Chimay / Rochefort / Orval Area - Recommendations?

I enjoyed stopping here for a beer while in that general area

http://www.biermuseum.be/

 

Orval itself is really impressive. You can't visit the brewery but the abbey is worthwile. You should also go to Auberge Ange Gardien just outsider the village. Thuis is the only place (apart from the brewery) where you can drink the Orval Vert. Also really good food and they speak Dutch :-).

Rochefort was kind of a dissapointment since you can't visit the abbey. There is a walking tour though that starts at the local VVV and that will take you just outside the abbeywalls.

Chimay is nice. They have a good visitorcenter and you can go to the abbey a couple of miles further on the road. In Baileux, in the local industrial estate, you have the cheesefactory. You can't visit it, but at least you can say that you saw it. And the Dutch like cheese :-).

In Couvin you have brasserie des fagnes (http://www.brasseriedesfagnes.com/). A kind of brewpub where some of the beers are directely served from the brewery. They also have seasonals. I also liked the fact that they have a little museum of old brewing equipment.

A bit further, but maybe on your route from the Netherlands is brasserie d'achouffe (http://www.achouffe.be/nl) and brewery Interpol.

Other, non beer related reccomendation is Torgny. Beautiful little village not that far from Orval.

 

Try brewery bastogne or caracole of you look for something special :-)

 

Enjoyed our tour of Achouffe! You can get your tickets ahead of time!

Report back with your review please!

 

You can visit the brewery on September 16th and september 17th this year, ticketsale starts mai 3th.

I think this will be same weekend as Zwanze Day 2016...

https://www.facebook.com/events/1581561852166823/

 

I'd recommend the village of Bouillon. Its very close to Orval by car and features a striking castle overlooking the village and bend in the river. I've visited some of the Bulge sites a little further North and had a wonderful meal in La-Roche-en-Ardenne. That area is full of centuries of history and I've thoroughly enjoyed driving the beautiful roads in the region. There are quite a few monuments made of American tanks dotting the countryside which are quite welcome if you are an American.

And if you DO venture up there, visit Fantome. Its a zany brewery and an absolute treat if you get the opportunity.

 

And Brasserie de Bouillon has awesomely characterful stuff that I wish I could find in Brussels regularly. Such a great speaks-of-its-place beers... there's a nice shop on tourist drag in La Roche that carries it, but really, you'll just have to keep an eye out for the good local stuff.