Summary
Situated on both banks of the Dyle River, Wavre is a small city in Walloon Brabant, adjacent to the border with Flanders.
In the 1970s, Wavre gained prominence as a tourist destination with the establishment of Walibi Belgium, an amusement park featuring a variety of innovative rides and a water park.
Within Belgium, Wavre is affectionately referred to as the Cité du Maca, named after the statue of a boy climbing the wall in front of the town hall.
Visitors may observe that Maca’s backside has become polished over the years due to many people rubbing it for good fortune.
On the culinary front, the city is renowned for the exceptional quality of its pralines, in addition to hosting the largest weekly market in all of Walloon Brabant.
1. Walibi Belgium
One of Belgium’s most cherished amusement parks is located just across the E411, only ten minutes from Wavre’s city center.
The name Walibi is a combination of the first two letters of the surrounding towns of Wavre, Limal, and Bierges.
Opening its doors in 1975, the park has continually evolved, introducing a new thrilling ride approximately every couple of years.
For adrenaline enthusiasts, highlights include the iconic wooden rollercoaster, Loup-Garou (Werewolf), and the 2016 addition, Pulsar, a launched shuttle rollercoaster that reaches speeds of 101 km/h and ends in a splashdown.
The classic Psykè Underground was the first launched rollercoaster in Europe upon its inception in 1982 and was refurbished in 2013.
Additionally, the Dalton Terror drop features a dramatic 77-meter descent.
Walibi offers numerous additional thrill rides, as well as attractions suitable for younger visitors.
The park remains open late and features special entertainment and fireworks on Saturdays during July and August, with a variety of Halloween-themed activities as well.
2. Aqualibi
The premier water park in Belgium opened at the entrance of Walibi Belgium in 1987. Designed primarily under a glass roof, Aqualibi features a wave pool, a relaxation pool equipped with massage jets, and the heated Laguna Verde at 36°C, accompanied by jacuzzis.
The park includes an array of slides catering to all ages, with four exhilarating options for thrill-seekers: Zap, Jet, Xtreme, and Flash, which achieves a top speed of 50 km/h.
Furthermore, youngsters up to the age of eight can enjoy the Mini Beach, which spans 700 square meters.
3. Aventure Parc
Located in the woodland on the western side of Wavre, Aventure Parc is the largest high ropes park in Belgium, where visitors swing, climb, and leap among the treetops.
The park features 23 different color-coded courses, suitable for all ages, including children as young as four.
Younger climbers can navigate the two white courses, advancing through increasing difficulty with yellow, green, red, and black options available.
For those seeking a more significant challenge, the black courses are elevated above the forest floor and incorporate more complex transitions.
Aventure Parc also offers three zip-lines, including the Fly-Line, the country’s first rotating zip-line.
For those still craving excitement, the park features options such as a 20-meter free fall and a reverse bungee jump.
4. Musée Hergé
Fans of Tintin will be intrigued by this modern museum dedicated to Hergé (Georges Prosper Remi). Located at Rue Labrador 26, this address represents Tintin’s inaugural residence in the series of adventurous books published from 1929 to 1976. The extraordinary structure of the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc, with interiors crafted by cartoonist Joos Swarte.
The museum’s visit commences at the top, guiding guests through nine rooms that outline Hergé’s early life and his beginnings as a commercial artist, showcasing the evolution of his unique “ligne claire” drawing style.
Visitors will be introduced to all the key figures from the series, explore the various places Tintin has journeyed, and engage with the scientific concepts presented within the Tintin stories at Professor Calculus’s study.
5. Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Wavre
Historical records indicate the presence of a church on this site as far back as the 12th century, though it was consumed by a devastating fire in 1489 that claimed half of Wavre’s population.
Reconstruction commenced promptly, and the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste showcases a predominantly Gothic architectural style, with elements such as the choir having to be reconstructed following another fire in 1695. The tower, dating back to the 1630s, features striking bands of brick and white limestone, contrasting with the nave and choir, which consist of ferruginous sandstone.
Visitors can admire the confessionals, baptismal font, pulpit, stained glass, and high altar.
Evidence of the conflict during the Battle of Wavre in 1815 remains visible within the structure, including a French cannonball lodged in the third pillar, four meters above the ground in the right aisle.
The tower’s carillon was installed in 1954, receiving its 50th bell in 2003. Wavre’s carilloneuse offers concerts every Wednesday and Saturday just before noon, coinciding with the market.
6. Hôtel de Ville
Wavre’s town hall is situated in a distinctive locale, originally a Baroque church from a Carmelite convent built in 1662. Its completion marked the beginning of a series of notable events: The convent was destroyed by fire in 1695, reconstructed around 1720, and then dissolved in 1797, after which it was repurposed by the city.
The structure underwent restoration following extensive damage from Luftwaffe bombing in 1940. The solemn main facade is observable from the square in front.
Composed of red brick interspersed with reddish ferruginous sandstone in horizontal bands and on the decorative elements, the facade features a monumental main portal, an elaborately framed stained glass window, and a Baroque gable in two tiers.
7. Le Maca
One noteworthy monument that may appear somewhat “cheeky” is the bronze statue of a boy displaying his buttocks as he climbs the wall in front of Wavre’s Hôtel de Ville.
Le Maca was cast in 1962 by sculptor Jean Godart and symbolizes the famously irreverent spirit of the residents of Wavre.
This piece also commemorates the town charter granted by Henry I, Duke of Brabant, in 1222, which granted Wavre’s bourgeoisie a degree of political and economic autonomy, initiating centuries of prosperity.
Notably, the cheeks of Le Maca have been polished smooth by years of visitors rubbing them for luck.
