Beautiful Belgian Hiking: West Hainaut - WaPi, did you say WaPi?

Recently, the western part of the Hainaut province has introduced itself to visitors under the name WaPi, which means Picard Wallonia. A neologism that aims to sound a bit baroque and doesn't sound particularly pleasant to the ear. Nevertheless, this did not deter us from heading to Enghien, a friendly town about thirty kilometers from Brussels and the gateway to Picard Wallonia.

Why Enghien? Simply because I personally have never been there, not even parked my bike tires there! And let me tell you right away, it was a mistake. Yes, not knowing Enghien is a mistake! This charming small town, which is easily accessible via the E429 Brussels-Tournai, is particularly worth a visit because of its beautiful park, created by the d'Arenberg family. This landscape park is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe from the 17th century and includes various themed areas, water features, and interesting old buildings, such as the Pavilion of the Seven Stars, a baroque viewing platform. To those who love green spaces, it should be noted that the visit has an entrance fee, but is offered at a reasonable price of €3 (+€1 with audio guide). In short, you understand why we chose the Enghien park as the starting point for this BBB. Another advantage, and not the least, is the cheerful Place Pierre Delanoy, full of character, which welcomes you with its numerous estaminets, cafés, and other bistros, just 30 meters away!

An extraordinary Hôtel-Dieu

After we gulped down the black coffee that traditionally signals our start, we head west to Lessines, which we reach via pleasant little country roads of Flemish Brabant. Yes, Enghien lies at the language border, and as soon as you leave the town, you are in “Moeder Vlaanderen.” Nevertheless, the route leading through Biévène (Bever in Flemish) is enjoyable: it goes up and down, there are curves, but the surface varies from very good to quite poor. You have been warned! Arriving in Lessines, where we re-enter Walloon territory (“èmon nos-ôtes” as they say here...) is also pleasant. We cross the Dendre over a movable bridge that looks like it has been in operation since the time of Methuselah and… we get lost in the streets of Lessines, where the one-way streets have been changed. I ask you, Monsieur Tripy, when will you update your maps?

So we have to correct our original route to get out of the town after passing by the Hôpital Notre-Dame à la Rose, of which the town is very proud, and rightly so. This Hôtel-Dieu (like the ball with the same name, right dear students?) is a bit like our hospices in Beaune. It is a former hospital whose origins date back to 1242 and has retained its appearance from the 16th and 17th centuries to this day. It chronicles eight centuries of medical history in about twenty fully restored rooms. However, do not think this is a nice but somewhat old-fashioned museum. Quite the opposite! The Hôpital Notre-Dame à la Rose can be visited with an iPhone app available in the App Store and offers a well-stocked bookshop. More info at www.notredamealarose.com.

Ah, the land of hills...

After Lessines, the landscape quickly returns to its rights and the friendly winding road to Frasnes, leading through a cheerful landscape, would be very pleasant if the surface were not so degenerated (!) in some places. After a few gas bursts, we reach Lahamaide, where the Ecomuseum of the land of hills is worth a stop. The old estaminet, where time seems to have stood still, and the "Maison Louise" right next to it will show you how people lived here 50 or 60 years ago. So take your time, take a deep breath, and leave your smartphone in your pocket!

Our route then leads north to Wodecq and Ellezelles, the land of witches. We pass near the “Moulin du Mouflu” (www.mouflu.be), the restaurant and charming guest rooms of our friends Michel and Bernadette Ledermann, a great place if you want to eat (well) and sleep (well). With Jaco, we realize that we haven't seen the Ledermanns in a while and then we meet Michel, at the wheel of his incredible American convertible, whose face is, as always, adorned with a wide smile. He, of course, didn't recognize us under our full-face helmets and we didn't really have time to stop as we were already running late... But as they say, it's just postponed... In Ellezelles, we take a break: we have to say that the sun is shining brightly and our stomachs are beginning to remember us. However, the fry stalls we pass by are not very appealing to us... Well, it's after we “climbed” the Mont de l'Enclus (600ha of forests), one of the highest “peaks” of the region (a nice hill, actually...) that we happen to stumble upon the pleasant shady terrace of the restaurant “En passant,” which we recommend if you like peace and quiet...

