POCKET- SIZED EN LOUVAIN- LA-NEUVE HISTORY CULTURE NATURE STROLLING DISCOVERY WALK EVENTS UNIVERSITY CITY PRACTICAL SYNOPSIS INTRODUCTION A NEW TOWN 4 A NEW TOWN Located in the heart of the Walloon Brabant province, 32 6 A BIT OF HISTORY kilometres south of Brussels, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve has One day to two town centres. The historical centre of Ottignies nestles 8 DISCOVER THE CULTURE in the heart of the beautiful surrounding countryside, which has been enriched in terms of culture and tourism by the 10 One day to construction of the new city, creating a new centre: CONNECT WITH NATURE Louvain-la-Neuve. 12 One day to A true university city, Louvain-la-Neuve sits harmoniously in STROLL AROUND the surrounding landscape. From its very beginnings, the city was modelled on Italian medieval towns and with the 14 DISCOVERY WALK idea of general accessibility. The town centre is a comple- 18 THE BIG ANNUAL EVENTS tely pedestrian area and bubbling with life, with a distinc- tive, friendly atmosphere. It is a unique example of urban 19 A UNIVERSITY CITY creation which combines country charm with all the advan- 21 GOOD CONNECTIVITY TIPS tage of a modern city! 22 PRACTICAL INFO 5 REASONS TO COME AND VISIT US AN ACCESSIBLE TOWN 23 at the Office du Tourisme-Inforville 3 201 OTTIGNIES-LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, LAURÉAT EUROPEAN DESTINATION OF EXCELLENCE Pictogram captions The city has been designed for all its visitors, young and not so young, able-bodied and less so. It is for this reason, Good Tips « I love my city... as well as the efforts made in this respect, that Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve was granted the “EDEN” label in Child-friendly PRM-friendly 2013 on the theme of accessibility for all. It joins several other Walloon tourist destinations in the European Desti- Adress Opening times nation of Excellence network in the field of sustainable development. www.youredenexperience.com Find our page tourismeOttigniesLouvainlaneuve on Facebook I love my city For the atmosphere, the energy, the incessant but not Share your photos of Louvain-la-Neuve on Instagram with #inLLN overwhelming movement of Louvain-la-Neuve. For its rural landscapes and the beautiful green valley of Ottignies … the ideal place to have a pleasant walk. LAETITIA, 34 YEARS OLD 2 | 3 2 | 3 OTTIGNIES- LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE • Surface area : 3.339 hectares BRUSSELS • Population : 31.551 inhab 30 KM • 2 main stations LIMELETTE Anvers Parc E40 Gand A12 Scientifique Monnet Louvain Parc Bruxelles E40 Scientifique Liège Bois de Lauzelle Athéna Nivelles Louvain- la-Neuve Mons E42 Namur E19 Charleroi Lauzelle E411 La Baraque Arlon LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE N275 L’Hocaille N238 Parc Scientifique E411 Le Biéreau Fleming Blocry N4 ottignies Parc Scientifique CÉROUX Einstein Les Bruyères MOUSTY Bois des Rêves N25 N237 LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE ottignies Surface area = 14,5 ha Resident population 198 ha Lauzelle woods 53% pedestrian13 bus streets lines (43 travelling km)Daytime population Pedestrian concrete slab +/- 1.000 hectares + 168 ha green zones from LLN 45.000 persons 21.000 persons and parks LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE 4 | 5 4 | 5 1977 October September New 1970 1966 municipality pproval of of Ottignies- Purchase of the A BIT OF planning Louvain-la- Lauzelle plateau permission Neuve in Ottignies for the new BACKGROUND nd 1982 university site 2 February 1911 1971 Ottignies- history...… UCL courses Laying of the Louvain-la- 1190 switch to foundation stone Neuve is Existence Flemish by H.M. King granted the of Ottignies Baudouin title of «City» 20 October September 1425 Mid-1960s Disputes between 1972 1979 Creation of st students and the 1 academic Finalisation of the Catholic term on the complete UCL University of « Walen Buiten » («Walloons Louvain-la- French-speaking Louvain Neuve university faculty transfer site It was the tensions between the there were only a few farms and The first academic term began on It took 10 years for the university to Flemish and Walloon communities at hamlets on the land. 20th October 1972 on what was ba- complete the transfer of all its diffe- the end of the 1960s that prompted sically still a building site, a year and rent faculties. the French-speakers at the Catho- The planners’ idea for Louvain-la- a half after the first foundation stone Nowadays, more than 50,000 people lic University of Louvain (UCL) to Neuve was to build a university wit- was laid on 2nd February 1971 in the walk up and down the streets of leave Leuven, settle in Wallonia and hin the city, rather than a university presence of King Baudouin I. 800 Louvain-la-Neuve. build a new university there. The campus cut off from society. The city students from the Science Faculties French-speaking section bought a is therefore built on a reasonable came to do their graduate and vast piece of agricultural land mea- scale and the academic buildings post-graduate studies in the Biéreau suring 920 hectares on the Lauzelle blend in with the surroundings and area. plateau in Ottignies. At that time other urban functions. 