Bouillon or Bust

Bouillon is a perfect weekend getaway from Brussels. During the pandemic, we lived in Brussels, Belgium. Once things opened up within the country, we took the opportunity to explore all Belgium has to offer. At any rate, Bouillon was one of our first weekends away in four months. Four months was a long time for our sense of normal. All in all, Bouillon was a perfect weekend trip. The landscape was incredible, we did not have to plan much in advance, and we felt there was so much more to see.

A Little History about Bouillon, Belgium

Bouillon is a medieval small town in southern Belgium. It’s located near the French border, and consequently most residents only speak French. The area is famous for its beautiful landscape with the medieval Bouillon Castle and views of the Semois River. We consequently filled our weekend with leisurely walks, kayaking, and visiting the museums.

Helpful Tips

• Make reservations for lunch and dinner
  • It’s best to make reservations if you want to eat somewhere for dinner. There are plenty of restaurants in Bouillon, but restaurants get busy and cannot accommodate all walk-ins. In most of Europe, restaurants do not push their customers to finish and leave their tables for a fast turnover. As long as you make a reservation, the table is yours for the night. 
  • We made reservations for dinner, which was great. Conversely, it was harder to find a place that had walk-in availability for lunch.

• Buy the City Pass Ticket 
  • A City Pass ticket includes admission to the Castle of Bouillon, Musée Ducal, and the Archéoscope. You can buy the City Pass tickets on the Castle of Bouillon website or when you go to the museums.

What to See in Beautiful Bouillon, Belgium

• Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul
  • This beautiful church was built in 1848. If you’re nearby, then it’s worth a stop to admire the interior and exterior of the building. There’s a painting of Godfrey of Bouillon at the entrance and many pretty stained-glass windows. However, the church closes early, around 6-6:30 pm. 
• The River Walk
  • Grab some ice cream and take a stroll along the river. You can also rent paddle boats if you want to get in the water. The town is beautiful and worth a good look.
  • There are also some cute-looking shops scattered around town. If you’re into shopping, then it seems like a good variety. There are also restaurants and bars where you can sit outside and enjoy the views.
  • We picked up ice cream from Pierre Gigot. At the time, they only offered 2 flavors- chocolate and vanilla. 
• Abbaye Clairefontaine/ Trappist nuns Notre-Dame de Clairefontaine
  • The abbey is a quick 10-minute drive from town and a lovely 3km (1.8 mi) walk. If you kayak downriver on the Semois, then you’ll see this beautiful abbey from the river. There’s a small store on-site where you can buy yummy homemade cookies and other local goods, like ceramics. 
  • I’m actually Buddhist, but I still thought it was beautiful to visit.
• Farmers Market
  • We walked around a lovely local farmers market on the Sunday we were there. At this time, the market was set up along the riverwalk. We did a quick stroll through and picked up some yummy local honey to help relieve my seasonal allergies.

Enjoy the Outside

• Kayaking on the Semois
  • Kayaking on the river is the best way to enjoy the beautiful Semois Valley. Kayaking is an easy and popular activity in the area due to the beautiful river. There are some sections where you will paddle, but most of the ride was a leisurely river float. The water was pretty low when we went. There were a few sections that were too shallow to float. As a result, we had to stand up and pull the kayak out of the rocks. 
  • There are a few companies where you can rent kayaks. In either case, the kayak groups will shuttle you as needed to get to and from your car.
  • We went with Semois Kayaks for our outing. 
    • They offered several options for the length/time of your journey. We particularly enjoyed the 15km route from Bouillon to Poupehan. This 3-hour option was casual and beautiful. As a result, we kayaked through beautiful parts of the Semois Valley to see the Castle of Bouillon, Abbaye Clairefontaine, and Le Tombeau du Géant. The bonus is that they have a friterie on site! Grab frites and a drink and find a table in their outdoor seating area.
    • Semois Kayaks also offers other route options! We saw there were kid-friendly options on their website. 
      • Semois Kayaks Website

• Le Tombeau du Géant
  • Tombeau du Géant (The Tomb of the Giant) got its name as a result from its triangular shape resembling a tomb.
  • Even though you will see it on the kayak excursion, the best viewpoint is from above. There are plenty of parking spaces and seating areas at the parking lot. If you want to hike, then several trails lead up to the viewpoint.

