VISIT THE CHÂTEAU DE BELOEIL AND THE CHANT D’ÉOLE VINEYARD.

We'll leave from Mons in a coach for the Château de Beloeil, also known as the Belgian Versailles. The castle has stood in the middle of its moat for eight centuries. Once a medieval fortress, it became an immense, stately home over the course of several centuries. Today, it has opened its doors to visitors. This castle is not an anonymous, static museum. The objects within reflect the evolution of art. The vast library contains 20,000 works from the eras when printing was invented up to modern times. The furniture is a sampling of some of the top work of French cabinet makers in the 17th and 18th centuries. The paintings depict the grand achievements of most of the castle's family members. While some of the most beautiful French Gardens were created in the 17th century, the one surrounding Beloeil was designed and developed by 10 successive generations between 1515 and 1780.
We'll continue on to the Chant d’Éole estate. The vineyard came to be when a family of Belgian farmers joined forces with a family of eminent sparkling-wine makers. They use the best modern techniques to guarantee a sparkling wine that adheres to Belgian tradition. We'll take a guided tour recounting the vineyard's history. Our enthusiastic guides will explain the different stages of production—from planting to bottling, and everything in between. We'll finish up the tour with a tasting of three signature spirits—the Brut Blanc de Blancs, the Rosé Brut, and the Elixir Saint-Georges. We'll return to Mons.

PLEASE NOTE

• Times are approximate.
• The order of the visits can change.