Hermalle-sous-Huy is in Wallonia (Belgium).
This village is in the middle of an important commercial, scientific, artistic, sports and touristic region, between Liège and Huy, near Bierset and Tihange, and very easy to access, at 500 m from the N90 Liège-Huy motorway. Hermalle includes nearly its castle and its monumental farm, a complex of elegant houses of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Understand
[edit]Located along the Meuse (important European river), Hermalle is also at the foot of the Ardennes and therefore offers interesting differences in height for hikers and cyclists.
In time past important village of the region, fief of the episcopal court of Liège with its own court and vassals, Hermalle has escaped the industrialization of the nineteenth century and maintains a countryside charm.
Hermalle, which is on the right bank of the Meuse, is included since 1977 in the Engis entity whose administrative centre is on the left bank of the river.
Tourism information
[edit]- Tourism office of Hermalle-sous-Huy, postal address and office: rue Gerée 10, 4480 Hermalle-sous-Huy, ☏ +32 85 31 42 86; reception office open on Saturday from 14:00 to 19:00 and Sundays from 11:00 to 19:00 in the Ferme castrale, chaussée Freddy Terwagne 132a. Closed at 18:00 from November to February inclusive.
- Maison du Tourisme Hesbaye-Meuse [dead link], in the Paix-Dieu Abbey, Rue Paix-Dieu, 1B, 4540 Amay(Jehay), ☏ +32 85 21 2171.
Get in
[edit]The nearest airport is Liège-Bierset.
Engis station is served only by slow trains. It is easier to go by train to Liège and Huy then taking a bus TEC line 9 (Opéra - Seraing - Engihoul - Flône - Tihange - Huy). Get off at "Place de Hermalle".
By car: The nearest motorway is E42. Choose Exit 6 (Villers-le-Bouillet/Amay) if you go to Liège, exit 4 (Flémalle) if you comes from Liège, to join the national road 90 and leave this road at the exit "Pont de Hermalle".
On foot or by bike, take the RAVeL 1, along the Meuse, to easily reach the village which lies also on the Great Hiking Trail 576.
See
[edit]
- The historic center of the village.
- The "Ferme castrale", old farm adjacent to the castle of Hermalle still ringed by moat. The farm became a center of culture and tourism with its two museums and its Gourmet library.
- 1 Château de Jehay, Rue du Parc 1, 4540 Amay, ☏ +32 4 279 44 00.
Do
[edit]
On weekend, visit the "Ferme castrale"[dead link]; there is a second-hand books and flea market, a tavern to eat as before, etc. From the courtyard, you can see 17th century castle (private property) - mosan style. The "Ferme castrale" is open on Saturday from 14:00, Sunday from 11:00 and it closes at 19:00 (November to February: 18:00). It can be visited on weekdays, by appointment, for groups of minimum 15 persons.
On appointment, you can visit (guided tour), in the Ferme castrale, the Gourmet museum[dead link] (history of food and cooking) and the museum "Postes restantes" (history of writing and the Post Office).
On appointment too, and only for searchers, the Goumet library, one of the largest gastronomic library in Europe with more than 20,000 books, can be open for searching information on food and drink.
Enjoy walks in Hermalle, Clermont-sous-Huy and Engis: the country is really superb.
Eat and drink
[edit]"Al Rawète", the tavern of the museums, in the Ferme castrale, offers the weekend for individual visitors a restoration based on the old and regional cooking (the oldest recipe offered comes from the fifth century). The price of dishes goes from €3.5 to €17. The tavern can be open weekdays by appointment for groups of minimum 15 persons.
Sleep
[edit]Hermalle offers only 1 B&B, but 5 comfortable country gîtes are nearby, in the village of Clermont-sous-Huy.