6 | 7 6 | 7 ONE DAY TO... Louvain-la-Neuve also has two museums: the Hergé Museum and the L Museum. DISCOVER We recommend that you take at least 2 hours out of your day for each museum to see everything. THE CULTURE Like an open-air museum, the city offers Hergé Museum L Museum visitors more than a hundred sculptures, fountains and wall paintings. A booklet is takes you on a voyage of discovery of the is a university museum dedicated to art available in the Office du Tourisme-Infor- many facets of the creator of Tintin. Eight and science. What does it offer? The link ville shop. It will help you to choose one rooms with different decors breathe new between the works of art, the unique life into the universe and characters of scientific collections from the UCL and 3 of the approximately one and a half hour the master of the Clean Line. labs where the public can even touch the art discovery walks around the city. works of art. Rue du Labrador 26 Open from Tuesday to Friday from Place des Sciences 10:30 to 17:30 and at weekends from Open from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. 09:30 to 17:00 and at weekends from 9,50€/adult – 5€/child aged 7 to 14 11:00 to 17:00. 6€/adult – 2€/13-25 Information: 010/48 84 21 – free for children aged 12 and below - www.museeherge.com 2€/visioguide Information: 010/47 48 41 www.museel.be Pick up the « Boussole» event diary I love my city good st Sunday of tip Every 1 or check our on-line diary Louvain-la-Neuve’s pedestrianisation makes it easy to get around but also to the month, entry is www.tourisme-olln.be or the one of meet people. It’s like living in a small village. Small, but dynamic! There is always free for everyone in both museums our partners. something to do, a good restaurant to go to or a new exhibition to see (audioguide et visioguide included). www.atjv.be in the city’s many cultural centres. www.fermedubiereau.be ALICE, 28 YEARS OLD www.poleculturel.be www.cinescope.be Are you staying in the area? Then you should enjoy an evening of entertainment, go and see a play at the great hall of the Jean Vilar theatre or a movie at the “Cinéscope”, discover diffe- rent types of music at concerts at the Biéreau Farm or take part in local events … Louvain-la-Neuve town centre shares the cultural mix that defines the city with you! 8 | 9 8 | 9 I love my city A pedestrian town where pace and peace are never far apart PATRICK, 55 YEARS OLD ONE DAY TO... CONNECT WITH NATURE Louvain-la-Neuve also has unspoilt nature, in particular the Lauzelle Forest, a listed site of remarkable biological diversity. The proposed walks, lined with information signs, enable you to discover all aspects of the forest, from its flora and fauna to Are you looking for its scientific utility. something original to do? Then head straight to the green spaces of the Bruyères area and try a round of frisbee-golf, which is played with frisbees that can be rented from the Office du Tourisme-Inforville (de- posit of 15€/frisbee). GOOD TIP RENT A BIKE AT OTTIGNIES STATION! To see the different neighbourhoods of Louvain- la-Neuve and to easily interlink the green spaces If you’re in a sporty mood, the bois des Open from 08:30 to 19:30 in April, May and city centres, there is nothing better than Rêves (“Forest of Dreams» of 80 ha) is the and September; from 08:30 to 21:00 renting a bike from Pro Velo next to Ottignies place for you, with its walking paths, exercise from June to August; and from 08:30 to station. Try out one of their bike or mountain bike track, fishing lake, swimming pool-solarium 18:00 from October to March. trails. The forest and the various listed are just a and the Water and Fountain Museum. Free playground for children aged 2 to bike ride away! 13. Open from 09:30 to 19:00 from April Open from Monday to Thursday from 09:00 Allée du Bois des Rêves, 1 à Ottignies to September; and from 09:30 to 17:00 to 19:00 and on Friday from 11:00 to 19:00. wwww.boisdesreves.be from October to March. Closed at weekends.