The approach to the village of Sommière takes you right through the heart of the Condroz. Narrow roads wind past fields, meadows, woods, streams, and a weathered roadside cross hidden in tall grass. Cows graze in an orchard thick with apple trees. Next to a sturdy farm lies a steaming manure heap, fresh from the morning’s work.
On the road to the church stands the cheese dairy of Alice and Antoine Hazard. Their family has been making cheese for generations, using unpasteurised milk.
‘We work with milk that’s still warm,’ Alice explains. ‘It comes from a local farmer who doesn’t use a milking robot. With those robots, the milk goes straight into cooling.’
Cheesemaker Stéphane Maillard, who works with them, adds: ‘We tried it once. But when we heat robot-milk from 3 to 32 degrees, our cheese loses its character. It’s less creamy, more grainy—not as good.’
Fromagerie de Sommière produces six types of cheese, sometimes a smoked one, sold via a roadside vending machine and to local restaurants and shops. No fancy regional label here—just the continuation of an old village tradition. ‘In our municipality alone, there are four cheesemakers,’ says Alice. ‘Three make a similar cheese to ours, but each has their own touch—how long you age it, how often you wash it, whether you salt it, the temperature… you’d be amazed how different they taste.’
I find their cheese again that evening on the menu at my lodging, Castel Les Sorbiers, on the banks of the Meuse, just 15 minutes away. Chef Mika Lehaire runs a ‘Table de Terroir’ here, sourcing as much as possible locally and seasonally. A big board in the hallway shows photos of the vegetable growers, fishermen, bakers, and cheesemakers who supply the kitchen.
This modest pride is typical for the Condroz, a predominantly agricultural plateau where the work gets done quietly. The number of farms has halved since 1990, but there are still around 500. Everywhere you go, you see fields of maize, beet, wheat, barley, flax, spelt, and rapeseed. And yes—the cows are out in the fields, where they belong.
You could think of the Condroz as the gateway to the high Ardennes. Boundaries are a matter of opinion—geographical, political, historical, touristic—but it hardly matters. Whether Durbuy, Dinant, Modave or Freÿr officially belong or not, they’re nearby.
The plateau is laced with brooks that, over centuries, carved intimate valleys into the land. I follow streams like Le Flavion, Le Bocq and Le Samson. From the beautiful Molignée Valley I climb to Falaën, one of Wallonia’s ‘most beautiful villages’. There’s a short route through the village or a nine-kilometre walk in the surroundings.
No rush. Take in the moment. The view of Maredsous Abbey or the ruins of Château de Montaigle has been the same for centuries, and will remain so. I let my gaze settle on the small world around me—a wooden gate, a fine old tree, the whisper of the Molignée, a sandy track to nowhere.
Time eventually brings me back to Falaën, its grey stone houses huddled around a 17th-century château-ferme, barely changed in 400 years. Villagers once sheltered here from bandits and soldiers. These fortress farms are scattered across the Condroz—some beautifully restored, others still working farms, a few quietly crumbling.
At the end of the day, I return to Castel Les Sorbiers, surrounded by 17 hectares of parkland, pure peace, and silence. The château, built in 1909, was once a retreat for Belgium’s beau monde seeking fresh air and leisure. After years of decay, it’s been lovingly restored by a group of friends who value sustainability over profit.
That evening, in the restaurant En face de l’île, I savour more cheese from Alice and Antoine—paired with a crisp Belgian sauvignon blanc from Nivelles.
The next day I visit another local name from the menu: Brasserie Caracole in Falmignoul, just five minutes away. Brewing since the 18th century and family-run for generations, it was revived in 1992 by François Tonglet and Jean-Pierre Debras.
‘As a young man I discovered beer, and that love never went away,’ François says. ‘Back then you could count the microbreweries on one hand—now it’s hip.’
Caracole still fires its kettles with wood, giving each brew its own character. ‘Wood fires aren’t constant—they breathe. Our copper kettles heat unevenly, caramelising in a way you just can’t replicate.’
Behind the brewery is a cosy tasting room with tiled floors, beams, wooden tables. On weekends there are tours, but you can always pop in for a pint. ‘We don’t chase novelties,’ François says. ‘We’d rather just make a good beer people love.’
In the Condroz, you stick with what works. Traditions are tended with care. Later, wandering through Falmignoul, I meet Ignace Tissot—rubber boots, overalls, cap—on his way to his horses. His family has kept them for eight generations, ever since they came from Switzerland when Wallonia was rich and Switzerland poor. ‘They’re a hobby now,’ he shrugs.
The best way to explore the Condroz is to roam—on foot or by bike—linking the farm villages by narrow patched roads. In places like Soulme, Heer, Wierde, Schaltin and Maffe, life isn’t carefree, but it moves at an easier pace.
A walk from Havelange leads past art installations in nature. My favourite is street art painted on a barn: a child photographing a ladybird. The land rises and falls gently. A few castles try to catch my eye, but it’s the farmland that holds me. Small wonder that one of the region’s biggest historic events was the ‘Cow War’ of 1275–1278, which started with one farmer stealing a cow from the next village—and spiralled into a mess involving nobles, armies, and even the King of France.
By chance, my wandering brings me back to Sommière. I stop at Alice and Antoine’s vending machine for a piece of Condroz cheese to take home—a slice of slow living to savour later.
Looking for the perfect way to explore Wallonia’s hidden heart? Visit Wallonia offers a free downloadable booklet with three ready-to-go routes that lead you past fairy-tale castles, charming villages, and rolling Condroz landscapes. Along the way, you’ll discover gems like Modave, Durbuy, and Wéris, as well as tranquil, lesser-known corners where life moves at a gentler pace. Whether you’re driving, cycling, or simply day-dreaming your next trip, these routes make the Condroz yours to explore. Download your free booklet now.
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