Bouillon Sites with the City Pass

• Castle of Bouillon
  • This medieval castle sits on top of the hill and overlooks the beautiful city of Bouillon. The interior felt like a maze of tunnels, which was really exciting. The views are stunning. It’s easy to see why the Castle of Bouillon is known as one of Belgium’s most beautiful medieval castles. 
  • Due to COVID-Precautions, we had to follow a set-up path, and certain sections were closed. I would have loved to see the castle’s cheese cellar! They also have a falcon show, which was unavailable during the pandemic. 
  • The cheese from the castle is a hard cheese called L ‘Oeillet. It can be purchased offsite at a handful of nearby stores. We bought ours at Benoît Hennon. They are a butchery that also sells a lovely assortment of cheeses.
  • Bouillon Castle Website
• Musée Ducal
  • This heritage museum is home to many artifacts and art from Bouillon. The museum is in essence a quick few minutes walk from the Castle of Bouillon. Try to walk along the lovely side garden of the Ducal Museum. The museum is small and will be a quick stop. As a result, we were here for about 45 minutes. 
  • Musée Ducal Website
• The Godefroid de Bouillon Archéoscope
  • The museum starts with a technology show about the history of Bouillon in the first crusade. Your start time is dependent due to the timing of the show. You can walk around at your own pace to read the different information boards and see the artifacts following the show.
  • Although I was impressed by the presentation of the show, I found the overall timeline of the information confusing. The show was presented in French, Dutch, and English.
  • The Archéoscope is a quick 5-minute walk from the Castle of Bouillon. 
  • Archéoscope Website

Where To Eat in Bouillon

• Boulangerie Michels Benoit
  • We sat outside and enjoyed breakfast. The croissants and crepes were delicious, but the coffee was very disappointing. 

• Rochehaut
  • This brewery and restaurant is a 20-minute drive to/from the city center. We stopped here for lunch on the way to Bouillon. The main room was certainly spacious and had access to a large deck with incredible outdoor views of the rolling hills. 
  • The restaurant served us freshly sliced prosciutto for the table, which was so yummy. Order La quiche a l’Ardennaise, their bacon and Orval cheese quiche. Hubs had Le Burger Cochon, a pork burger with caramelized pork loin, bbq sauce, and fried onions.
  • We shared a flight of 4 beers, but I admit I didn’t love any of them.

• Restaurant Il Siciliano
  • We had a member in our group who preferred to eat familiar foods, so we chose pizza as a safe option for them. This was one of the few restaurants where we did not need lunch reservations, but they were busy. We ordered a pizza, which we liked. They cooked the pizza in a proper pizza oven. We also tried the Cesar salad, which was not the salad we were expecting, but good.
• Legrand / Philippe
  • We did not get to try this bakery. There was a busy line in the morning for morning pastries and bread. In my opinion, a queue is a sign that the food is delicious. I voted to join the queue, but was outnumbered. 
• La Vieille Ardenne
  • This cozy restaurant serves traditional food from the Ardennes. There is also outdoor seating available.
  • I had snails cooked in cream and pork with potatoes au gratin. The meal was decadent but worth it. 
  • Hubs had the prosciutto and local cured meat from the Ardenne and gnocchi in velvety tomato cream sauce. 

Where to Stay?

• Hotel de la Poste – Relais Napoléon III
  • I loved this hotel. It was centrally located, the interior had a lot of character, and the rooms were clean. Our friends requested a room with a view for an additional cost, which was indeed beautiful.

More Things I Wish We Got To

• Bouillon Belvedere
  • This observation tower can be seen from the town. I have heard the observation tower offers a fantastic view from the top. We were disappointed to see the observation tower was closed due to COVID precautions during our visit to town.
  • There is a hike that leads to the tower. Belvédère de Bouillon Boucle is a 3.4 km (2.1 miles) loop hike that looks like it would have been lovely.
  • According to reviews, you walk 161 steps to the top of the observation platform. 
• Point de Vue Frahan
  • I’m a sucker for pretty viewpoints. This one is in Rochehaut and looks south towards the Semois River and Frahan. 

Hiking Trails

We were busy with the kayak tour and some museums on our first day. On our second day, half of our group refused to hike. They were anxious to get home. These are some of the trails I think I would have loved.

• Sentier Lamirant depuis Château de Bouillon 
  • A 1.6-mile out-and-back trail. It’s popular and considered easy. 
• Point de Vue Frahan 
  • This hike leads you to a beautiful viewpoint.
• Liaison des deux châteaux Sedan-Bouillon (The Two Castles Trail)
  • This 13-mile trail was historically used to travel between Sedan Castle and Bouillon Castle. It is 13 miles, one way. It’s recommended to allow 2 days for this route. 

Enjoy A Busy Weekend in Beautiful Bouillon

Bouillon was a much-needed weekend getaway following our first lockdown in Belgium. This medieval city was not on my radar before moving to Belgium, and I’m grateful we went. It was beautiful. I absolutely adored these breathtaking views. I certainly hope you’re inspired to see this city for yourself!