If you are looking for a place to stay in the Condroz, you should definitely consider a chalet of In The Woods! I spent a weekend at the cozy Chalet Boréal, in the heart of this beautiful region; a little town called Gesves. It was the perfect base to explore this magnificent part of Belgium, situated to the north-west of the Ardennes.
Exploring the Condroz region in Belgium means a lot of hiking and castle hunting! I had bad luck with the weather, but those who have been following my adventures for a while, already know that rain has never stopped me from exploring! After all who does not love that feeling arriving at a warm snug chalet after doing a muddy wet hike?
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Spending the weekend in the Condroz: Chalet Boréal, In The Woods
Arrival
After receiving the code to the key locker by e-mail, you drive to your chalet which is literally hidden in the woods. One moment you are driving through a calm residential area and the next you drive on a bumpy narrow road to your chalet. Each chalet has its own parking space in front of it. I took my stuff out of the car and then climbed the stairs through the greens to my chalet. Next to the entrance door there is a small locker which contains your key.
Chalet Boréal
As soon as I stepped into the chalet I got sucked into a cozy atmosphere. A typical Scandinavian pendant lamp hung at each side of the bed. The wall above the bed was decorated with deer antlers and on the bed lay fluffy pillows. Also above the kitchen island 3 pendant lamps were hanging. Every single detail in the chalet was well thought out, taking you to the far north! After all In The Woods states on its website it is inspired by the Canadian boreal forest!
The kitchen was well equipped, so even I could prepare my own meal (and I am definitely not a queen in the kitchen!). Even basic spices such as salt and oregano were present (Yes, I use those from time to time)! The bathroom was warm and cozy and even contained a large bubble bath to relax in after a cold wet hike.
The bed had a soft mattress, which I normally do not like, but this one was actually quite comfortable. I fell asleep fast while listening to the rain drops falling on the roof and had a good night sleep.
In front of the chalet you will find your own private terrace including a table, two deck chairs and even a BBQ! There were also bird boxes and apparently one of them housed a very curious squirrel, because it came outside to look at me several times. So I had a cute neighbour!
Breakfast
Breakfast was delivered at the door of the chalet. I am not sure if this is always the case, or only during Covid times. But it was well organised! They put the breakfast box in a giant plastic box, so it does not get eaten by your cute neighbour Ms Squirrel or ruined by the rain.
The breakfast consists of croissants, pains au chocolat, bread rolls (pistolets), fresh orange juice, fruit salad, confiture (jam) and chocolate spread. Which was just perfect! The amenities to make coffee or tea are present at the chalet’s kitchen. What I also loved is that they do not knock on the door while delivering, so if you want to sleep in, no problem!
If you also want to spend a cozy weekend at Chalet Boreal and explore the Condroz region, then book your stay at this dreamy place now!
Things to do nearby
Hiking in the Condroz
The Condroz region offers a lot of hiking opportunities. Most hikes aren’t too difficult since the height differences aren’t that big. These are some hikes I already did in the Condroz region:
Sentiers d’art: boucle Haut-Bois – Haltinne
The Sentiers d’art is normally one big giant hike of about 140 km. But it is also split in different shorter hikes between 6 to 16 km. During these hikes you’ll encounter various land’art creations and beautifully designed shelters. I did the 10 km loop Haut-Bois – Haltinne which led me to 9 art installations. I only discovered 7 though, so I must have missed 2 of them. But you will also stumble upon the fairytale castle of Haltinne and some beautiful landscapes. You can find all the sentiers d’art routes on the official Sentiers d’art website (only in French and Dutch though).
Promenade des châteaux – Faulx-les-Tombes
This is not an official hike, but I found it on the Wikiloc website. Since it says “châteaux” and I absolutely adore castles, I needed to do it! I started the loop at Château de Faulx-les-Tombes. There is a parking lot across the castle where you can easily park your car. It took me through woods, a castle ruin, an old Romanesque tower and fields. It was quite a varied walk.
Furfooz
Parc de Furfooz is a nature reserve. A well marked route not only leads you to old Roman ruins and a restored bath house, you’ll also find giant caves and sinkholes, idyllic stairways leading through impressive rock formations and fantastic views of the Lesse Valley! (Rue du Camp Romain 79, 5500 Dinant)
Walzin & Vêves
There is a fantastic hike that takes you to two of the most amazing castles in Belgium; Château de Walzin and Château de Vêves. It requires a little more climbing, but the castles and the views on the way are worth it! You can find the trail on the website of TrailExplorer.
Castles to visit in the Condroz
Go to my Wallonia Road Trip article to read about these fantastic castles you can visit in the Condroz:
- Château de Modave: built on a 60 meter high cliff and offers fantastic views of the valley of the Hoyoux river. Also the garden is dreamy!
- Château de Montaigle: an impressive castle ruin
- Château de Bioul: an excellent château for the wine lovers!
- Château de Freÿr: a Renaissance castle with a garden inspired by André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect of Versailles. Even Luis XIV spent the night here!
- Château de Spontin: typical medieval castle
Other places to explore
- Les Jardins d’Eau d’Annevoie: the only water gardens in Belgium. So definitely worth a visit when exploring the Condroz! The garden’s design is mainly French, but you will also find English and Italian elements. And guess what? There is also a castle on the domain!
- Crupet is one of Wallonia’s most beautiful villages. Here you will find the moated castle Carondelet and the Grotto of St Anthony of Padua.
- Dinant: a town situated on the river banks of the Meuse. It is known for its ancient fortified Citadel and the interactive museum of Adolphe Sax, who was born here.
- Domaine de Chevetogne: recreational domain with activities such as canoeing, mini-golf and swimming
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