Rond Villers-la-Ville en de abdij

Even as a ruin, the mainly 13th-century Cistercian abbey of Villers-la-Ville is impressive. You can also get there by train (www.villers.be). Start at the entrance to the abbey (V), which is also an information office, opposite the Taverne du Moulin in the old abbey mill. With your back to the information office, take the right, through the narrow 'Brussels Gate' to the café Châlet de la Forêt. There turn left onto the drève des Quatre Chênes. A rising hollow way that follows the wall around the abbey domain. First past the access avenue and then along the gate building of the abbey farm 1. From there go straight on. The road bends into the Bois de Bachet. You walk past an arboretum and two small chapels. At the forest edge you meet a third: a niche chapel at a crossroads. Straight on. The plateau path offers a rural, unspoiled view around. 500 m past that last chapel turn left onto a grassy field path, which runs further along the forest edge (marked green-white). Beyond the forest it bends left, but you continue straight ahead, aiming for the other forest corner. There the green-white arrow appears again, directing you left, along a meadow. At the next T turn right. Where the downhill path bends left, leave it at the bend via the gate and follow the footpath through the meadow downwards. Then descend via an adventurous forest path to the valley of the Thyle. You cross the road and the river bridge. Here you must go left, but it is worth taking a look at the castle of Le Châtelet 2, a rugged-looking medieval fortress. It was the castle lords who in 1146 invited the monks from Clervaux to Villers. Returning on your steps you see below at the Thyle the old watermill of Châtelet. Before the bridge choose now the rising path, not the riverside path. A splendid hollow way over eroded limestone rock. At the next crossroads go left. Now follows a panoramic descent to Villers. First you come to the beautifully restored Ferme de Franquenouille (with guest rooms). At the entrance walk left. You thus walk past the former watermill of Hollers (13th-14th century), after which you turn right onto the riverside path along the canalised Thyle. At the end left again, towards the Romanesque Our Lady church 3. At the foot of the church continue on to the Place des Combattants. At butcher Evrard turn right and a few steps further left again onto the cobbled rue de Mellery. Ignore the rue de Froide Bise on the right. At the station of Villers cross the railway and walk through to a small square with yet another butcher. Turn left there, but take care, past the corner house again right. A killer hill that leads onto boulevard Neuf. Follow it only 100 m, to go straight on at the bend onto the chemin de Notre Dame. Stay on the asphalt ribbon, ignoring the field path. One more viewpoint, before plunging into the forest. Then downhill to Notre Dame des Affligés 4, a pilgrimage chapel from 1731. Shortcut: Those who descend here the rue de l’Abbaye to the left, stand after 500 m at the abbey again. If you want to enter the abbey forests now, cross the road straight ahead. Along a beautiful pine forest you come to a six-way junction: straight on, like the GR route (red-white). Then let yourself be led by a bouncing brook and forget red-white. Beyond the railway the brook flows into the Thyle, by the former abbey ponds and old watermill of Chevelipont 5. Cross the road diagonally left and circle around the lone house, onto the climbing forest path. Where it leaves the forest, keep walking between the houses, until you notice a white chapel on the left. Here a footpath descends into the valley. Then follow the brook valley to the left over 400 m, to the first left fork. A footpath, marked with a yellow rectangle and also a GR path, takes you over the wooded hill back to the abbey in the other valley.