Paris in Liège is a Japanese style double room with
private bathroom in our family owned art-nouveau home.
Five minutes from downtown Liege, an hour from Brussels, 20 minutes from Maastricht and Aachen. We are also close to the Royal Opera of Wallonia.
About Wallonia and the Ardennes:
Wallonia is the southern region of Belgium whereas
Flanders is the northern region.
There are three main cities in Wallonia and they are
Liege, Namur and Tournai.
Liege is known as the "Cite ardente" which
means the hot blooded or fiery city. Namur is its historic and strategic
fortified city along the Meuse river. Tournai is famous for its fabulous
Romanesque/Gothic cathedral, 18th century royal porcelain and 15th and
16th century tapestry.
For a really good experience, it is suggested you travel
the small roads of the Ardennes and discover all of the wonderful
castles, monasteries and gardens. Stop at a small restaurant to enjoy
the local cuisine and of course some of the local cheeses and beers.
About Liege:
Liege is the most Francophile city in Belgium and is
also the most northern city in Europe where French is spoken.
Liege is also known as La "cite Ardente" which
means the hot-blooded city. No-one knows who first called Liege this but
upon arrival in Liege, you will surely understand the reason for this
name.
Throughout most its history, Liege was under the
administration of the church. The church helped keep Liege away from the
wars of the late 1500's and 1600's. With the help of the church, Liege
developed some of Europe's most advanced coal mining operations,
metallurgy plants, glassworks and gun factories.
One of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe is found
in Liege and is known as the Palace of the Prince-Bishops. There are two
courtyards that border the palace. Of the two courtyards, the second is
the most beautiful and it is surrounded by the actual residence of the
Prince-Bishops.
The ancient Market Place with its "Perron"
column opposite the palace is opposite the palace. The Perron column is
a symbol of the city's freedom and the town hall.
There are still many amazing churches to see in Liege.
Saint Barthelemy Church is on of the most remarkable in Liege. Other
places to see are the Curtis Museum and the Arms Museum, both of
which are world class museums.
The Murder of St. Lambert:
In the 7th century, St. Lambert, a bishop of
Tongeren-Maastricht, decided to live in the settlement of Liège. He was
then killed circa year 700 due to a feud between rivaling Merovingian
clans.
On the site where he was murdered miracles started to
happen. These miracles attracted a lot of pilgrims and traders who
subsequently profited from the arrival of so many people. As more and
more people arrived, houses and shops were built, and Liège turned from
a settlement into a city.
Gaufre de Liège:
If you like local specialties you cannot leave the city
without having tasted a sweet 'Gaufre de Liège' (Waffle of Liège). You
will find this delicacy at every bakery and even at stands in the
street.
Language:
Although most people associated the name of the country
with the language spoken, such as England with the English language,
Belgium along with countries like Austria, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, etc
do not have a language that bears the name of the country.
There is no Belgian language. Belgium doesn't have its
own language but rather, it has three official languages which reflect
the cultural and historical influences of the region of Belgium you are
in. The three official languages are Dutch, German and French.
In Flanders, the northern region of Belgium, the people
speak Dutch. Approximately 60% of the people in Belgian speak Dutch.
Dutch is based upon Germanic origins and although the German (Deutsch)
and Dutch (Nederlands) languages have similarities, they are also
different.
Occasionally, Belgian Dutch is referred to as
"Flemish". Although the Flemish language does exist, Flemish
is a dialect of Belgian Dutch rather than a language of itself.
In Wallonia and the Ardennes, the southern region of
Belgian, the locals speak French. Approximately 40% of Belgians speak
French. In Brussels, the city has two official languages which are Dutch
and French, although most people in Brussels speak French.
In the eastern parts of Belgium you will find that
German is spoken, however, only about 1% of the people of Belgian speak
German.
Dialects in Belgium include:
- Flemish - a Dutch dialect
- Walloon - a French dialect
- East Belgian - a German dialect