Wavre is often referred to as “La Cité du Maca,” with individuals from the city, particularly those with ancestry in Wavre, being known as “Macas.”
8. Wavre Pralines
For those with a penchant for gourmet sweets, Wavre stands out as a premier destination, celebrated for its pralines since the aftermath of World War II.
Each praline is crafted by skilled chocolatiers, embodying luxury and utilizing top-notch ingredients without preservatives.
Notable establishments include L’Art de Praslin (Rue de Nivelles 12), operating since 1958; Chocolatier Lio (Rue des Carmes 12), known for its exquisite ganache pralines infused with chili, rosemary, or violet; and Chocolate Temptation (Rue Charles Sambon 19), which produces 30 distinct varieties, from Earl Grey to a rich, deep 70% cocoa ganache.
9. Pont du Christ
The Seventh Coalition may not have succeeded in overcoming Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 if not for the Battle of Wavre, predominantly occurring on the same day, June 18.
Fought along the Dyle River between the Prussian rearguard and the French Army, this conflict permitted 72,000 Prussian troops to bolster Wellington at Waterloo while keeping 33,000 French troops occupied, away from that crucial battle.
Commemorative plaques are located at the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste (noting the cannonball) and at the Pont du Christ.
This inconspicuous crossing on the eponymous street leading to Place Bosch is so small that it may escape notice.
However, you will observe a metallic crucifix that predates the Napoleonic war, featuring a hole on its left side caused by musket fire during the battle.
Along the Dyle, particularly on the Quai du Trompette, numerous facades still bear scars from the conflict over two centuries ago.
10. Château de l’Ermitage and Parc Nelson Mandela
Located at the city’s western edge, at the base of Beumont Hill, a Medieval hermitage has endured for centuries.
In the late 19th century, it was replaced by a Renaissance Revival château that housed Wavre’s German Kommandantur during World War I.
The structure later functioned as a boarding school until it was acquired by Wavre in the 1980s, evolving into a cultural center featuring exhibitions, lectures, and concerts.
The grounds, renamed Parc Nelson Mandela in 2013, provide a serene green space encompassing well-maintained lawns, formal flowerbeds, and Wavre’s municipal greenhouses.
11. Bois des Rêves
For a relaxing summer outing with family, an alternative to Walibi Belgium is available merely 15 minutes to the south at this provincial estate, which comprises 67 hectares of parkland.
Bois des Rêves offers 17 kilometers of marked trails for walkers and joggers that meander through the woodland and meadows.
The estate also features a designated mountain biking track, a fishing pond, a large playground for children, and seven barbecue pits.
The main highlight during the summer months, from June to August, is the outdoor pool, complemented by a beach area and a paddling pool for infants and toddlers.
12. Basilique Notre-Dame de Basse-Wavre
A notable stop in Basse-Wavre, located to the northeast of central Wavre, is this Baroque church recognized as a minor basilica since 1999. This status was conferred due to a 1640 sculpture of the Virgin, titled Notre-Dame de Paix et de Concorde.
This image has been a focal point for pilgrimages and is accompanied by an annual procession (Grand Tour), which will be elaborated upon next.
The church, Notre-Dame de Basse-Wavre, was constructed during the 16th and 17th centuries on the foundations of a Benedictine Priory that dates back to the 1000s.
In addition to this statue, there exists a reliquary shrine known as “Arche d’Alliance” (Ark of the Covenant), which contains relics of over 40 saints and martyrs, also featured in the annual procession.
13. Grand Tour
The well-known procession of reverence towards Mary occurs on the Saturday following the Feast of St. John the Baptist (June 24). This ritual, a vibrant display of religious Fidelity, was established by the Benedictine monks who founded Notre-Dame de Basse-Wavre in the early 16th century and is recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Pilgrims typically arrive on foot from Noville-sur-Mehaigne, located 25 kilometers away, welcomed by a torchlight procession leading to the church in Basse-Wavre and a fireworks show in front of the Hôtel de Ville.
The subsequent Sunday, the Grand Tour journey features the 17th-century image of Notre-Dame de Paix et de Concorde, accompanied by the 130 kg reliquary mentioned earlier, traversing around twelve chapels and shrines nearby, covering a distance of nine kilometers.
14. Cycling
The province of Walloon Brabant boasts an extensive and expanding network of cycle paths that connect seamlessly with systems in Flanders and the Walloon provinces of Liège, Hainaut, and Namur.
As of 2020, there are 1,080 kilometers of predominantly traffic-free paths easily accessible from Wavre.
You can organize your journey using “Point-Nœuds”, which are numbered junctions; simply remember the numbers to ensure you do not lose your way.
The official Walloon Brabant website provides a detailed guide to the junctions within the region.
The continental Eurovelo 5 route passes through Wavre, allowing cyclists to head southeast towards Namur, traversing charming country lanes in the fertile Hesbaye Valley, surrounded by fields of crops such as wheat and beetroot.
15. Marché de Wavre
Wavre hosts markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The Wednesday market is recognized as the largest one in Walloon Brabant, with historical documentation dating back to 1292 specifying the exact streets on which it operates.
With over 200 stalls, the market operates from 08:00 to 13:00, creating a lively atmosphere throughout the city center along Quai aux Huîtres, Rue du Chemin de Fer, Rue du Commerce, Rue Haute, Rue de Nivelles, Rue du Pont du Christ, and on Place Cardinal Mercier and Place Alphonse Bosch.
While a full article could be dedicated to describing the various vendors, a typical market includes greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, florists, as well as a wide array of dairy products, baked goods, organic food, confectionery, and international specialties.
The Saturday market provides a smaller selection focusing on fresh produce, cut flowers, and annual plants located at Place Cardinal Mercier and Rue du Commerce.
