I like castles. I think it’s because I’m drawn to the extremes they represent: the romance of court life and the violence of battle. However, it could also be because I like to climb on things. My father jokingly asked me the other day, how many castles we’ve visited. I didn’t really know.There was Les-Baux-de-Provence, Mont-St-Michel, The Rhine Valley, Groot-Bijgaarden, Arcen, Wawel, Villandry, Chenonceau, and many more. Each one has its own character and its own history. Although perhaps best known for chocolate and beer, Belgium also hosts a large number of castles and chateaus that are worth visiting.
A while back, our friend, Gilbert, told us about a ruined castle, in southern Belgium, called Montaigle. The ruins sit on a rocky spur overlooking a couple of small rivers, close to the Meuse and the city of Dinant. Gilbert said, the ruins had an interesting history and the area was worth a visit. Alison and I have visited the Dinant area before and really liked it. The drive along the river is reminiscent of the Rhine river valley, with many castles, beautiful vistas, and gorgeous chateaus. Since we had not been on a Sunday Mystery Drive in a long time and last Sunday was a gorgeous October day in Belgium, Alison and I decided to get out of the city and enjoy the day.
Located in Falaën, Montaigle castle is about an hour south of Brussels, using the fastest route. The castle itself is found on D-roads, meaning the roads get small, winding, and, if you like driving, very interesting.
Once you find the castle, it’s a bit challenging to find a parking spot, as there isn’t a parking lot and access to the site is via a private road. We were lucky and found parking at the bottom of the private road. We then walked the 750m to the entrance of the ruins which turns out to be on private land. In fact, the whole site is privately owned (by the del Marmol family), so don’t be shy. Just head for the renovated barn that houses the museum and ticket office.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
