3 Best Sights in Lessines, Western Wallonia

This sprawling medieval hospital complex and convent was founded in the 13th century, making it one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. Over the years, it had numerous expansions, with a farm added in the 16th and 17th centuries, and until 1980 it served as an old people's home. It has since been restored, with audio tours available. An herb garden, a beautiful chapel, and some terrifying examples (and illustrations) of medical equipment paint a fascinating portrait of the time. 

The RAVeL network is made up of old rail lines and canal towpaths that have been turned into countryside cycling and walking routes. The first 33 km (20½ miles) stage of the W1 route technically starts in Flanders, but you can just as easily pick it up in Lessines before threading a scenic trail to Ath and following the Blaton-Ath Canal to Beloeil Castle. It's a beautiful route and a day trip that includes some of the best sights in the area. See the RAVel Wallonie website for maps and details. 

This site has held numerous iterations of religious buildings: first a primitive chapel, then an 11th-century Romanesque church, parts of which you can still see in the great nave and tower, before this was replaced at the end of the 12th century by its current Gothic facade. It was heavily bombed in World War II, and items rescued from the fires of 1940 by the congregation can still be seen in the lobby, along with an interesting exhibition on the church's history.