Church of Our Lady of the Woods

The church of Notre-Dame au Bois was for centuries a place of veneration of a miraculous statuette of the Virgin. It can still be seen in the choir of the church. With its gable façade enlivened by white stone bands, the church, typical of the Baroque, dates back to the mid-17th century (Arch. Jacques Francart). The interior is decorated with panelling and paintings depicting, among other things, children healed by Mary's intervention. The name of the place is different in Flemish (Jezus-Eik) and refers to an oak tree (eik!) on which an image of Christ was nailed and to which the aforementioned figurine of the Virgin was attached before the construction of the church. Initially known for its pilgrimage, the hamlet of Jezus-Eik became a place for Sunday excursions to the forest in the middle of the 19th century. Taverns and open-air bars are not new.

Renaissance