Discover Walloon Trappist beers as you walk from abbey to abbey!
There are only 12 Trappist beers in the world. In Wallonia, Chimay, Orval and Rochefort are the flagships of these ancestral skills! Combine hiking and local products with this new Trappists of Wallonia GR route. Set out on an adventure, whether you are an experienced hiker or just like walks in the countryside!
Chimay, Rochefort and Orval - if you love hiking and Walloon beer, this is for you!
The Trappist label, an appellation contrôlée
Eleven of the world's twelve Trappist beers carry the "Authentic Trappist Product" label, including our three Belgian Trappist beers.
To have this appellation, the beer must be brewed in a Cistercian abbey, under the control of the Trappist Community, and must be produced with a view to social and charitable solidarity.
In practice
The Trappist Abbeys of Wallonia GR route is 290 km long, is fully sign-posted and links the three Walloon Trappist abbeys. The route is divided into two parts:
- Orval - Rochefort (116 km)
- Rochefort - Chimay (174 km)
The Association des Sentiers de Grande Randonnée GR
Founded almost 60 years ago, the Association des Sentiers de Grande Randonnée (long-distance footpaths) offers hikers a network of over 5,000 routes in Wallonia and Brussels, all signposted in white and red or yellow and red! There are routes lasting several days, one-day hikes (15 to 25 km) and walks designed specifically for families (9 to 12 km).
The markings on GR routes are permanent and standardised and were created to remove any problems in looking for routes. The markers can be painted marks, slabs or stickers - horizontal white and red or yellow and red stripes - on rocks, trees, posts or walls. In addition to the markings on the Trappist Abbeys of Wallonia GR route, there are also specific signs.
Practical information:
If you are interested in the Trappist Abbeys Route, the Topo-guide is available on the GR Sentiers website and contains all the information you might need, including a full description, maps and tourist information.
For more information, consult the Wallonia Belgium Tourism website.
