Flobecq and Tournibois

Walk along the nodes in the Pays des Collines. Depart from Flobecq and walk east towards the Tournibois. Continue your path eastward to Ginintreau. Then return to Flobecq.

Nodes: 23-22-31-32-33-30-42

Nature Park Pays des Collines

As early as the 1970s, the idea of creating a nature park in the Collines region was raised by somewhat visionary pioneering citizens such as Théo Mercenier, Jacques Vandewattyne, and even Abbé Delcour. The idea gained traction with certain political decision-makers and a large number of citizens and associations. Together, they fought for the idea of bringing Ellezelles, Flobecq, Mont-de-l'Enclus, Frasnes, and three villages of the entity Ath (Houtaing, Mainvault, Ostiches) together to form a common cultural and landscape identity.

When we ask the citizens what best characterizes the nature park Pays des Collines, the landscape or the folklore is often mentioned. It is true that its relief and identity have suffered less from the homogenization of landscapes than in certain other places in Wallonia. Characterized by 7 landscape entities (wooded hills, fragmented hills, agricultural valleys, alluvial plains, open agriculture, partitioned agriculture, urbanized), the landscapes of the Pays des Collines must continue to exert as much attraction on citizens as on tourism.

The Pays des Collines consists of the municipalities of Ellezelles, Flobecq, Frasnes-lez-Anvaing, Mont-de-l'Enclus, and part of the municipality of Ath (the villages of Mainvault, Houtaing, and Ostiches). The Land of Collines is a territory steeped in a strong identity. The 5 municipalities of the Pays des Collines are very popular with walkers because of their wild and hilly landscapes, their delicious regional products, and their fantastic folklore. Here, witches and legends haunt the unusual walking paths and the bucolic landscape dotted with pollarded willows, bushes, and “supernatural” hills.

The total area of the nature park is 23,327 hectares for 26,125 inhabitants (early 2011).