Dinant, Daughter of the River Meuse

© OPT / Alessandra Petrosino / © OPT / J.P. Rémy / © OPT / J.L. Flémal

Dinant stretches out over a cliff and a river, which righteously gave it the name "Daughter of the Meuse". The birth city of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone (don't miss The House of Mr Sax), is literally boxed in between the Meuse and the rocks, giving it a picturesque nature. In the past, the city could only be reached by boat: on one side of the city, the famous Bayard rock hung over the water and completely blocked the riverside, and on the other side of the city there was a leper-house. The valleys surrounding the city boast impressive castles and abbeys (Notre-Dame of Leffe Abbey), eclectic museums (The Pataphonia Centre, The Meuse Medieval Heritage Centre), traditional breweries and many grottoes in the middle of nature (The Marvellous Grotto of Dinant). From the cable-car that takes you to the Citadel, at an altitude of 100 meters, you have a breathtaking view on the Meuse. Besides the local beers, you should definitely sample the locals’ pride: the famous "couques de Dinant" biscuits (Couques V. Collard 1774 - traditional biscuits, Couques Jacobs - biscuits, Thonon Biscuits).