ALLOTMENTS

Grandiose and magical, an unmissable place in Wallonia, these 12 hectares of gardens were designed in the 18th century by Charles-Alexis de Montpellier, an aristocrat and industrialist from the Austrian Netherlands, who had nothing in common with the eponymous city in the south of France. Its many harmonious water features, fountains and waterfalls invite you to take a romantic stroll at any time. The gardens are fed by four springs and by the Rouillon, a small tributary of the Meuse. What is most surprising is to see all these water games which are not powered by any electrical energy, but only by communicating vases. These are fed by a huge water basin on the heights of the park. The rigour of the French-style layout, the whims of the English gardens and the grace of the Italian-style water features are mixed together. Pleasant in all seasons, the Gardens are particularly worth a visit in spring when the many species of trees are in bloom. In the backdrop, the castle, a private residence dating from the 18th century, is also a true architectural masterpiece. A listed site, the Gardens of Annevoie belong to the major heritage of Wallonia. In October 2016, the Walloon government sold the property to Ernest-Tom Loumaye, a businessman in the pharmaceutical field, for the modest sum of 3.6 million euros. The latter, wishing to restore the Gardens to their former lustre, announced works on a pharaonic scale that "will last for years and cost millions".