The new Benedictine abbeys

The path leading to Saint-Benoît de Maredsous Abbey runs along the Molignée Valley. This small river flows through landscapes of ridges and valleys where wooded areas or cultivated and grazed areas are mixed here and there. By extending the walk after the Benedictine abbey, the pilgrim can go to Saint-Gérard de Brogne, an old pilgrimage site.

This circuit has an advantage: it largely follows the RAVeL road, the old railway line that once linked Dinant to Tamines. The path leading to Saint-Benoît de Maredsous Abbey runs along the Molignée valley. This small river flows through landscapes of ridges and valleys where wooded areas or cultivated and grazed areas are mixed here and there. By extending the walk after the Benedictine abbey, the pilgrim can go to Saint-Gérard de Brogne, an old pilgrimage site.

This route is more fully described in a discovery brochure Detours and other pilgrimages in Namur (FR).

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1. Molignée valley

   The road starts from Anhée and crosses the landscape via the many bridges that cross the riverbed. The first curiosity is located a few kilometres away: the "villa des lapins" undoubtedly has the most amusing facade in the region (...)

2. Montaigle Castle

   Further on, on the left are the ruins of the Montaigle fortress, built at the very beginning of the 14th century on a rocky spur. Major heritage of Wallonia, this domain has existed for more than a millennium (...)

3. Maredsous Abbey

   It is necessary to climb up the hill to reach the domain of the Benedictine Abbey of Maredsous. The complex is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture, very widespread in the region (...)

4. Maredret Abbey

   The Benedictine monastery was founded in the 19th century. Once inside, time seems to stand still. Quiet. Quiet. Darkness. Solemnity. A ray of sunlight infiltrates through the stained glass windows (...)