The best road cycling routes around Hannut

The history of Château Snyers, also known as Château de la Valette, began in the early 16th century. In 1505, the original fortified castle, which until then had served a distinctly defensive purpose, was largely destroyed by fire. On the same site, a decision was made to erect a new building that better suited the changing living conditions and residential ideals of the Renaissance period. During the seventeenth century, the estate was repeatedly confronted with the consequences of the many wars that plagued the region. Troop movements, looting, and military occupations left their mark, causing considerable damage to the castle. This period of instability led to decay, which was only thoroughly addressed at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1791, Marquis Jean-Claude-Bernardin de la Valette (chamberlain to the Emperor of Austria) took the initiative for a major reconstruction and embellishment of the castle, giving it its current harmonious appearance. After several changes of ownership, the castle eventually came into the possession of Louis-Joseph Snyers, a notary and former mayor of Hannuit. Under his name, the estate became permanently associated with the Snyers family.

This fortified dovecote, built in 1625 by the Mollin-Monjoye couple, served as a small fort intended to protect the local population during the passage of troops. Source: Information board on site.

The Château Rose was built by order of Albert-Pierre Stier (1745-1816). In 1776, he bought the seigniory of Orp, as it had been known since the end of the 17th century, when the land of Orp-le-Grand was merged with that of Orp-le-Petit. The pillory of Orp-le-Petit at the front is one of about fifty in Belgium that are listed by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage. When our country was invaded by France in 1794, the French revolutionaries rushed to abolish the symbols of the Ancien Régime and the pillory was demolished. A few years later, around 1826, Baron Jean-François de Vinck de deux Orp (1774-1827), nephew of the builder of the castle, had the restored elements of the pillory rebuilt on his estate, more specifically in the central part of the meadow below the castle. Source: https://www.orp-jauche.be/wp-content/uploads/Brochure_PetitPatrimoinePopulaire_ORP.pdf

Today, the castle houses a 4-room gîte for 11 people. More info: https://www.letulipierdelempereur.be/

This estate was owned by the Fastré de la Neuville family, better known as Longchamps, in the mid-15th century. A first castle, the date of construction of which is unknown but of which some remains remain, remained in the Longchamps family until 1710 when Marie-Françoise de Longchamps, wife of Charles Jean-Baptiste de Fabritius, then bequeathed the property to her daughter Marie-Catherine Françoise de Fabritius. After she married Waltère de Sélys, the estate passed to the barons of Sélys-Longchamps 1 . The castle was built for Michel-Laurent de Sélys ( 1759 - 1837 ), who in 1795 , the year of the reunification of the principality of Liège with France , was president of the new municipal council of Liège and in 1800 mayor under the consulate . Michel Laurent de Sélys Longchamps was married to Marie Denise Gandolphe, born in Paris on 19 March 1777 and died at the Château de Longchamps under the Second Empire, on 28 October 1857. Marie Denise was the daughter of Mathieu Joseph Gandolphe and Denise Jacqueline d'Aran des Castans. Michel-Laurent de Sélys-Longchamps asked the Parisian architect Aimé Dubois for plans for a new castle. The project was entrusted to the Liège entrepreneur Duckers and the Parisian sculptor Mongin. The construction of the castle was completed in 1810. During the emperor's reign, magnificent parties were held there. Source: Wikipedia

This site is wonderful and wild!

We follow the Geer river in its meanders for several km. Very pleasant

Striking in pink, on a hill...