Weekend Away in the Flemish Ardennes: Ronse & Geraardsbergen

Two towns, one stretch of hill country

The Flemish Ardennes are not a true mountain range, but the hill country has real relief. You notice it as soon as you get on a bike or lace up your walking boots. The area is known for the Tour of Flanders, but even if cycling means nothing to you, there is plenty here: wooded slopes, narrow sunken lanes, small chapels and fields you can see far across from the top. If you want more background on the region itself, you will find it on the Wikipedia page about the Flemish Ardennes.

Ronse and Geraardsbergen complement each other well. Ronse is an old textile town with a clearly urban centre, art deco facades and a number of woods and hills on its edge. Geraardsbergen is smaller in scale, with a market square, a hill topped by a chapel and a strong folklore tradition you will not find in this form anywhere else. You do not have to choose. If you arrive by car, you park once in each town and walk the rest.

A practical tip: put the big activity on Saturday and keep Sunday lighter. On Saturday the markets, shops and cafés are at their busiest. On Sunday morning you can wander around both towns in peace, and the walking routes are often still empty.

Ronse: crypt, woods and a town with a story

Ronse has a rich history, which you notice straight away at the Church of Saint Hermes. Beneath the choir lies the Saint Hermes crypt, one of the oldest and largest crypts in the country. It is a quiet place and also a good activity for a rainy day. Ronse is further known for its textile past and the Hermes procession, a tradition that has coloured the town for centuries. If you are curious about the current dates and opening hours of the church and crypt, it is best to check the town's website or Visit Flemish Ardennes beforehand.

What makes Ronse especially interesting for a weekend is the countryside around the town. To the south you will find the Kluisbos and the Hotond, a ridge where you can take long walks without ever repeating the same route. On clear days, a few of the higher points give you a wide view over the hill country. The Kluisbos is a good choice if you want to walk for half a day and then eat in town.

In the centre you walk through shopping streets that are smaller than in Ghent or Kortrijk, but with more local businesses. There are bakers, small coffee bars and a few restaurants where you cannot always get a table on a Saturday evening without a reservation. So plan to book ahead if you are a group of more than four.

Ronse is about forty minutes by car from Ghent and a little over an hour from Brussels. By train, you take an S-train from Ghent-Sint-Pieters via Oudenaarde to Ronse. Check the timetable with NMBS (the Belgian railways), as the frequency depends on the time of day.

Geraardsbergen: the Muur, mattentaarten and folklore

Geraardsbergen is best known for the Muur, also called the Kapelmuur. This steep cobbled climb leads up to the Oudenberg, where the Kapelmuur chapel stands. For cycling fans it is a place of pilgrimage, and for walkers it is a solid climb with a lovely view over the town. At the top you will find a terrace and a few places for a drink, handy after the climb. If you want to ride up the Muur by bike, do it early in the day, because on nice weekends there are queues of cycling tourists.

The town itself is small and welcoming. In the centre stands the Manneken Pis of Geraardsbergen, a little statue the locals show off as proudly as its better-known Brussels counterpart. On the Sunday eight days before the first Monday of March, so late February or early March, a procession makes its way up to the Oudenberg. There the town council throws krakelingen (small pretzel-shaped buns) into the crowd (the Krakelingenworp), and in the evening the Tonnekensbrand follows. The whole event is listed as intangible heritage on the Flemish inventory. If you visit in that period, you will have a special weekend, but expect crowds and book well ahead.

If you have a sweet tooth, you have to try a mattentaart. This local speciality of puff pastry and curd cheese is sold by several bakers in town. Buy them in the morning, because they taste best fresh and the small bakers sometimes sell out early.

From Brussels it takes about three quarters of an hour to drive to Geraardsbergen, and from Ghent a little under an hour. There is also a railway station, which makes the town one of the easiest places in the region to reach without a car.

Walking and cycling between Ronse and Geraardsbergen

If you are staying in the Flemish Ardennes, you will want to be outdoors. The network of walking and cycling junctions is well signposted, and you can make routes as short or as long as you like. Do bear in mind that the hills arrive sooner than you think. A fifteen kilometre route feels harder in these hills than the same distance in the Kempen.

• Muur and Oudenberg: a short walk or cycle climb from the centre of Geraardsbergen, with a view over the town.
• Kluisbos and Hotond near Ronse: wooded walks with changes in height, good for half a day.
• Tour of Flanders routes: signposted cycling loops past the Koppenberg, Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont, part of which runs around Oudenaarde.
• Tour of Flanders Centre in Oudenaarde: a museum about the race, handy as a rainy-day alternative or a stop along the way.
• Quiet country lanes: choose a loop without cobbles if you are riding with children or on an e-bike.

