Things to Do in La Hulpe

If you happen to be in Brussels, Belgium, and want to explore attractions outside of the city, look no further than the small town of La Hulpe. Located approximately 12 miles outside of Brussels, La Hulpe has only an estimated 7,309 residents (as of 2007). According to Flags of the World, a vexillology website, La Hulpe is a charming little town that has a few sights worth checking out, making a visit to the town an ideal day trip.

Château

According to the Bruxelle Citytrips website, Chateau de La Hulpe was built in 1842 and is centered in a woodsy forest. Surrounding the chateau, which was built in the French architectural style of Louis XII and Francois I, is a sculpture-filled garden that includes a prominent 118-foot-tall obelisk. Purchased by Count Ernest Solvay in 1893, the chateau's 543 acres contain lakes, ponds and marked trails that will give your heart a workout if you opt to walk them. The park, which is open year-round, is free to enter, allows dogs and has a car parking lot.

Château de La Hulpe
Chaussée de Bruxelles 111
1310 La Hulpe, Belgium
011-32-0-2-653-64-04
chateaudelahulpe.wallonie.be

Art Museum

The farm that resides on the Domaine Solvay at Château de La Hulpe is home to the Folon Foundation, an art gallery that houses more than 500 works of art by Belgian artist Jean-Michael Folon. According to the Folon Foundation website, the Folon exhibit displays the wide variety of techniques the artist used throughout his 40-year career, which includes an array of posters, sculptures, watercolors, tapestries, stained glass and engravings.

As of September 2010, the exhibit was open to the public every day except Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission was 7.50 euros (approximately $10) for adults, 6.20 euros (approximately $8) for students and seniors, and 5 euros (approximately $6.75) for children 6 to 12. Children under 6 get in free.

Fondation Folon
Ferme du Château de La Hulpe
Drève de la Ramée 6 A
1310 La Hulpe, Belgium
011-32-0-2-653-34-56
fondationfolon.be

Church

Eglise Saint Nicolas, or St. Nicolas Church, is the oldest building in La Hulpe, according to the St. Nicholas Center website. The church was built in the 13th century as a dedication to St. Nicolas, who was born in the third century and known for his extreme generosity, particularly with children, and his concern for sailors and their ships. Concerts are often held in the church, as it boasts optimal acoustics, according to the Maison du Tourisme de Waterloo website. St. Nicholas Church still offers masses on a daily basis.

Eglise Saint Nicolas
Rue de Combattants
1310 La Hulpe, Belgium
011-32-0-2-653-67-84
saintnicolaslahulpe.org

Forest

The Sonian Forest consists of more than 12,000 acres that span three regions of Belgium: the Brussels-Capital region, the Flemish region and the Walloon region, which is where La Hulpe is located. Visitors to the beech- and oak-filled forest, which is known as the "green lung of Brussels" according to the Plateforme de la Foret de Soignes website, can explore the flora and fauna by walking, hiking, cycling or horseback riding throughout the forest's many trails. Visitors can also fish in certain ponds in the forest and participate in guided nature walks.

Sonian Forest
Near Tournay-Solvay Park
La Hulpe, Belgium
011-32-0-2-479-24-54
sonianforest.be/

Spa

Located within the luxurious Dolce La Hulpe Brussels hotel and resort in the middle of the Sonian Forest, the Cinq Mondes Spa offers its visitors 2,400 square feet of pure relaxation. Open daily, this modern spa features a variety of baths, body scrubs, massages and facial treatments, and it includes six treatment rooms, a Japanese floral bath, massage bath, a Turkish bath with scrub tables, a relaxation room with Feng Shui garden view and a VIP room complete with a Japanese floral bath and a view of the Feng Shui garden. Spa gift certificates and packages are available.

Cinq Mondes Spa
Dolce La Hulpe Brussels
Chaussée de Bruxelles 135
1310 La Hulpe, Belgium
011-32-0-2-290-98-00
dolcelahulpebrussels.com