Pre-tour
Two regions, one capital: the division is obvious, natural through the Belgian landscapes.
The pre-tour is oriented towards Flanders in the north of the country, as for the post-tour will cross the beautifull landscapes in the Ardennes on the way to the final destination in Switzerland.
The base of the pre-tour will be located in Ghent, due to the rather central location of this historic city with regard to the Rose! We will see it without delay....
 LensThe rose garden founded in 1870 has seen 3 generations of the Lens family. It represents today more than 2000m2 of roses and more than 800 varieties. Thanks to the knowledge and the diversity they have acquired within the years, they develop new types of roses more resilient. A healthy environment is one of their biggest concern as they use solar panel as power supplier, reuse rainwater and respect the soil as much as possible. |  Ter Doest LissewegeThe Michelin Guide describes this place as followed. “A monastic firm on the 17th Century and its great dinner on the 13th Century: here is the beautiful environment of their country grill directed by the Dendooven Family. You will enjoy good products of the soil (beef, chicken in particular) and from the sea (oysters and lobsters from the pond”. The place, not only being famous for its fresh produce is also recognised for its huge rooftop barn! |  BrugesOn the 9th century, the vikings create the first fortifications of the first city. The direct access to other harbours with the Zwin Canal made the city one of the most important manufacturing and textile trades centres in Europe. This golden age lasted until the 15th Century with the painters Van Eyck and its huge diversity pushed the city to publish the very first English printed book. After a downbreak of 3 centuries, the Canal Baudoin gave the city a new lease of life. |
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 Adornes EstateThe Adornes family originates from the Italian city of Genoa. When Opicius Adornes joined the retinue of the Count of Flanders in the thirteenth century, he moved to Flanders and started a new branch of the family tree. It soon became part of the Bruges aristocracy and played an important part in the life of the city. Its best-known descendant is Anselm Adornes, who in the fifteenth century -when the estate dates out from- became an influential businessman, diplomat and knight. |  Loppem CastleBuilt in 1856 by Baron Charles van Caloen and his wife Savina de Gourcy Serainchamps as a neogothique castle, it is now a museum in which we can admire the room of King Leopold 1st and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium in 1918, the art collection of Jean and Roland van Caloen, or a bit further the former riding area transformed in a reception venue. |  GhentGhent. Native city of Charles Quint, headquarters of the bishop of Ghent since 1559, it is nowadays the biggest student city of Belgium, the second biggest city after Antwerp and the third biggest port city of the country - even if the port has been digged inside of the lands. this enable the city to be a flourishing flower export trade. The city is also recognised as an open-air museum of medieval might and early Flemish architecture. |
 St Bavo’s CathedralThe church built in 942 were the early foundations has now become the imposing cathedral you will visit after a long and rich history. Within that Cathedral is exposed the painting “The mystic Lamb” of Jan Van Eyck and Hubrecht. Both represent the Flemisch school of the 15th century and this painting is considered as their masterpiece and one of the greatest works of art of Belgium. Take a moment to enjoy this famous and envied piece of art. |  Museum of Fine ArtsThe oldest museum in Belgium presents more than 600 masterpieces from the Middle Ages up to the present including painting and sculpture. You will (re-)discover some of the most well-known Belgian artists such as Bosch, Rubens, van Dyck, Ensor Rodin, Claus, Magritte, Minne. You will also have the incredible opportunity to witness the restauration of some piece of art. |  House Beaucarne, EnameHouse Beaucarne, has been occupied by the same family since the 18 Century. Not only the house is going from one generation to the other but also the passion of collections. The house has been listed as a historical landmark in 1976 under the initiative of Baron Jacques Fredericq (1926-1996), the owner at the time. The house -nowadays owned by Jacques grandson, Julien Fornari- as well as the family and their collections have a lot to say. |
 Club FalliganDuring the 18th century, the French noble Falligan built his house on the most prstigious place of the city : de Kouter. His house is a perfect example of Ghent rococo and nowadays houses the Club des Nobles Falligan. The aim of the foundation has remained what it was originally: to offer the members the advantages of a private club with a library, reading and meeting rooms, a restaurant and, until recently, also sleeping accommodation. The atmosphere is therefore familiar. |  OoidonkOoidonk Castel is without any doubt one of the most beautiful Castel of the country. Former property of the Ducs de Montmorency and Counts de Hornes, the property was rebuilt during the 16th century after it was demolished during religious war. The new owner, Maarten della Faille created a residential castelwith a Renaissance spirit. In 1864 the future Senator Henri t’Kint de Roodenbeke bought the property and his heirs are still living in the Castel nowaday. |  BeerveldeIn the earth of the “Région des Fleurs” -Flower Region- of Oriental Flanders, it hosts a 25ha park created in a English style in 1873. The goal aimed by the Counts Kerchove de Denterghem was to create a showroom for the horticulture of Ghent. Thanks to the days of the Plants held since 1989, the estate acquired an international notoriety. |