You can hire bikes in the region from several providers, but availability depends on the season. In high season, book ahead, especially for e-bikes. A number of holiday homes have bikes available, which saves you a search. For hire rates, guided tours or museum tickets, it is best to check the provider's official website.

Dogs are allowed on most walking paths, but must be on a lead in woodland and alongside fields with livestock. If you are looking for a stay that welcomes pets, take a look at our selection of dog-friendly holiday homes and check the conditions for each property.

Eating and drinking in the region

The Flemish Ardennes are a region where you can eat well without needing a Michelin-starred restaurant. In Geraardsbergen the mattentaart is the best-known product, but there are also bakers, butchers and cheesemakers who work with local produce. A Saturday market in one of the towns is a good way to pick something up to take home.

Beer is part of the region. Around Oudenaarde, the Flemish red-brown ale has a long tradition, and in cafés in Ronse and Geraardsbergen you will often find local draught beers you are less likely to come across elsewhere. If you want to visit a brewery, book beforehand and ask whether tours are on offer on the day you come. Not all breweries receive visitors without an appointment.

For lunch after a walk, you can head to the small eateries on the Markt in Geraardsbergen or in the centre of Ronse. On Sundays some places are closed, and on Mondays even more restaurants are shut. If you are in a group, phone ahead. A table for eight or ten people is rarely easy to find on a Saturday evening.

If you prefer to cook for yourself, a property with a barbecue and a terrace is worth it. At weekends many guests pick up their bread rolls and tarts from the local baker and make something simple in the evening. That is also the cheapest way to eat with a larger group without having to arrange reservations.

What does a holiday home in the Flemish Ardennes cost?

The price of a stay depends on the period, the length of stay and the property itself. A weekend in May or during a festival period in Geraardsbergen costs more than a quiet week in November. The number of bedrooms, facilities such as a sauna or hot tub, and the location all count as well. Larger houses share their costs between more people, which for groups is often the advantage of booking together.

The current price and availability are shown on each property page, for the dates you choose. You book directly with the owner, with no commission added to the price. So always compare the same dates across several properties. Also look at the minimum length of stay: some houses only rent by the week in high season, while others also offer a short weekend. If in doubt, check the conditions before you book.

Holiday homes in and around Geraardsbergen and Ronse

Sekowa-lodge is in Geraardsbergen and sleeps ten people in three bedrooms. The house has a private hot tub and a private sauna, which makes it suitable for a group of friends or two families who want to unwind after a day of walking or cycling. There are also bikes, a barbecue and a garden with a terrace, so you can spend a weekend there without using the car.

Vakantiehuis 't Loreem in Geraardsbergen is a single-storey house for twelve people with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It comes with a fenced garden, a covered terrace with barbecue and a private hot tub, and there are bikes. The living areas are separate from the sleeping area, which is handy with several generations under one roof.

AL 'T SANNA in Overboelare is an apartment for two people with one bedroom. It is on the ground floor and has no thresholds, so it also suits anyone with limited mobility. It sits in wooded surroundings and has air conditioning and a terrace. This is the choice for a couple looking for peace and quiet who do not need a large group space.

De Groene Hoeve in Everbeek is the house for anyone coming with a large group. It has 24 beds spread over seven bedrooms and features an open fire or wood stove, a barbecue, bikes and a garden with a terrace. It suits family reunions, groups of friends or an anniversary weekend where everyone wants to sleep under one roof.

We do not yet have a property in Ronse itself. From Geraardsbergen you are there in thirty to forty minutes. If you would rather see the full selection, take a look at our guide to renting a holiday home in Belgium.

When to go and practical tips

The best season depends on what you want to do. In spring, from April, the woods and fields come into colour, and the walking paths are dry enough for long routes. May and June are pleasant for cyclists, although the well-known climbs get busier then. Summer is high season for owners and for terraces, and if you want to ride the Muur, it is best to go early or late in the day.

Autumn is a good choice if you want peace and quiet. The woods change colour, the temperatures stay bearable and the properties are often easier to book. Winter is colder and wetter, but with an open fire or a sauna you can turn it into a cosy weekend. If you want to experience the folklore of Geraardsbergen, plan for late February or early March (the Sunday eight days before the first Monday of March), but book months ahead.

Before you book, keep a few things in mind:

• Choose your dates early if you want to come in May, June or during holiday periods.
• Check the minimum length of stay on the property page.
• See whether linen, towels and the final clean are included.
• Ask whether pets are allowed, even if the property looks dog-friendly.
• Book restaurant tables ahead for Saturday evening.

A car is useful, even though the towns themselves are small. Parking in Ronse and Geraardsbergen is usually no problem, except on market days and during events. If you want a romantic weekend, take a look at our romantic holiday homes. If you want to relax after a long walk, you will find options among our holiday homes with a hot tub.

Frequently asked questions