What to do in Hoeilaart near Chez Clément?

Question

Lorenzo Eeman · Accepted Answer

Hoeilaart, on the Flemish side of the Sonian Forest, sits ten to fifteen minutes from Brasserie Chez Clément, a charming village known for its glasshouses heritage, the Sonian Forest gateway and the southern edge of the Druivenstreek.

Hoeilaart is the Flemish-speaking neighbour of Genval and La Hulpe, separated from them only by the Sonian Forest (Zoniënwoud). The village has a singular identity in Belgian cultural geography: it was the historic centre of grape glasshouse cultivation in the Druivenstreek, the wine-grape country that stretches across the Flemish Brabant communes of Hoeilaart, Overijse and surroundings. The Druivenstreek glasshouses are part of the village's intangible heritage, and the local museum offer reflects that history. From Brasserie Chez Clément, count ten to fifteen minutes by car.

Practically, Hoeilaart is also one of the main southern gateways into the Sonian Forest, the beech forest inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2017. Several signposted walking and cycling loops start at the village edge and run deep into the forest. For visitors based on the Genval / La Hulpe side, the Hoeilaart entry is an attractive alternative to the more familiar La Hulpe parkland routes, the forest atmosphere is markedly different from the open parkland of the Solvay estate.

Linguistically and culturally, the crossing from Genval to Hoeilaart is one of the most interesting small steps in Belgium. Ten kilometres of road, two regions, two languages, one continuous forest, one continuous Belgian conversation. Chez Clément, at Rue de la Bruyère 230, sits on the French-speaking Walloon side, but its Flemish-speaking clientele from Hoeilaart and Overijse is a long-standing component of the house's audience. The brasserie has been part of this cross-border conversation since Henri and Sidonie Clément opened in 1858.

For a one-day Hoeilaart-and-brasserie itinerary: morning walk in the Sonian Forest from the Hoeilaart side, then a drive ten minutes to Chez Clément for lunch. Nearby points of interest include the AfricaMuseum (Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, 18 minutes away), the Solvay Regional Domain in La Hulpe (5-7 min), the Sonian Forest (UNESCO 2017) and the Overijse vineyards (Flemish wine-growing tradition).