Tour of Wallonia
- michaeldhaydock
- Apr 18
- 10 min read
"Cycling in Belgium is like a form of meditation - the picturesque landscapes, smooth roads, and rich culture make it a truly unforgettable experience."
That's what the AI bot says anyway. And I'd agree in general. Which is why we keep going back. One thing I would say, though, is that Belgium is one of those places where you can go quickly from the best riding, to some of the worst. Something that we experienced again on this trip. It was short-lived though, so we can't complain. And where else can you straddle 3-countries on the same ride?
Day 1 - Tournai to Charleroi
Key stats - 112Km, 580m
Pave: Mostly paved, some sections of cobbles
Accommodation: Novotel Charleroi Centre
To get us further into the Ardenne and away from the areas we’d visited in the Spring, we opted to get the train from Brussels to Tourney, and start the adventure from there. It wasn’t until this trip that we realised the Eurostar tickets (if you choose any Belgian station) are valid in Belgium for 24-hours - until you reach your final destination, so the final fare didn’t cost us a thing.
We had most of the afternoon and evening in Tournai. It was a nice little town with the cobbled squares and churches we’re accustomed to seeing in Belgium and France. The trip officially started in a brewery off the main square, where we sampled the local beers, delicacies (Hawaii toasty) and chatted to the locals before heading off to bed.
The first day started relatively leisurely and it was a beautiful sunny start - which lasted the whole day. Having experienced such a miserable summer in the UK, it was great to have the sun on the arms and legs again, regardless of how pasty they were.
The whole morning was filled with smooth, forested bike paths through the Parc Naturel des Plaines de L'escaut, which is the reason we’d fallen in love with cycling on the Mainland, as it’s so well set up for us bikers. I felt like a kid again and I’ve never spent so much time riding no-handed.
All smiles and with the sun still on our noses, we reached the town of Peruwelz after 30km, where the Franco-Belgian border met. After an obligatory border straddle and subsequent photo, we grabbed a drink in a square, overlooked by a randomly impressive church, before continuing the next section towards Mons. There were some initial groans as we left Peruwelz straight onto a busy main road, but we were soon back on canal-side goodness without a care in the world for another 30km or so.
Mons came at 60km and we were unjustifiably a bit hangry as we rolled into the city. What we have concluded from our trips together is that we are all wildly indecisive and decisions like “where shall we eat?” Or “should we stop here for a coffee?” become a drawn out affair. Subsequently, we ended up with another Toast Hawaii in a non-descript cafe somewhere after a few mins sussing out the Grand Place and stopping for another group photo.
For some reason it was an absolute mission to get out of Mons. We (I) unknowingly got us caught in a Wahoo Element Roam re-route whirlpool, which seemed to last for hours before I wisely turned the option off in the app. Shortly after this we were back on track and in true Belgian style, there was a nice stint of the famous cobbles (accidentally on purpose) and quiet country roads. Although some parts would scarce qualify as cobbles, more rubble, but it was all good fun. For me anyway. This delightful mix of farm roads, cobbles and forested tracks lasted the best part of 45km, which was beautiful in the sunshine.
The final stretch of the day (5km or so) was along the pathways adjacent to La Sambre. It was bleak, industrial and at the same time charming. Again it was completely car free, so we had time to marvel at the decaying industry before finally rolling into Charleroi; excited to sample more Belgian treats and see the World’s ugliest city for ourselves.
Day 2 - Chareroi to Ciney
Key Stats - 80km, 820m
Pave - Mostly paved, sections of cobbles and rough tarmac
Accommodation - B&B Les Cresses
After all the hype about Charleroi being the World's ugliest city - it wasn’t that bad. Sure, some of the architecture was a bit dated, but it still had some charm - and some nice bars and restaurants to boast.
