The best traffic-free bike rides in Grandvalbos En Kooigembos

Unfortunately, there are no more green paths in the vicinity. Let's leave this one rough and not pave it, please.

The castle and its outbuildings will soon be taken over by companies specializing in the renovation of historical monuments. Les Amis du Château d'En Haut (non-profit organization) specializes in estate rentals, and the proceeds are redistributed to restoration projects (Pineal Project: workshops, ceremonies, product presentations, exhibitions, performances, etc.). This is stated at: www.chateaudebossuit.com When I passed by, the gate on Kasteeldreef was simply open. There was nothing to indicate that the estate was inaccessible. For example, in the garden to the left of the castle, there seemed to be the remains of a pop-up bar or some kind of public event. When I left the estate on the Doorniksesteenweg side, the automatic gate gently opened for me. When I turned around, I saw a sign saying "Private / No Access."

As is the case with many chapels, pieces of cloth are tied to the bars of the door (see, for example, the Passjekapel on the Catsberg in Godewaerdsvelde in French Flanders). This refers to a devotion that is actually based on a Germanic tradition: believers come to the chapel hoping for (or in gratitude for) protection and healing from illnesses that cause fever. They leave behind a piece of cloth (bandage, sock, handkerchief, etc.), worn by the sick person.

The Tonte Chapel is a magnificent chapel, largely due to its location: at the highest point in Kooigem, with a number of nearly upright poplars as neighbors. It can therefore be seen from afar. The combination of white paint on the walls and blue woodwork gives the chapel an extra special character. The history of the chapel, which has been a protected monument since 2004, dates back to the first half of the 18th century. The first, smaller chapel was probably built in 1729 but destroyed in 1914, not by war, but by fire following a lightning strike. The current chapel dates from after the First World War. The small chapel was enlarged in 1929 by the residents of the nearby farm. The Tonte Chapel is a popular place of worship, especially in May. Source: Heritage Inventory

Tontestraat (and not 'Tontestraat' as this highlight was originally called) climbs towards Geitenberg, the highest point in Kooigem. There stands the 18th-century Tonte Chapel, which, together with its neighbor, the poplar, forms a landmark in this field-dominated area.

Until 1983, the last 300 meters of line 271 000, Roubaix-Wattrelos, ran here. At the other end, it connected to Belgian line 85 to Leupegem, Oudenaarde. The only 3.6 km long and never electrified line 271 000 no longer carried passenger trains after 1932.

From the early 1970s, the development of the new town in this area took shape with the construction of the Heron Park and the Heron Lake. The former hunting lodge was converted into a house divided into two rental apartments. In 1973, the building was acquired by the Public Institution for the Development of the New Town of Lille-East. In December 1982, the building, which had suffered damage since the expropriation, was returned to the municipality of Villeneuve d'Ascq. At the end of 1983, the municipality decided to have the building completely restored by the Compagnons du Devoir (a French craft guild) as part of a training program. Source: information board on site

Be careful on wet roads