricht lies the Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park. An oasis of tranquillity, but also a bustling and ancient cultural landscape. This is where the Flemish Voer region, the Walloon Land of Herve and the Dutch Heuvelland merge.
A bocage landscape is a semi-open area where meadows, fields and hay land alternate with hedgerows and wood edges. As such, you see something new after every turn: an intimate corner, a beautiful view, a picturesque village ... A visit to the Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park is therefore a veritable voyage of discovery.
THE LANDSCAPE PARK STRADDLES
7 MUNICIPALITIES:
• VOEREN: The only Flemish municipality that is part of the Landscape Park.
• AUBEL: Take a walk from Val-Dieu Abbey, tucked away in the wooded valley of the Berwijn. And sample local produce: syrup, cider, beer and the spicy cheese.
• DALHEM: There is always something going on in Dalhem: a village festival, a procession, flea markets ... But you can also just enjoy the wide open spaces here.
• PLOMBIÈRES: In the Middle Ages, Plombières was known for mining lead (‘plomb’). These days, the Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery attracts visitors to this green municipality.
• EIJSDEN-MARGRATEN: Stroll along the banks of the Meuse River. Discover a prehistoric flint mine in the ecologically precious Savels forest. And experience the silence around the thousands of American soldiers’ graves at Margraten....
• GULPEN-WITTEM: The rolling hills, picturesque villages and beautiful half-timbered houses make this municipality unique in the Netherlands. Perfect for hiking, cycling and mountain biking - or just to completely unwind.
• VAALS: Vaals is the place where the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet, or ‘Drielandenpunt’ (Three-country point). An ideal starting point for a trip over the border!
BOUNDLESS BOCAGELAND
In the area
The castle with the trout
In the village centre of Sint-Pieters-Voeren stands a magnificent Renaissance castle: the Commanderie van Voeren. For centuries, the friars of the Teutonic Order - colleagues of the famous grand commandery of Alden Biesen in Bilzen - lived and worked here.
The castle has its own trout farm. You can walk around the ponds and afterwards grab a table in the cosy brasserie. Specialty of the house: trout, of course!
A viaduct with a story
The villagescape of Sint-Martens-Voeren is dominated by an impressive railway viaduct: 23 metres high and 250 meters long. It was built during the First World War. 12,000 people worked on it, including many prisoners of war. Freight trains still pass over it, 100 years later.
A little further on, near the hamlet of Veurs, those trains enter one of the longest railway tunnels in Belgium: more than 2 kilometres through the pitch black
Experience orchard Voeren
From colourful spring blossoms to delicious autumn fruit, the experience orchard in ‘s-Gravenvoeren is worth a visit all year round. You’ll learn about the flora and fauna of the region, but you’ll also find clambering frames, willow huts and - if you prefer it a little less adventurous - benches. In summer, you can pick raspberries, berries and other fruit. Unsprayed, of course!
Boerengolf
Boerengolf Green Valley is golf in the meadows, among the cows (organic!) and fruit trees (tall-stemmed!). You’ll find Boerengolf in a wooded valley just outside the village of Teuven. There’s a different view at each of the 10 holes: always surprising, always breathtaking. During your game, enjoy a complimentary tasting and farmhouse drink.
Out and about with a guide
Going to the Voer region with family or friends?
Book a guide: a real expert who will personally take you through their region. You can also book a customised walk: inquire and book early through Toerisme Voerstreek.
A whole
micro-adventure
Play forests
Kids will never get bored in the play forests in Voeren. In the Voerenberg play forest, they can clamber and climb. They can build huts in Schoppemerheide play forest, or search for treasure (buy the treasure map at the tourist information office). Kys play forest is a mysterious place with ancient beeches and stimulating shrubs. And then there is Alserbos play forest, ideal for forest games.
Ice cream to devour
You wouldn’t know it from the name, but ‘t Bakhuis in Sint-Martens-Voeren is known far and wide for its superb ice cream. It’s super-local, made from the milk of their own cows. You can visit the farm, and there is also a holiday home. And definitely take home some cow’s milk, butter or yogurt - fresh from the cow!
At Gelato Farm in Teuven, you can enjoy a delicious organic ice cream in their garden. The children can run around on the playground.
micro-adventure day on a
Stay overnight in nature
Love to snuggle under the blankets in an authentic village farmhouse? Or would you rather wake up in the heavenly peace of a quiet area? It’s possible in the Voer region - and much more besides.
HOTELS
BLANCKTHYS
Stay in luxury in this old village farmhouse in the middle of ‘s-Gravenvoeren. Enjoy a drink in the historic courtyard or grab a table in the cosy brasserie.
ALTENBROEK ESTATE
Drive up the driveway of this 14th-century castle farm, and you’ll feel like you’re in another world. In the middle of a quiet area, yet within walking distance of the cosy ‘s-Gravenvoeren.
HOLIDAY HOMES
FERME DE L’ETANG
A century-old long-gabled farmhouse amongst the greenery. No stiff formalities, but a place where you can relax and enjoy the organic vegetable garden and beautiful surroundings. Wheelchair accessible rooms are also available!
’T MAELHOF
Fancy an overnight stay with a view of a water mill? ‘t Maelhof is an 18th-century half-timbered barn converted into stylish holiday homes.
BUITENGEWOON VEURS
A wonderful staycation in the greenest part of Voeren? Buitengewoon Veurs is a comfortable and rural holiday home for up to 8 people.
CAMPING SITE
DE DRINK
From youth movement to sports club, from school to music club: De Drink is a fully equipped camp site with everything you need. There is a large playground with play forest, and you can also play paintball.
