Our properties in the East Cantons

The East Cantons are all about getting outdoors: walking, cycling and the lakes. There is something to enjoy all year round, from the bog in the morning mist to a day by the water in summer. The High Fens are the main attraction: from the visitor centres at Botrange, Baraque Michel and Haus Ternell, waymarked routes lead across boardwalks through the protected peatland. Dogs must be kept on a lead, and some core zones are closed to protect the nature.

The lakes of Robertville (62 hectares) and Bütgenbach are perfect for families in summer, with kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and marked swimming areas. History lovers will find the traces of the Battle of the Bulge of winter 1944 around Malmedy, including a memorial at the Baugnez crossroads. The 12th-century castle ruin of Burg-Reuland can be visited free of charge, with a wide panorama from the keep. In the nearby village of Ouren, the borders of Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg meet at the Europe monument.

In the East Cantons you can cycle almost without climbs, because the Vennbahn follows a former railway line. This 125-kilometre route runs from Aachen in Germany through eastern Belgium to Troisvierges in Luxembourg, and is one of the longest railway cycle paths in Europe.

Because the route is almost flat, the Vennbahn also suits families and anyone who likes to take it easy. Along the way you pass viaducts, forests and villages, and cross a national border several times without noticing. The region also has a dense network of walking and mountain-bike routes, with the GR56 (Sentier des Frontières) as a well-known long-distance trail.

The East Cantons are not an alpine destination, but they are the snowiest corner of Belgium. On the plateau, an average of around thirty snow days fall per year, enough for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Ovifat has the region's only downhill slope, with three short pistes and ski lifts. For cross-country skiing there are about fifteen centres, including Botrange with loops of five to twenty kilometres. When snow is lacking, a winter walk across the snow-covered bog is impressive in any case.

Each season shows a different face. In spring the bog comes into colour and the trails are quiet. Summer is ideal for the lakes and for a ride on the Vennbahn.

Autumn is perhaps the finest moment: the forests turn deep red and gold, and the game season appears on restaurant menus. In winter it is all about snow, with cross-country skiing, snowshoes and quiet, misty views.

The East Cantons are surprisingly close to the major cities. From Brussels it is about an hour and a quarter to Eupen (some 131 kilometres). Liège is only about 40 kilometres away, half an hour's drive, and Aachen in Germany just 20 kilometres. So you can easily combine a stay here with a trip across the border.

In the nine German-speaking municipalities, German is the everyday language; in Malmedy and Waimes it is French. Almost everyone also speaks French or English, so communication is effortless. That border setting shows on the plate too: a mix of Ardennes and German cuisine, with trout from the clear streams, game in autumn and hearty regional dishes.