Holiday homes for Christmas in Belgium

The Christmas holidays are the most popular period for holiday homes in the Ardennes. That has its pros and cons: supply is large, but demand is high too. Anyone hoping to enjoy a Christmas stay in a warm forest house with a fireplace would do well to book months ahead.

Whether you are planning a small Christmas weekend for two or a large family celebration for twenty, the Ardennes have the right holiday home. Choose based on the number of bedrooms, the presence of a fireplace and proximity to Christmas events nearby.

The Ardennes have an atmosphere in winter that is hard to match. Snow or no snow, the combination of dark forests, picturesque villages and warmly furnished holiday homes creates that typical Christmas feeling. Places like Durbuy, La Roche-en-Ardenne and Bouillon host Christmas markets and special events.

A holiday home with a fireplace is the obvious choice at Christmas. You bring your own decorations, buy local produce at the market and turn the house into your temporary home for the holidays.

Christmas in a holiday home works best when the space fits the group. A long table where every generation can gather, a spacious kitchen with two hobs so that several people can cook at the same time, and enough bedrooms so that nobody has to sleep on the sofa. In the Ardennes you will find large farmhouses and manor houses built for groups of eight, twelve or more.

With a group, always check the number of bathrooms: four bedrooms with a single bathroom slows the mornings down considerably. Many owners provide a travel cot, a crib, a highchair and a play corner for the little ones. Ask the owner if you are coming with young children. A fireplace in the living room is not a luxury at Christmas but an absolute must.

The Ardennes are the most sought-after region at Christmas, and not without reason. Forests that take on grey-green tones in winter, picturesque villages such as Durbuy, La Roche-en-Ardenne and Bouillon with their Christmas markets, and a large range of houses with a fireplace. The province of Luxembourg and the Namur region offer the greatest choice for family groups of eight to twenty.

The Flemish Ardennes and the Campine are an alternative for those who prefer to stay closer to home. Less chance of snow, but the same rural atmosphere and far quieter than the Walloon Ardennes at peak season. Some owners around Ronse, Oudenaarde or Retie rent out charming farmhouses that are ideal for a family Christmas.

The great advantage of a holiday home at Christmas is that you set the tone yourself. No imposed five-o-clock Christmas dinner, no strangers at the next table. Cook together in a well-equipped kitchen: a roast game joint or grilled ribs, a home-made soup, a pudding the children can help with. The preparation is often as enjoyable as the Christmas dinner itself.

Plan a walk on Christmas Day. Boots on after breakfast, an hour or two in the forest, then warm up with hot chocolate by the fire. Many Ardennes holiday homes are within walking distance of marked trails or long-distance GR paths. Bring your own Christmas tree or ask the owner whether one can be provided. Small touches like fairy lights and candles turn any house into a proper Christmas interior.

The most popular Ardennes farmhouses at Christmas are already fully booked in spring. If you wait until September or October you will still find availability, but the best houses will be gone. Set a search date in your calendar for late April to June and book at that point. For a large group the earlier you book, the more choice you have on location, price and capacity.

Bring your own Christmas provisions or order local produce in advance from an Ardennes butcher or cheese merchant. Game dishes such as venison steak or wild boar are an Ardennes speciality and ideal for a Christmas dinner. Order local beer as a gift. Also check that the owner provides enough firewood: the cold is the biggest enemy of the Christmas atmosphere.