Tourism
La ferme castrale d’Hermalle-sous-Huy est un bijou dans un écrin de poupées russes. Les trésors s’y imbriquent, s’y déroulent avec un étonnement et un plaisir partagés.
In the middle of an important commercial, scientific, artistic, sports and tourist region, between Liège and Huy, near Bierset and Tihange, with easy access, at only 500 m. from the N90 Liège-Huy motorway, Hermalle-sous-Huy maintains a countryside calm and offers a lot of services.
Right in the middle of the old village, elegant houses of the 17th and 18th centuries surround the castle and its monumental farm that you can visit.
A farm ?
Formerly, yes ! The one of the adjacent castle of Hermalle, still ringed by moat.
Today, a centre for culture and tourism with two museums and a library.
Built with bricks and limestone on foundations from the 16th century, the Ferme castrale presents a various architecture that allows to understand the development of the site through the centuries.
This building, mainly dated from 17th and 18th centuries, form a square around a paved and flowery court where children can play completely safe.
Access is by a gentle slope, accessible for people with reduced mobility, which starts up a arched and emblazoned door, next to the south corner tower, and ends with a large porch with a wooden double door.
First ou discover a terrace in bloom, then one of the most beautiful barns of the province of Liège, with a frame that rises to 17 m. People garnered in... to the top!
The tourist office occupies the entrance with valves and displays. A bell is used to call staff for information.
After serving as a showroom, concert, theater place, the barn is currently occupied by a flea market
Under the two floors of the barn and beyond the tavern where you can eat dishes of past centuries, you admire two rooms covered with ribbed vaults resting on square pillars.
These rooms have been called the "capitular rooms" by Paris-Match.
You find there the Gourmet museum and our temporary exhibitions.
The eastern wing, partly renovated, was extended in the beginning of the 19th century. You find there the Museum "Postes restantes" and a delicatessen shop.
It includes a little cemetery where, in the 20th, people built a "grotto of Lourdes"; ex-votos still bears witness of the local fervour.
The western wing still waits a renovation.
You notice on the main building – north façade – a tower-porch formerly defended by a drawbridge, which constituted for a long time the main access to the castle.
This tower has a portal topped with a machicolation bearing a cartouche dated 1642.
Abandoned for years, the farm find a new life thanks to the citizen action of the npo La Rawète, founded in 1993 to help the restoration of the building and to find a reassignment to it..
- Exhibitions, temporary and quality events,
- flea market,
- large parking,
- access for handicapped persons,
- open fire, flowery terrace with fountain,
- catering based on old and regional recipes,
- interest of the 2 museums and the library,
- tie bar for horse riders,
- competent guides,
- and, moreover, a typical Walloon reception...
... offer you an ideal excursion aim for weekend !
On weekdays, guided visits of the building can be organized on appointement for groups..
Furthermore, the Farm is one of 13 heritage sites highlighted in Hesbaye-Meuse region by cartoonists.
A sign near the corner tower chaussée Freddy Terwagne, 132a, presents the work of Jean-Luc Delvaux representing the northern entrance to the farm, the tower of the twelfth century of the castle and the east façade, decorated with figures of the 1920s: the peasants with their hay wagon and nobleman and woman with their automobile car driven by a uniformed chauffeur.
Without going to talk back to the sources, it is amusing to note that Jean-Luc Delvaux was born in Engis in 1970, lived in Hermalle, not far from the farm and that members of his family always remain. This artist is known for its car illustrations, its police and its albums Le Marquis et Les Aventures de Jacques Gipar.
It is from this tourism and culture place that is the Farm, where there are also remarkable trees protected by the Walloon Region (one redwood dendron giganteum), that you go on free walk through woods and fields, or guided for "gourmet Nature" walks.
It is from this place that you explore the village to the east to discover the House of Hena (classified) and one of the historical landmarks of Hermalle-Clermont limit, or n the west side to survey the Thier d'Olne (now classified historic site) overlooking the farm Hottine (XVIIIth century), facing the beautiful Abbey of Flône which it depended.
A captioned village plan is available at the reception of the tourist office.
Evidence :
I know and I love this place, also I do respect the engagement in cultural events and continued engagement.
I wish all the best,
Ralf R. Ollertz, Berlin, August 2008.