Gitavesnois

The sleepy village of Liessies (five minutes’ drive) has a scattering of restaurants, a summer corn maze in which to lose the kids at Labyrinthe Aventure, and easy family rambles (for when you’ve found them again) among woodland and orchards in the sprawling Parc de l’Abbaye de Liessies, centred on the ruins of a Benedictine abbey. All sorts of aquatic fun can be had at the Station Nautique du Val Joly (five minutes), where you can hire kayaks and pedal boats to splash around on Lac du Val-Joly. Back on dry land, Accrobranche ValJoly (10 minutes) has challenging mountain bike circuits, treetop rope courses for all skill levels and trampolines for younger kids. Culture-wise, there are several museums and ateliers showcasing local glassblowing and woodworking traditions within 15 minutes’ drive. And of course, if you want to sample some Belgian hospitality in the shape of a local beer or two, just slope across the border to the laidback bars in Sivry-Rance (also 15 minutes).