 Castle van LaarneIt happened so many times from the 11th century, date at which the first Castle has been built as part of the line of defense around the Gravensteen Castle, to the extensive restorations of the 60’s. This castle belongs since 1953 to the Historic Residences of Belgium, and with its status as a museum, it welcomes visitors from all over the world, including lovers of old roses! |  Rose breeder van SanteThe Company Van Sante is a familial company based in Wetteren. They have been breeding roses for 4 generations and their choice including more than 500 different varieties might be considered as decent. They also offer tips and tricks on their website regarding the rose types and rose breeding. |  Rose garden KortrijkThe international rose garden, a park covering an area of approximately one hectare located near Kasteel ‘t Hooghe, includes a test garden where 100 to 150 new rose creations by European plant breeders are planted and assessed every year. In addition, the extensive demonstration garden allows you to admire some two hundred commercialised rose varieties along with a collection of historical roses. A must for all rose lovers. |
Main tour
 Palais des AcadémiesBuilt between 1823 and 1825, this building was initially the house of the Prince d’Orange until he became the first King of Belgium. As a pure neoclassical style of architecture, it hosts now the royal academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts and the Medecine Academy since 1876. This society officially dates from 1772 when the Imperatrice Marie-thérèse, archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and of Bohême officially recognised it and asked them to animate the intellectual life of the country. |  Cercle Royal GauloisThe Cercle aimed in 1847 to “provide a meeting place for lovers of the arts and literature” and enlarged now to “friends, intellectuals, artists and writers with no political, cultural or philosophical bias. It is established in the Parc Royal since 1871 which has been created on the ground of the burned Coudenberg Château. although the beauty of this parc imputs a peaceful feeling, it survived to tragic events as the battles for the Belgian independance. |  Hex CastleHex Castle is owned by the Count Ghislain d’Ursel and was built in 1770 next to the County of Looz by the Prince-Bishop of Liège François-Charles von Velbruck. The garden, composed of English and French-style parts includes a wonderful collection of somehow 250 varieties roses. The Rosa Velbruck Indica Centifolia for example, has never been found anywhere else. The estate has been recognised as a Garden of Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies in 2003. |
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 Alden BiesenThe roots of this abbaye date from the German Order of the Teutonic Knights in 1220. Without revealing you all the secrets this place has kept since that time, it can already be teased that the English garden and park are worth to be seen. Indeed, since the restoration of 2016-2017 as a XVIII Century garden. This type of garden is so rare these days that it attracts a lot of visitors. |  Meise Botanical gardenOne of the biggest botanical garden in the world (92 hectares) located some 10km from Brussels. The two well-developed departments of researches can count on the 18,000 different species, 60,000 botanical books, an herbarium of 3 millions of different species and a huge complexe of greenhouses welcoming different species in 13 big greenhouses and 22 smaller. In 2008, 2 specimens of Arum Titan (Amorphophallus Titanum) joined this already well-developed panel of flowers which is quite impressive |  WidooieWidooie, a private estate owned by Chevalier Norbert de Schaetzen van Brienen has now become a reception venue. The estate is constituted of a garden of 8 hectares of parc and 12 hectares of wood. A breathtaking rose garden including 350 different roses embellishes it. |
 Westpelaer arboretum and gardenIn the 1970’s, Philippe de Spoelberch started a botanical collection in the back of is garden. By the time, it became the Arboretum Wespelaar and became the only collection in Belgium with Level 4 accreditation by ArbNet. The aim is to contribute to the knowledge and further study of all woody plants from the temperate climates of the world. More than 2,000 different taxa constitute the arboretum with 169 species enlisted on the red list of endangered plants. |  Casteels rose nurseryIn the middle of a region where rose breeding and rose cultivation have been practiced for many years, the company of André and Magda Casteels has developed over the last few years in such a way that we can speak of a European uniqueness. Casteels rose nursery can proudly say that the diversity (more than 1000 species spread on more than 10,000 m2) is unrivalled. So let’s be honest and say it : ”Foresee an extra luggage on the way back seems compulsory”. |  Vrijbroek ParkThe 50-hectare-plus Vrijbroek Park is situated on the outskirts of the city. It is the ideal place to walk, kick a football around or read. A visit to the magnificent rose garden is highly recommended, even if only for the seductive scent of the more than 100 different species of rose! In 2003 the World Federation of Rose Societies granted it the 'Award of Garden Excellence'. |
 Le RoeulxLe Roeulx hosts one of the most recognized “jardin concours” in Europe created in 1963 by father Benoit Friart in what is now known as the old St-Jacques Hospital. The 800 different species and 5,000 rose trees make that garden the perfect place to discover the difference between a rose garden and a jardin concours as it is not entirely the same. |  Enghien city of ParmentierEnghien has been well influenced by the Parmentier family. Louis Parmentier was a famous rose gardener who left a decent amount of more than 800 species of roses before dying. Joseph Parmentier was mayor and manager of the park. « Les jardins d'Enghien sont la plus belle chose du monde et la plus extraordinaire, mais il faudrait un temps infini pour en faire la description. » Mémoires de Mademoiselle de Montpensier, 1825. |  Coloma rose gardenAt the time of Maria Theresa of Austria, her Chamberlain Karel de Coloma married Baroness Eugenia Roose and became the new owner of the Castel. That is how the story of the Roose/rose Castle began. After being passed to different noble families the municipality of Sint-Peter-Leeuw purchased it in 1984. They renewed most of the estate but the initial plans of the vegetable garden of the kastel were kept as a souvenir as well as the presence of red and white roses. |