A signposted QR code walk provides information about places, artists and history in Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve. The Dyle Valley, Lauzelle, the lake and a range of museums offer further ways to discover the area. When planning, it is worth first deciding whether you want to focus mainly on the town’s history, nature, a museum visit or cycling.
Exploring the town with QR codes
The discovery walk includes 34 QR codes at the town’s points of interest. Of these, 27 are in Louvain-la-Neuve and 7 in Ottignies. Most are therefore in Louvain-la-Neuve, while Ottignies contributes seven codes. The content is about more than the locations themselves: artists and history are also among the topics covered by the walk. This makes the experience a way to explore the town while learning about its cultural and historical connections.
The Dyle Valley, forest and lake
Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve lies in the Dyle Valley. In addition to the Dyle, the water system includes the tributaries Stimont, Ry Pinchart, Ry Angon, Malaise, Blanc-Ry and Cressonnière. The landscape can therefore be described not just in terms of a single river, but also by its several named waterways.
Lauzelle Woods and its 20-hectare nature reserve are part of the town’s landscape and natural heritage. The Walloon Region has included the area on its list since 1994. Lauzelle is therefore a specific point of interest if you are interested in the town’s natural heritage.
The lake of Louvain-la-Neuve offers a different perspective: the body of water covers 7 hectares and was created in 1984 as a rainwater retention basin and fishing pond. The forest and the lake thus represent different landscape features: a designated nature reserve on the one hand and a purpose-built body of water on the other.
Museums and walking times
Walking times to Musée L are given from two transport hubs: it is an eight-minute walk from Louvain-la-Neuve railway station and a twelve-minute walk from Louvain-la-Neuve bus station. The walk from the railway station is therefore four minutes shorter than the one from the bus station. If you are planning to visit this museum, you can directly compare the two routes.
Musée de l’Eau et de la Fontaine offers a self-guided visit, as well as activities and games for children and parents. The visit format and the activities specifically mentioned provide different points to consider when planning a visit. If you are travelling with children, the games and activities are useful details about what the museum offers.
Cycling at Bois des RĂŞves
Bois des RĂŞves offers a 3-kilometre mountain bike loop. Its circular route and stated length make this cycling option easy to plan. Route details may change, so check them before making plans if you want to include the trail in your stay.
Organise your accommodation search around your interests
The various details answer different planning questions: for Musée L, they concern walking times from two named transport hubs; for Musée de l’Eau et de la Fontaine, the visit format and activities; and for Bois des Rêves, the length of a mountain bike loop. So, before choosing a hotel, consider which of these matters most to you during your stay.
Discover more destinations: CĂ©roux-Mousty, Merchtem, Lasne, Roosdaal, Wezembeek-Oppem, Galmaarden, Jette, Beersel.
See the broader travel overview: Brabant.
