march-2013

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stavelot
belgium
10,438,353 +32 4°C
Euro (EUR)
ReneE Cordes
The historic village of Stavelot comes to
life for this month’s carnival festivities
STAVELOT & AROUND
Anchored by one of Belgium’s
oldest abbeys, Stavelot is rich
in old-world charm.
SLEEP The Auberge St-Remacle
(Avenue Ferdinand Nicolay 9, (0)80 86
20 47, lerelais-stavelot.be, rooms from
€37) is a no-frills hotel directly across
from the abbey. Alternatively, check
into the Romantik Hotel Le Val
d’Amblève (Route de Malmedy 7,
(0)80 28 14 40, levaldambleve.be,
rooms from €250, levaldambleve.be),
which more than lives up to its name.
Stay in the main manor house, which
features a gourmet French restaurant,
or the modern, wood-panelled annex,
where you’ll find the wellness centre,
sauna and steam room.
EAT Grab a quick lunchtime sandwich
or quiche at the Boulangerie Maréchal
bakery and tea room (Avenue
Ferdinand Nicolay 3, (0)80 86 22 82),
close to the abbey. For the best pizza
and pasta in town, head to La Table
de Figaro (Place du Vinâve 4, (0)80 86
42 86), a bustling, family-friendly
eaterie popular with locals. If it’s a
special occasion, La Maison (Place
St-Remacle 18, (0)80 88 08 91) is a
polished hotel restaurant serving
classic, French-inflected cuisine.
CULTURE Stavelot Abbey (Cour de
l’Abbaye 1) houses three very different
museums under one roof. The museum
in the vaults explores the history of the
INFO
Brussels Airport is
150km north west
of Stavelot.
Train
From Brussels
Central Station, it
takes about two
hours to travel to
Trois-Ponts, often
including a transfer
in Liège; a standard
return ticket costs
around €41. From
there, it’s about 6km
to central Stavelot,
easily accessible by
taxi or bus lines 744
and 745.
Tourist info
Stavelot’s tourist
offi ce is at 32 Place
Saint Remacle,
(0)80 86 27 06,
tourisme.stavelot.be
Spa-Francorchamps race track,
showcasing a series of sleek Formula 1
cars, while another traces the abbey’s
history from its 7th-century origins to
the French Revolution; the third museum
is devoted to French poet Guillaume
Apollinaire. Stavelot’s famous Carnival
takes place from 9-11 March, when
thousands of revellers take to the
streets, with white-clad, red-nosed
characters known as the Blanc Moussis
spreading good cheer and confetti.
Meanwhile, nature-lovers shouldn’t
miss Belgium’s largest waterfall at
Coo, some 7km west of Stavelot.
SHOP Stock up on picnic provisions at
the Thursday morning farmers’ market
on Stavelot Abbey Esplanade. From
23-24 March, the abbey’s cellar
hosts its annual spring wine fair, the
Printemps du Vin (Cour de l’Abbaye 1).
TIP The tourist office offers various
60- to 90-minute group tours, from a
visit to the Treasury of St-Sebastian
Church to a ‘Stavelot and Water’
circuit of fountains and waterways.
MALMEDY
Just over 8km north east of
Stavelot is Malmedy – once part of
Prussia and Germany, but annexed
to Belgium after World War I.
SLEEP Not far from Malmedy, in a
peaceful spot on the edge of the forest,
Le Maison Geron (Route de la Ferme
Libert 4, (0)80 33 00 06, geron.be,
Stavelot’s historic abbey
rooms from €80) is an elegant
18th-century country manor with
impeccably decorated rooms and
spectacular breakfasts, featuring
freshly-squeezed orange juice and
the owner’s home-made marmalade.
EAT Albert I (Place Albert I 40, (0)80
33 04 52), attached to a hotel of the
same name, specialises in French fine
dining, with signature dishes ranging
from spiced foie gras to sea bream with
fennel and orange; weather permitting,
reserve a table on the terrace.
CULTURE Housed in a handsome
former monastery, the Malmundarium
(Place du Châtelet 10) tourist and
cultural centre comprises several
museums, exploring Malmedy’s
paper- and leather-making traditions
as well as its carnival folklore, with
elaborate costume and mask displays.
The 18th-century Cathedral of Saints
Peter, Paul and Quirin (Place du
Châtelet), elevated from monastic
church to cathedral status in 1920,
features relics and a marble Madonna
with Child sculpture ascribed to
Baroque artist Jean Del Cour.
TIP As part of the High Fens nature
reserve, Malmedy offers numerous
opportunities to explore the great
outdoors by foot, bike or boat. Learn
all about the local flora and fauna
or pick up a walking map at the
Botrange Nature Centre, next to
Belgium’s highest point (at 694m),
the Signal de Botrange.
70 march 2013
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