The best traffic-free bike rides in Bois De Malvin

The former station of Braives on railway line 127 from Landen to Statte has been upgraded by the municipality of Braives into a dynamic meeting place with a community centre, library and pleasant outdoor area with a playground. The weekly market is now held on the former goods yard. The station building is the only one on line 127 that still stands and is in its original condition.

The trail no. 37 that goes up the stream is a very pleasant place to ride gravel. Forest, quiet, pretty, rideable. We arrive at Landenne somewhat unexpectedly, rue champs des oiseaux.

The Solières valley is one of those places where you never really know what the next bend will reveal. A river winding through the woods, limestone rocks, mysterious caves, old paths and the remains of Beaufort castle… A concentration of nature and heritage in a surprisingly wild valley, on the outskirts of Huy. A magnificent discovery for hiking enthusiasts.

We cycled the Meuse from Verdun to Liège. The last section before Liège is characterized by industry. Therefore, it is not soooo nice to cycle there.

Although the bridge undoubtedly dates from Roman times, it is unclear how old the bridge exactly is. Anyway, old enough to have already suffered considerably from the ravages of time. In 1998 it was restored by the non-profit organization Huy Verte. In 2015, enthusiasts of these hiking trails sounded the alarm again, because the bridge was deteriorating further and threatened to collapse into the stream if nothing was done to reinforce it. After much insistence, the municipal authorities were finally convinced: they first had a stability study carried out by the company Greisch (which also designed the large Pater-Pire bridge over the Meuse in Ben-Ahin). In August 2024, the works finally began, so that hikers can now cross it safely and with peace of mind. source: lavenir.be

The bridge over the Meuse in Ben-Ahin is a cable-stayed bridge. It was put into position on 18 September 1987 by rotation around its concrete pylon. This construction method remained the world record for the heaviest bridge (16,000 tons) erected by rotation for over 30 years. In 2019, however, this record was shattered when a bridge weighing no less than 46,000 tons was put in place by rotation in the Chinese city of Baoding. The design and construction of this 341 m long structure were developed by the Greisch firm. The longest span (the central part over the water) is 126 meters. It was named the 'Pater Pire Bridge', named after the winner of the 1958 Nobel Peace Prize, a Dominican who worked at the Sarte monastery in Huy. source: greisch.com and news.cgtn.com

A really nice place to have a drink after your walk (open Wednesday and Sunday)

The current castle ensemble is largely 16th century, but was built around a 14th-century square keep. The location of that keep was, of course, strategically chosen: slightly elevated above the surroundings, this point offers a good view. The original military architecture gave way in the 16th century to a balanced combination of defense and residential comfort. In addition to the main building, the domain includes a farm, a barn, and several outbuildings, which together form a coherent whole. All these constructions are built from locally quarried limestone rubble, while carefully dressed limestone was used for lintels, sills, door frames, and window frames. This choice of materials testifies to the craftsmanship and the prosperity of the owners during that period. The oldest known lord associated with Famelette is Thiry Lardinois de Famelette, lord of Moha, indicating the close ties between the domain and the local feudal power structures. In 1441, the castle passed into the hands of Collar de Hosden, who held the office of bailiff of Moha. His function as a representative of the lordly authority underscores the administrative importance of Famelette within the region. A decisive phase in the castle's history began in 1558, when it was acquired by the Berlaymont de Floyon family, an influential noble dynasty in the Southern Netherlands. Under their rule, the domain underwent two thorough renovations, during which the existing medieval structures were expanded and embellished. The Berlaymont de Floyon family remained owners of the castle until the early 19th century, an era marked by profound political and social changes, including the consequences of the French Revolution. Famelette subsequently came into the hands of the noble Aspremont Lynden family, who sold the domain in 1878 to the Collinet family (owners of Carmeuse, the quarries). Source: www.burchten-kastelen.be