198 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp269–71 and pp296–7

Fondation Folon 2

Ferme du Château de la Hulpe,
Drève de la Ramée, La Hulpe;
10 km (6 miles) SE of Brussels.
Road Map C2. Tel (02) 6533456.
@ # 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & 7
0 = http://www.fondationfolon.be

The Domaine Solvay is a large
and beautiful park with
woodland and lakes, and an
elegant château dating from

1842. This estate was once
      owned by the philanthropic
      mega-industrialists, the Solvay
      family. In 1972, the family
      gave the estate to the nation
      and the château is now used
      for recep tions and seminars.
      The old farm complex
      located on the domain is
      now the Fondation Folon –
      a large exhibition centre that
      celebrates the life and work
      of Belgian painter, illus trator
      and sculptor Jean-Michel
      Folon (1934–2005). Folon’s
      deceptively simple style,
      using bright watercolour
      washes and stylized figures,
      is instantly recognizable. Over
      his career, Folon was much
      in demand as the creator of
      prints, posters, magazine
      covers and stamps. His art is
      hugely popular and is noted
      for its wry, poetic comments
      about the human condition.
      With numerous examples of
      his work, audiovisual pre-
      sentations, installations and
      beguiling sculpture, Fondation
      Folon is a museum that
      delights visitors of all ages.

(New Leuven). The institution

opened in 1980. Its campus is

an ingenious complex raised

above road level. There are

two museums to attract visitors.

The Musée de Louvain-la-

Neuve presents selections

from its rich collection of

donations to the university.

This includes prints and paint-

ings (from Dürer to Magritte

and Delvaux), sculpture of all

eras and various fascinating

historical and anthropological

artifacts. The Musée Hergé

is brand new and occupies a

striking, prism-shaped build-

ing. It celebrates the life and

work of the creator of Tintin

through a collection of

artworks and exhibitions.

E Musée de

Louvain-la-Neuve

Place Blaise Pascal, 1. Tel (010)

474841. 
        

        Tue–Sun. &

        
        

        http://www.muse.ucl.ac.be
        E Musée Hergé
        Rue du Labrador 26. Tel (010)

        
        


474842. 
        

        Tue–Sun. & 7 0

        
        

        = http://www.museeherge.com

        
        

Folx-les-Caves 5

Rue Auguste Baccus, Orp-Jauche; 32

km (20 miles) E of Louvain-la-Neuve.

Road Map D2. Tel (081) 877366.

# 10–11:30am and 2–6pm Sat, Sun

and public holidays. ¢ Jan. &

http://www.grottes-folxlescaves.com

In the soft tufa rock beneath

Orp-Jauche, in the fertile

Hesbaye (Haspengouw)

region, an extraordinary

labyrinth of underground

caves has been excavated by

human hands since Neolithic

times. They now cover an

area of 6 ha (15 acres). Over

Louvain-la-Neuve 4

16 km (10 miles) SE of Waterloo.

Road Map D2. * 30,000. £ @

n Forum des Halles; (010) 474747.

( Mon. http://www.uclouvain.be

The origin of the university

town of Louvain-la-Neuve

is linked to Belgium’s oldest

university, in Leuven

(see pp160–61), in Dutch-

speaking Flanders. Until the

1920s, courses at the University

of Leuven were held in French,

causing resentment in the

Flemish community. Following

riots, teaching in Dutch was

introduced, but in the 1960s

protesters demanded that

French be abandoned

altogether. The authorities then

decided to build a completely

new university at Ottignies, in

French-speaking Wallonia,

called Louvain-la-Neuve

Statue by Jean-Michel Folon at the
Fondation Folon, Domaine Solvay

Walibi 3

Blvd de L’Europe, Wavre; 15 km (9

miles) E of Waterloo. Road Map D2.

Tel (010) 421500. £ # Easter–Oct;

see website for details. & 7 0

• = http://www.walibi.be

Named after the three

surrounding communities,

Wavre, Limal and Bierges, as

well as the Australian marsu-

pial that is its mascot, Walibi

is one of Belgium’s most pop-

ular theme parks. It has a host

of heart-stopping rides plus

many gentler attractions, tra-

ditional fairground rides and

live shows. The park also

includes a large swimming

complex called Aqualibi, with

various pools, hot baths,

Jacuzzis and themed rapids.

Walibi’s wallaby mascot welcoming visitors to the theme park