A greenway between two places

A greenway connects Vieux-Genappe, near Rue Armand Ginion, with Loupoigne, at the sugar factory roundabout. It runs through the countryside and is 1,270 km long. The two endpoints give the landscape theme a tangible framework. This places a connection between two named places alongside the cultural and historical themes to explore in Genappe and at other specifically named locations.

Napoleonic memorabilia and family history

The Dernier Quartier Général de Napoléon displays valuable personal memorabilia belonging to Napoleon and is Belgium’s only Napoleonic museum. The museum also takes part in a Napoleonic bivouac featuring several hundred soldiers in uniforms from the Empire. The collection and the bivouac offer different points of focus: Napoleon’s personal souvenirs and the bivouac provide two distinct ways to explore Napoleonic history. One centers on memorabilia, while the other focuses on the event and its participants in uniform.

The Maison de l’Histoire et du Patrimoine, housed in the former communal school in Glabais, offers another historical perspective. It holds more than 7,000 family records covering all the municipalities of Walloon Brabant. The collection thus turns the focus to family history throughout the region, while the Napoleonic memorabilia center on a single historical subject. The building’s former use as a communal school is also part of the Maison’s connection to the place.

Procession and chapel heritage

In Bousval, the Tour Saint-Barthélemy takes place every year on the first Sunday after 24 August. Written records of the religious procession date back to the 17th century. The saint’s statue is carried on a cart along a 5 km route through streets and fields. Two Brabant horses pull the cart, and it stops at seven chapels. Chapelle Saint-Donat is an important stop on the procession. With its route, horses and chapel stops, the Tour can be understood as a religious tradition with a clearly described itinerary. Since the date falls on a different Sunday each year, it is worth checking the calendar before your trip.

Ferme du Chantelet in Vieux-Genappe offers another connection to chapels. This traditional farm is best known for its remarkable listed chapel. Its role differs from that of Chapelle Saint-Donat as a stop on the procession: here, a chapel stands out as a defining feature of a farm, while there it forms part of the procession route. Religious heritage can thus be seen both at a single location and as part of a recurring tradition.

Forest and a focus for your stay

Bois d’Hez is the largest of the seven forests in the Genappe area. Together with the greenway, it offers a clear comparison between two landscape themes: the greenway connects named places, while Bois d’Hez stands out for its size within a group of forests. These offer different points of interest for nature lovers, without providing the same kind of experience.

If you’re looking for hotels in Genappe, your trip’s main focus can help guide your choice: are you most interested in the landscape, Napoleonic history, family history or religious traditions? The themes mentioned offer different answers to the question of what you want to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Glabais, Bousval, Baisy-Thy, Court-Saint-Etienne, Gooik, Braine-Le-Château, Meise, Rixensart.

See the broader travel overview: Brabant.