I can’t say we weren’t keen to get going in the morning, however; and we were pretty much straight back on the river path where we left off, continuing eastward towards Chatalet. The first 10km or so were pretty easy going and it was a good start to the day, gently cruising along between the trees. We’d initially picked out somewhere to stop for breakfast - but managed to overshoot it, and ended up heading off-route and stopping in a small village - Gerpinnes - about half-way up a relatively long and windy incline. The village was small, but sweet. And like a lot of random French and Belgian villages, not a lot was open when we arrived. We managed a stressful pastry grab and a coffee in a pub under renovation, before finding our way on to the Ravel 150.
We were on this beaut for 40km. And it was very cruisy. The original route (below) had us come off the Ravel for a while and take in a couple of climbs, ahead of rejoining the 150 further to the east. It was so much fun on the Ravel 150, with the prominent limestone outcrops and passing families enjoying the rail bikes through the Molignée Valley - that we scrapped the route and stayed on as we were, which took us all the way from Matet to Dinant.
We’d tried to incorporate Dinant on one of the trips for a while, and it was good to finally tick it off. Annoyingly it was wet and windy by the time we made it, so we didn’t get to enjoy it too much. After leaving Dinant, the mid-section was a bit bumpy, but nothing that should put anyone off replicating the route. Forest roads, farm tracks and an abundance of wildflowers and bird-life.
A few kms from the end point, we stopped in Ciney for a drink, picked up another dinner buffet (no restaurants nearby) and headed to roost. Content with another great day of cycling.
Day 3 - Ciney to Spa
Key stats - 82.5km, 1,070m
Pave - Smooth bike paths, some cobbles
Accommodation -Les Duplex de la Place des Ecoles
We were looking forward to day 3 after such a good nights sleep, and who can’t be excited at the prospect of a spa at the end of a few days on the road!?
We left Ciney in a bit of drizzle, but straight back on to the Ravel for another good 20km. It was undulating, enclosed by impressive pines, eventually passing through Hamois, then changing direction towards the south east at Les Avins. The cycling from here turned back to sublime single-track that wiggled through the countryside - and there wasn’t a car in sight.
This section had a couple of enjoyable climbs that had our legs spinning. And the descents back down through the cornfields and farmsteads were even better. The pick of the bunch was the col up to the war memorial along Rue Sir Hugh Fraser of Lovet. There was a collection of picnic tables at the top and we couldn’t resist a sandwich stop overlooking the forests leading to Bastogne and beyond.
The descent down from the picnic stop took us over the river and into the beautiful and medieval town of Durbuy. We had grand ambitions to take advantage of the scorching temperatures and stop for a dip, but failed. We did however, succeed in finding, and devouring ginormous ice-creams. Washed down with a fizzy drink. Like fat cats sitting in the sun, it was an effort to wrench ourselves back on our bikes.
On leaving Durbuy, we were along the river again for a short while, before the road turned into quite a sharp climb. Which, being full of food, weren’t prepared for. But the ‘worst’ or best, was yet to come.
More fine country roads greeted us as we crested the hill coming out of Durbuy. It was relatively rolling again and the incline ramped up as we made it to the outskirts of Spa. There was a brief respite from the humps between Aywaille and Remouchamps at 68km, before a 200m (doesn’t sound like a lot) slog up and down to Spa. It was to our horror, initially along the busy Route du Maquisard - in the baking windless heat, but we were able to detour along the quieter, steeper, old roads, eventually and relievedly descending through Winamplanche and finally in to Spa.
Day 4 - Spa to Aachen
Key stats - 94km, 1,150m
Pave - Smooth bike paths, some cobbles
Accommodation -Novotel Aachen City
Another day. Another country. This time we were on our way to Germany and the 4th nation of the trip. After a lot of chat and anticipation, we didn’t end up in the spa at Spa. It was too hot! We did however, unknowingly take the cable car up to it, thinking it was a viewpoint. But alas. It wasn’t. Just a reception and the smell of chlorine.
