Tour de Wallonie Stage 1 Braine-l'Alleud - Braine-le-Comte

Start from the car park at the 1815 site.

(S) Head towards the Butte du Lion and turn right onto the small path that goes round the visitor centre. At the foot of the hill, turn right onto Chemin des Vertes Bornes. Continue to the bottom of the slope and follow the farm track that runs alongside the ring road. Cross the Chemin de la Maison du Roi, first turn right then left to take the Chemin de la Maison à tout vent opposite. At the bottom, go round the small waterworks building by following the wall on your right and continue along the path then the farm track to the Moulin roundabout (Entrance to the recycling centre).

(1) Please note: for the entire section marked (1), there is no footpath except above the bridge. Take great care as this is a busy road! Go round the roundabout on your right to take the second exit: Route de Piraumont. Go over the motorway and, before the slip road, cross the lane to take the Chemin du Vieux Genappe, which starts alongside the motorway access ramp. Continue along this path, which is initially a tarmac road and then a dirt track, until you reach the railway line. It turns left, then passes under the tracks before climbing up to Rue des Hayettes. Continue straight on to the roundabout.

(2) Go round it on the right and take the farm track opposite – Vieux chemin de Nivelles – ignore the track branching off to the right, go as far as the farm, and cross the yard. – If you have a dog, keep it on a lead as there is a very friendly one on the premises – and take Rue Gaston Dubois opposite. Turn right into the first street, Rue Ramelot. At the top, after house No. 99 on the right, take Rue de la Croix de Pierre (with poor paving) diagonally to the right. Cut across Rue Griponwez (a simple country lane), which continues as Chemin d’Ophain until the ‘Y’ junction.

(3) Leave the farm track on the right and take the poorly marked one on the left. It runs alongside a wood on your right and then, after a left-hand bend, another wood on your left once you are in the hollow. At the edge of the wood, it climbs up to an entrance to the Bois Planté, which you cross via the lane in front of you until you reach Rue du Bois Planté. Turn right.

(4) At the T-junction, turn left into Rue Armand De Moor. Pass the castle on your left and the Monastery of Saint on your right. When you reach Rue de Hal, cross it and follow the cycle path to the left until the second street on the right, Rue Ferme Smette, which you follow downhill. Further on, you’ll cross over the ring road and arrive at the little chapel of Bon Dieu qui croque. Continue straight ahead along Rue de la Tournette. Cross the golf course, ignoring the entrance on the left, and reach the junction with Via Brabantica, where the Chapelle de la Reconnaissance stands.

(5) Continue straight on, still on Rue de la Tournette. At the bend, turn left onto Chemin de Ronquières. About 300 m after passing under a high-voltage power line, turn right to join Route du Croiseau. At the junction, continue left onto Rue d’Ittre. In the hamlet, turn right onto Chaussée de Soignies.

(6) When you reach the farm, take the right-hand branch: Rue Godart, and follow it to reach Le Chenu. Follow Rue Godart round its sharp right-hand bend and turn left onto Avenue des Tilleuls to reach Lock No. 28.

(7) Cross the lock. (See below: Places of interest). Continue straight on, crossing over the Sennette. Continue along Rue d’Henripont. At a left-hand bend, continue along the extension via Mon Idée, which leads on via Point du Jour to the junction with Chemin Royal. Turn left.

(8) Continue right onto Avenue du Marouset. In front of a block of flats, turn right onto Avenue de la Haussière, which continues to the railway lines. Follow them by turning left. At Chemin de Feluy, turn right to go under the tracks and immediately turn left into Rue Émile Heuchon. Continue right along Rue Docteur Oblin. Pass Rue de la Station on your left and, at the next junction, turn left into Rue Adolphe Gillis, which leads to the car park at the end of the route (S/E).

At (7), after passing through the lock and turning left onto Rue Rosemont, you can see the boat ramp.