{"id":45416,"date":"2023-08-09T15:07:39","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T13:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.nl\/blog\/?post_type=listing&p=45416"},"modified":"2023-08-09T15:07:39","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T13:07:39","slug":"camping-in-the-ardennes","status":"publish","type":"listing","link":"https:\/\/www.eurocampings.co.uk\/blog\/listing\/camping-in-the-ardennes\/","title":{"rendered":"Camping in the Ardennes during the ACSI FreeLife TestTour"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the ACSI FreeLife TestTour, two Dutch teams went to the Belgian provinces of Li\u00e8ge and Luxembourg. T<\/strong>he active holidaymakers and the bon vivants look back at an unforgettable trip through <\/strong>Wallonia<\/strong><\/a> and the <\/strong>Ardennes<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

For many campsite visitors, Wallonia is a transit route to the south. And yet it is worth the while to stay here just a little longer. The French-speaking part of Belgium<\/a> is full of surprises. The glowing hills of the Ardennes are bursting with picturesque locations and places of interest. And there are wonderful meals and drinks to be had everywhere.<\/p>\n

Li\u00e8ge: historic and futuristic at the same time<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bon vivants Eric and Inez were only familiar with the capital city of the province of Li\u00e8ge, also named Li\u00e8ge, because they had always driven past it. Eric: \u2018I am really very curious about Li\u00e8ge. We have driven past it so often, but I\u2019ve never been in this city before.\u2019 They discover that the city is full of surprises, like the stately Paleis van de Prins-bisschoppen (Palace of the Prince-Bishops) and the Maastricht-Li\u00e8ge Canal that is just outside the centre.<\/p>\n

\"Li\u00e8ge-Guillemins\"

Bon vivants Inez and Eric visit the beautiful Li\u00e8ge-Guillemins railway station.<\/p><\/div>\n

Reinhardstein Castle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

South of Hautes Fagnes – Eifel Nature Park, Eric and Inez come across an entirely different surprise in the Li\u00e8ge<\/a> province, a castle they have never even heard of. Reinhardstein Castle is beautifully hidden in the woods near the village of Ovifat. Nearby is Robertville Lake, where later that day they soak up the beauty and tranquillity of the region during a tour in an electric boat.<\/p>\n

\"Reinhardstein

Reinhardstein Castle lies hidden in the woods of the Ardennes.<\/p><\/div>\n

The chateau is completely intact, just as many of the remnants to be found here are, such as weapons and instruments for amputation. The bon vivants are not bored for a single moment. \u2018We have seen a lot of castles. Usually, you wander around for hours, but you have actually seen the entire castle within half an hour,\u2019 says Eric while Inez nods in agreement. \u2018Here, you walk around for an hour to an hour and a half, and you aren\u2019t bored at all. Every room has something interesting in it \u2013 the wall tapestries and the decorative weapons from when this castle was still inhabited.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Reinhardstein

The medieval Reinhardstein Castle holds many old instruments of torture and weapons<\/p><\/div>\n

Beer tasting<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The ultimate reward lies waiting for Eric between Malmedy and Stavelot. After a walk of nine kilometres and 160 altimeters, the bon vivants prepare themselves for a tour and a beer tasting. They are visiting the small-scale brewery of Bellevaux, which produces around 120,000 litres of beer annually. The Dutch pharmacist Wil Schuwer resigned from his practice for this. His son Tom has taken charge of the hop boilers now.<\/p>\n

Beer-lover Eric is particularly fond of the blonde version. \u2018This is a truly refreshing beer that isn\u2019t too heavy on the stomach. I have a modest beer cellar at home, so I’ll buy a six-pack to take home.\u2019 That six-pack contains the four main beers: Blonde, Brune, Blanche and the Malmedy Triple. And Inez? She\u2019ll stick to 0.0 and is happy with the Bellevaux Cassis.<\/p>\n

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Inez and Eric enjoying a good beer at the beer brewery Bellevaux.<\/p><\/div>\n

Walking around Saint Hubert, hunting capital<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Active holidaymakers Ronald and Emily travelled a bit more south in Luxembourg for the TestTour 2022 Wallonia. For the sake of clarity, this is not the country but the Belgian province of Luxembourg<\/a>. Around Saint-Hubert, Ronald and Emily follow the wooden walkway of the surrounding birch woods, the second-oldest nature reserve in Wallonia.<\/p>\n

Saint-Hubert is also known as the hunting capital of Wallonia. Take note that the hunting season is only three months long: from 1 October until 31 December. If you want to get to know the woods and local game in another way, you could also opt for an electric scooter, a Segway or roller skis.<\/p>\n

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Ronald and Emily hike through the woods around Saint-Hubert<\/p><\/div>\n

Cycling along the Belgian cycle route RAVel<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The active holidaymakers would gladly be woken from their sleep for a cycling tour \u2013 especially Ronald. Leaving from Han-sur-Lesse \u2013 known for the similarly named caves \u2013 Ronald and Emily get on their bicycles for a cycling tour. They travel over the RAVel (R\u00e9seau Autonome des Voies Lentes<\/em>) and cycle from cycle junction to cycle junction on their way to Rochefort. Their route is a former railway line. This is why the route has very little variations in altitude and there are old passenger buildings along the way.<\/p>\n

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If you follow the green cycle routes of the RAVeL, you pass through all of Wallonia.<\/p><\/div>\n

SUPping (standup paddleboarding) on a reservoir<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In addition to adventurous cycle routes and walking tours, the Walloon province of Luxembourg has great locations to do stand up paddling also known as SUPping. Not far from La Roche-en-Ardenne is the reservoir of Nisramont, which is where the Brabant campsite visitors climb on the SUP board for a meditative paddling journey.<\/p>\n

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The lake of Nisramont allows you to SUP in beautiful, lush surroundings and you relax completely.<\/p><\/div>\n

Camping in the Ardennes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For everyone who loves to camp in the countryside, walk in the woods and enjoy unique view, the Belgian Ardennes are a suitable location to holiday. This region has numerous picturesque cities that are worth visiting. The best-known are Malmedy, Durby, Bouillon, La Roche-en-Ardenne and Dinant. Here you can enjoy the narrow streets, old (some even medieval) houses and historic castles. In brief, there is plenty to explore during a camping holiday in this region.<\/p>\n

Our two test teams both stayed for a week at lovely campsites in Wallonia. Eric and Inez went camping with a Dethleffs Aero 470 EL caravan at Camping Anderegg<\/a> in Waimes. Ronald and Emily went looking for adventure with the B\u00fcrstner Copa 500 campervan at camping Sandaya Parc Le Clusure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You will find various types of campsites in the Ardennes. If you prefer peace and quiet, space and tranquility, a Great Little Campsite<\/a> would suit you best. But there are campsites with fun activities and a swimming pool to be found here, too. We have selected several of the best campsites for you:<\/p>\n