We had a nice time in Spa. There was an antique car show on. The bars and restaurants were sprawled into the streets, making the most of the good weather (until the torrent) and we had a little buzz from the Belgian beers. The evening was pretty low-key. Home-cooked meal and watching the raging storm from our apartment.
The day started bright. But not early. Anticipating tired legs and sore bums, I’d made three versions of the route from Spa to Aachen. 40km, 60km and 95km - the latter included 1,200m of up - options. This was the most decisive I think we’d ever been together and resoundingly opted for the middle-ground to theoretically allow some time in the spa, this time in Aachen.
We didn’t live to regret this choice. It still had some challenging stretches that gave the backside a bit of a break, in between the more leisurely cycle paths. You’re probably thinking “this is a very repetitive write up!” But that’s how it was fortunately. Or unfortunately for you. It was just pure bliss. Not a cloud in the sky and great riding.
At 27km we rolled into the charming village of Eupen after a relatively bumpy start to the day. It was a pretty place. There was a small market in the cobbled square, surrounded by quaint bars and cafes, where we stopped for a hot choc. From here, the chunk of the day was beside an old rail track - and predominantly downhill - that was frequented with railway carts converted into bars and more cafes. And for the first time, lots of other riders out on their bikes. It was on this track that we passed into Deutschland - or Germany. We weren’t greeted by a fanfare of applause like we’d hoped. We actually missed the crossing and backpedaled to get another group photo.
The route eventually turned north-westwards at Hahn (45km) and still on the now-named Vennbahnweg, we wiggled through the suburbs, and into Aachen.
Day 5 - Aachen to Namur
Key stats - 107km, 670m
Pave - Smooth bike paths, cobbles, some off-road
Accommodation - Hotel La Grand Cloch
On how many rides can you say you've set foot in 3-different countries? OK, smarty. At the same time? Well on this one you can.
The last day of the tour was a bit of a mixed bag. Every tour has them. Fortunately for us it was only the once. I guess unfortunately, it took away a bit of sweetness on the last day. But it was still a great day. It was another long one by our touring standards and it had us heading south-west, round the outskirts of Liege and finally, to Namur; and the train back to Brussels.
We started in the forests, on a tourist jaunt up the Kronenburg, to visit the spot where Germany, Netherlands and Belgium meet. We followed the Wahoo route that took us off-road (as usual) and we tentatively made our way upwards on the forest tracks to the Dreilandenpunt. It was definitely a novelty and we were glad to have squeezed it into the morning, and more for the rest at the top, before hitting the road properly.
it was upwards for the first 9km through the forest, and it remained pretty undulating for the next 35km as we passed through Preuswald, Herve and finally plummetting 200m down into Fleron. And plummett wasn't an exaggeration. Slightly beshevveled, we continued towards Liege. It soon got to that point in the day where we were getting hungry and Liege, strangely, was another tricky place to find somewhere to stop - made more difficult with three vegetarians on bikes - but we got there, stopping at a small Turkish cafe for some baked treats, then heading off on the last part of the trip.
The home-straight back to Namur was a little messy. I think I got lazy checking the route before-hand. I recall a fair amount of time besides main roads. Battling to get on the actual cycle paths. And, an imposing nuclear power plant. Which I can't say I've ever cycled past before. I'm probably being overly critical as there were lots of nice parts and the sun was continually shining, so it wasn't all bad. It was also pretty much flat the whole way from Liege as we, when we were able to get on it, running alongside the River Meuse and the N90.
I feel like the write up of the last day is a bit of an anti-climax. and maybe I chouldn't have waited so long before writing it up. But, eventually we skirted through Huy, Andenne and onto Namur, and the sleepy train back to where it all began.
This trip was defineitely 'up-there' in terms of the best one so far. It just had a bit of everything, and the added enjoyment of being somewhere completely new having been in the Flandrian area the last few trips. There still feels like there's ample more to ride and explore in the region and we hope to head back soon. Although next time, it will be a whole new adventure...
Fin.
Check out the full gallery of the trip, here.