Around Tournai

Our open goal was to circle Tournai from the west, counterclockwise. That was also achieved. Not that Tournai is a city without charm or interest, but the pleasure of motorcycle riding on the weekend tends to happen outside of cities, right? Haven't you had enough of traffic jams like this? After we descended from the Mont de l'Enclus into the valley, the villages follow: Pottes, Herinnes, Estaimbourg... We reach a completely flat, not unpleasant, but quite urbanized landscape. The Flemish border is very close, and from Néchin, we find ourselves facing France. What, Néchin... doesn't ring a bell? Yes, this is where Gérard Depardieu found a home to escape the wealth tax of his home country. A sign in front of a shop catches our attention: “Cuvée Depardieu.” Gégé's house is actually very nearby, you'll pass by it. It is a large, white, characterless house, at least from the outside, located on a busy street. Apparently, Depardieu doesn't come here often. Unless it’s to show himself in front of the cameras. And now that he has a Russian passport, he probably prefers to go to the nice country of his friend Putin...

Well, back to our BBB after this heavy excursion. The route now runs along the French border without crossing it and leads over Blandain and Lamain to Rumes (without an “h”!), where we enter the “Nature Park of the Floodplains of the Scheldt.” Again, places you have probably never been if you come from Brussels, Liège, Namur, or the Ardennes... In La Glanerie, we stop at a monument dedicated to the first American soldier to set foot on Belgian soil during the liberation, who was also a... motorcyclist! This probably partly explains the affection that some elderly citizens (but not just them...) have for Harley-Davidson. Towards Rongy and Bléharies, the landscape is peaceful under the sun. The mood invites laziness and daydreaming... In Brunehaut, traffic picks up again. Then we continue to Antoing, whose college once had a certain Charles de Gaulle as a student, who was here from 1905 to 1908 as a boarding student in the Jesuit boarding school. Very small streets then lead us over Vezon and Wéaux to Pipaix.

Pipaix and its breweries

Pipaix, just a few kilometers from Leuze-en-Hainaut, is well-known to all beer lovers. The famous and excellent Bush of Pipaix, the strongest Belgian beer, needs no introduction. Brewed at Dubuisson (“buisson” means “bush” in English...), it is a product that is now widely available, which was not the case 25 or 30 years ago. Certainly less known than Dubuisson, beside which it seems a bit like the little puck, the “Brasserie à Vapeur,” located in the heart of the village, owes its name to an old steam engine from the 19th century, which is still used today to power brewing activities. Public tours are organized every last Saturday of the month, but that starts early, making this visit difficult to combine with this outing. After all, a brewery tour also means... tasting! You have a choice between the Pipaix saison, a very refreshing thirst-quencher, the Vapeur en Folie, a strong blonde, and the Vapeur Cochonne (that's a beer for the boss!), a mild and round drink, but quite spicy. Beware of drifting off, as the inimitable commander De Nève would say, even though he should at least be a general by now... More info (about the brewery, not about Commander De Nève, bande de...) at www.vapeur.com.

A change of scenery in Beloeil, where the castle of the Princes of Ligne and its 25ha estate are an absolute must-see. What majesty! A must-see if you do not know it. (www.chateaudebeloeil.com). Sometimes referred to as the "Belgian Versailles," the castle has been continuously inhabited by the de Ligne family since the 14th century! While the buildings are remarkable, so are the French gardens, whose original design dates back to 1664. The last kilometers before reaching Enghien and "closing the loop" take you past the distinctly less grand but still very beautiful castle of Attre, an elegant manor house from the 18th century (www.chateauxduhainaut.be). After that, you will pass the US Air Force base Chièvres before heading towards Silly, which now boasts an interesting Archivo of the Résistance, called MaquiStory (Tel.: 068/33.16.06). If you haven’t gone wrong with your navigation (we know you!), you will pass right by it!

By the way, you've covered almost 180 kilometers, not always very raceable. So, a word of advice from a friend: don't leave too late, even though the days are still long at this time of year. Safe travels and always be careful!

Enjoyable stops

- Whether at the beginning or end of this tour, the cafés and restaurants at Place Pierre Delanoy in Enghien (in the city center) are very pleasant and will gladly welcome you on the terrace if the weather permits.

- “En passant” in Orroir (Mont-de-l'Enclus). A discovery, this small, nicely furnished restaurant with a peaceful, shady terrace. The daily menu for 16 euros (homemade soup and Flemish carbonnades/fries on the day of our visit) is more than recommendable. Everything here is homemade and it is... very good! The service is friendly and efficient, and you can park your motorcycles nearby. What more could you want? Perhaps a little longer opening hours?

En passant, 42 Rue des Résistants, 7750 Orroir. Tel.: 069/77.79.19 (reservation recommended).