Wallonia Belgium Tourism's free brochures and travel guides

Wallonia is one of biking's best kept secrets. Explore this hidden treasure on 1300km of great routes.

Cycling is popular in all three regions of Belgium. But it’s Wallonia, the southern and French-speaking part of Belgium, that’s filled with arguably the greatest variety and most wonderful cycling our country has to offer.

Bordering France and located at a scant hour and a half from the English Channel, the French-speaking region is closer than you think and has both the geography and and the driving roads to entice any classic car fan. Discover 6 incredible routes to hit the road, dig deep and turn back time!

If you were to draw a straight line on an atlas northward from the Massif Central in France to the North Pole, the only area of high ground the line crosses is the Ardennes, shared between Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany – but mainly belonging to Wallonia, the southern part of Belgium!

Four great rivers and their tributaries have shaped Wallonia’s industrial, cultural and social history, and continue to do so today. The rivers Meuse and Escaut brought trade to the region; the Semois and Ourthe attract nature-loving, thrill- seeking tourists by the thousand.

By a strange twist of fate, Wallonia found itself at the frontline of three of the most important conflicts in modern European history. The years 1815, 1914-18 and 1940-45 saw this blameless region invaded, occupied, pillaged and finally liberated.

Belgians are great lovers of wines and spirits which they like to associate with the culinary arts and also with cultural and social exchanges.

Belgium is a land steeped in brewing tradition with a reputation that goes far beyond its borders. Historically ingrained in the culture for several centuries, brewing tradition has become integral to our way of life in our regions.

In this magazine, we introduce you to a few Walloons who helped shape Belgium of today, as well as some of its artists. We also highlight the diversity of its unique gastronomy, wine, cheeses and... beers or course.

A Taste of the Good Life – it’s all about paying tribute to our cooks, farmers, artisans; those men and women who have decided to make their passion their profession. A passion which all of Wallonia appreciates! Our region stands out for the diversity, quality and uniqueness of its produce. Today, there are more than 500 types of cheese; every week a new brewery opens; every year a million bottles of wine can be found alongside our famous brandies and liqueurs or artisanal juices.

Discover some of the things that make Wallonia unique: people, places, traditions and activities that capture its often quirky character. The word for unusual or strange is 'Insolite' in French (and Walloon) but in a good way.

Welcome to the delightful Ardennes hills of Wallonia, in Southern Belgium. Here follows a few suggestions and itineraries per region - there are lots of evocative memories to take back home. Have a safe trip!

Create memorable group visits to southern Belgium. Find a comfy seat and take a moment or two to turn the pages of this guide. If you have not been to Wallonia before with your group, we hope this guide will inspire you to organise itinerar.

If you love good food then Wallonia qualifies with flying colours. It is easily distinguished by diversity, quality, but also the distinctiveness of its products, their transformation and their promotion.

This simple and practical map presents a selection of 3 or 4 star campsites, campsites labeled « Hébergement Pêche » (Camping and fishing) and the list of public areas and campgrounds with suitable pitches for motorhomes in the south of Belgium.

You’ll find clean rivers, soft green valleys, hills and rock formations amidst natural reserves, heritage sites and countryside. For those looking for a little rest and relaxation away from your usual routine or those looking for an active holiday in communion with nature, look no further. Stimulating your senses and clearing the cobwebs is effortless in this green and pleasant land.

The willpower and determination of the soldiers in what is also known as The Battle of the Ardennes re-wrote history forever. In the final confrontation of the Second World War taking place from the 16 December 1944, the defeat of a numerically superior enemy was sealed. Every year in villages and towns across Wallonia we remember with emotion, reverence and respect the brave soldiers who came from overseas to help bring peace to the region and paid with their lives.

World War Two began officially in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. But it wasn’t until May 1940 when Hitler ordered a ‘blitzkrieg’ or concentrated air and land attack on Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands that allied action really begin to gain pace. The battlefront in WW2 was to become faster moving than in World War One both on ground and in air. The similarity was that both conflicts began with an attack on Belgium.

If you’re planning a cycle trip to Belgium, Wallonia By Bike contains 45 possible tours, along with suggestions for themed circuits, regional and international long-distance routes, intersection-point networks, routes for the more athletic cyclists and a useful calendar of events with practical information.

Cycling in the ‘Haute Fagnes’, Belgium's Wild Place. There's nothing quite like it anywhere else in Belgium. This high plateau above Spa, some of which is protected as a nature reserve, extends eastwards beyond the German border, and includes the vast forest of Hertogenwald. 850 km of cycle paths, 17 themed itineraries and a former railway line converted into a cycle path crossing 3 countries through fascinating countryside. The choice is yours.

If you’re looking to offer your kids a taste of a different culture and a change of scenery without having to wander too far from home, Wallonia is the place to go.

When a Belgian arrives in the UK for the first time, he or she does not necessarily expect the usual reaction of the British when they realise they are dealing with a Belgian: “You’re Belgian? Really?... Ha! Can you name more than five famous Belgians?.” When we then start enthusiastically listing some of our favourite national icons, we are again surprised by the disbelieving looks on the faces of our new British friends.... and we usually end up being invited to the next pub quiz with their friends and relatives :-)

There are about 40 golf courses in Wallonia which welcome fans of the little white ball. The courses vary in type, with some designed by legends like Simpson. The fairways cross the Walloon landscape through woodlands and by lakesides. They offer challenges along the way, to both experienced players and beginners. For weekends or during the week, for a relaxing day or a business trip, there are packages that will satisfy all your golfing needs. Whether you’re staying in a city centre hotel, a guest house or a family holiday home in the countryside, there’s always a golf course to explore nearby. In Wallonia, expect the unexpected! It’s only a swing away!

Twice in a quarter of a century the Liège region had the tragic misfortune of being on the front line of major clashes that involved Belgium. Constructed at the end of the 19th century, the "Fortified Position of Liege" had to sustain the assault of August 1914 and then, strengthened and rearmed, the attack of May 1940. No fewer than eleven fortresses can still be visited.

As at Liège, Namur had been fortified between 1888 and 1892 with the construction of a ring of nine forts around the town to defend the Sambre and Meuse Rivers. The strategic importance of controlling the access to the valleys of the Sambre and the Meuse rivers offer a natural explanation for the strong presence of military operations in the region.

In this booklet, we are honoring a number of our "heroes" for their act of resistance during one of the two world wars.

Follow this 94 km route marked with informative history panels to follow Napoleon and his army's historical route in the last days before the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

This map guides you to the emblematic and memorable places of the Battle of the Bulge. Discover traces of wartime past: memorials, cemeteries, tanks and museums. Tours also lead you through the beautiful landscapes of southern Belgium.