GET A TASTE OF NATURE
Moeder de Gans
An authentic half-timbered farmhouse on the village square of Teuven houses the cosy café-restaurant Moeder de Gans. Here you can taste Voeren on your plate, in homemade dishes that incorporate artisanal and organic products from the region.
Behind the farmhouse is a spring where the people of Teuven still come to drink delicious sparkling spring water. Prefer something stronger? In the cafe area - a converted horse barn - they serve dozens of beers, including a good selection on tap.
Wiertz-Robijns syrup distillery
100% apples and pears, 0% preservatives and flavourings: this is the recipe of the Wiertz syrup distillery in Sint-Pieters-Voeren. In the shadow of Castle De Commanderie, Eugène and his wife Lieve continue a family tradition that started in the 1940s. The result: the tastiest syrup in the region - and pure nature!
Commanderie 7
At De Commanderie, you will also find Belgium’s oldest fish farm. Here they breed trout in ponds supplied by the source of the Voer. You can buy fresh trout or any of the other artisanal products at the store. Prefer some pampering? At the brasserie, feast on brown trout roasted in butter or rainbow trout ‘au bleu’. Perhaps another local Loë beer to go with it? Excellent choice!
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Winter Wonderland
In winter, Voeren is even more tranquil. Strange really, because a brisk walk through the snowy fields and forests is a real energy booster. Get wrapped up, pick a hike or mark one out, and off you go! And pop into a cosy cafe afterwards for a hot chocolate, a freshly baked pancake or a hearty local beer.
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Wheelchair pullers (Swiss-Trac)
Do you use a wheelchair and still want to explore the beautiful nature of the Voer region? Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park (...) You attach a wheelchair puller to the front of your wheelchair, so you get a helping hand along less accessible paths. As such, you can traverse uneven paths and even get up climbs without too much effort.
© Bjorn Snelders
3 Real craftsmanship!
Nowhere in Flanders can you find as many half-timbered houses as in Voeren, and especially in the picturesque valley of the Veurs. Half-timbered houses consist of a solid framework of wooden beams, filled with woven branches and covered with straw and loam. You might recognise this ancient building technique from Germany, but a typical detail in the Voer region is that the wooden framework is often filled with flint - a truly local material!
3 bucket list experiences
FOR CYCLISTS AND WALKERS: OUT AND ABOUT IN BOUNDLESS BOCAGELAND LANDSCAPE PARK
The best way to explore Boundless Bocageland Landscape Park? By bike or on foot. Fill your lungs with the fresh air and enjoy the most beautiful spots and most spectacular views along the way. To get you started, we have some great cycle and walking routes ready for you.
Hiking
Anyone who has done it will confirm: there are few places in Flanders where hiking is as breathtaking as in the Voerstreek. And it’s so simple, too. Thanks to the more than 90 hiking nodes, you can map out your own route on unpaved and low-traffic paths. Together good for 125 km of pure hiking pleasure! Massage your calves beforehand, as you’re guaranteed to encounter some tough climbs along the way.
Prefer to follow a marked out route? Then choose one of the themed walks. These lead you through forests and fields, along hollow roads and past stately farmsteads and imposing halftimbered houses. Of course, you end up back at your starting point.
© Bjorn
The most beautiful walk in Flanders! Like stepping into a different, greener world: that’s the feeling you get from the Sources Walk. You’ll follow narrow forest trails, unwind in green stream valleys and enjoy impressive views. Voted the most beautiful walking route by ‘Vlaanderen Vakantieland’!
Snelders
ORDER THE HIKING MAP
Good preparation is half the battle. Order the hiking map now. (...) With your purchase you make a direct contribution to the quality and maintenance of the hiking network in the Voer region.
Help preserve the Voeren landscape
The landscape of Voeren is unique to Flanders. But even here, biodiversity is under pressure. The Landscape Fund was set up with that in mind. Together with residents and the hospitality industry, the Fund aims to protect and enhance the typical landscape qualities. And you can help with a financial contribution. Donations can be made from as little as €2. You can find all the info here
Cycling
Cycling through the Voeren hills can be quite a challenge. But persevere and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views - not to mention the refreshing beer afterwards. And fortunately, there are also plenty of choices for those who prefer to stick to a relaxing ride.
All about the nodes
Did you know that bicycle nodes were invented in Limburg? The node network in Voeren also offers superb cycling: map out a route, save it in your smartphone and hit the road carefree. The network continues across the border with Wallonia and Dutch Limburg. Good to know: in the east of the Voer region, you’ll get a couple of leg-pounding rides.
The land of the Meuse and Wallonia
Prefer to avoid hill climbs? Then go for a relaxing bike ride along the Meuse River. For example, to the charming city of Liege. Or to our northern neighbours: take the ferry in Eijsden and you’ll be on the Dutch bank of the Meuse in no time. Fun to do with kids!
Who needs paved roads..
Mountain bikers can get their fix on the crossborder Euregio network. There are 7 routes in the Voer region, Belgian and Dutch Limburg and Liège. You’ll ride over hills and forest trails, through hollow roads and orchards... The ideal workout! Order the map with the 7 mountain bike routes in advance.
All 9 iconic routes!
Iconic bike routes: that’s what we call the 9 most beautiful cycling holiday routes in Flanders. Each route has its own theme and leads along attractive, often low-traffic cycling routes along the most breathtaking corners of the Flemish landscape.
From Poperinge to Voeren: the
‘Heuvelroute’ (Hill Route)
Of all the iconic bicycle routes, the Heuvelroute (Hill Route) is one of the nicest - and definitely the most challenging. It’s a whopping 459 kilometres long, and the last 20 km runs all the way through the Voer region. Or the first 20 km, if you start here: the route is signposted in two directions, so you can choose in which direction you want to ride, and where you want to start or arrive.
COLOPHON
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