The Flemish Ardennes (

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

: ''Vlaamse Ardennen'') is an informal name given to a hilly region in the south of the province of

East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg , flag_size = , image_shield = Wapen van O ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Highest summit is the Hotondberg (145 m). Main characteristics of the region are rural hilly landscapes with hilltop bluebell woodlands (Muziekbos, Brakelbos, Kluisbos), windmills and watermills. The area is distinct and not adjacent to the larger Ardennes, which is further to the south east of the country in

Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...

, France, Germany and Luxembourg. Among the largest towns in the area are

Oudenaarde Oudenaarde (; french: Audenarde ; in English sometimes ''Oudenarde'') is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenaarde proper and the towns of Bevere, Edelare, Eine, Ename, H ...

Ronse Ronse (; french: Renaix, ) is a Belgian city and a municipality in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality only encompasses the city of Ronse proper. History Early settlements to 14th century The hills around Ronse show clu ...

Zottegem Zottegem (, Sotteghem and Sottegem in older English and French language sources) is a municipality located in Belgium and more particularly in Flanders, in the province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Zottegem proper and ...

and

Geraardsbergen Geraardsbergen (; french: Grammont, ) is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen prop ...

. Cycling is particularly popular in the Flemish Ardennes. Many major bike races are held here, including a large part of the

Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders ( nl, Ronde van Vlaanderen), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road cycling race held in Belgium every spring. The most important cycling race in Flanders, it is part of the UCI World Tour and orga ...

. Most of its toughest climbs (

Koppenberg Koppenberg (literally "Heads Mountain") is a high hill in Oudenaarde, the Flemish Ardennes, Belgium. "Koppen" is an abbreviation for cobblestones which in Dutch slang language are called ''kinderkoppen'', or "children's heads". This climb is part ...

Taaienberg The Taaienberg is a hill in the municipality of Maarkedal, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. With its top at 90 m, it is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, in the south of East-Flanders. The slopes of the hill are pa ...

Molenberg Molenberg (literally Millhill) is a former mining colony in the south-western part of Heerlen, southeastern Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , sub ...

Paterberg The Paterberg is a hill in the municipality of Kluisbergen, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. With its top at 80 m, it is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, close to Wallonia. The slopes of the hill were unpaved unt ...

Oude Kwaremont The Oude Kwaremont (English: ''Old Kwaremont'') is a road in Kluisbergen, a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The Oude Kwaremont, contrary to popular belief, is not the name of a hill, but the name of one of the cobbled roa ...

Muur van Geraardsbergen The Muur van Geraardsbergen (English: ''Wall of Geraardsbergen/Grammont'', French: ''Mur de Grammont'') is a steep, narrow road with cobblestones in Geraardsbergen, Belgium. It is also known as Kapelmuur, Muur-Kapelmuur or simply Muur. The hil ...

Eikenberg The Eikenberg (English: ''Oak Hill'') is a hill and road in the municipality of Maarkedal, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. With an 82 m altitude top, it is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, in the south of East ...

) and most of its cobblestone-street sections (

Paddestraat The Paddestraat (English: ''Toad Street'') is a 2.3 km long cobbled road in the municipality of Zottegem, in East Flanders, Belgium. The road is a regular location of the springtime cycling classics in Flanders. In 1995, the cobbled road of ...

) are situated in the Flemish Ardennes.

Photos

Vlaamse Ardennen 03.jpg, hilly countryside in

Maarkedal Maarkedal () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg , f ...

Melden_-_Koppenberg_-_View.jpg,

Vlaamse Ardennen 04.jpg, hilly countryside in

Maarke_-_Eikenberg_1.jpg,

Vlaamse Ardennen 10.jpg, hilly countryside in

Geraardsbergen - Oudeberg top 2.jpg,

Vlaamse Ardennen 05.jpg, hilly countryside in

Paddestraat,_Velzeke,_Zottegem_01.jpg,

Vlaamse Ardennen 06.jpg, hilly countryside in

Lierde Lierde () is a municipality located in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Deftinge, Hemelveerdegem, Sint-Maria-Lierde and Sint-Martens ...

Sint-Denijs-Boekel_-_Molenberg_2.jpg,

Vlaamse Ardennen 07.jpg, hilly countryside in

Kasteel_van_Egmont_Zottegem_09.jpg, Lamoral, Count of Egmont's castle in

Vlaamse Ardennen 08.jpg, hilly countryside in

Stadhuis_Oudenaarde_07.jpg,

Oudenaarde Town Hall The Town Hall (Dutch language, Dutch: ) of Oudenaarde, Belgium, was built by architect Hendrik van Pede in 1526–1537 to replace the medieval ''Schepenhuis'' (Aldermen's House) that occupied the same site. Another older structure, the 14th-century ...

Vlaamse Ardennen 16.jpg, hilly countryside in

Kluisbergen Kluisbergen () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders, along the Scheldt river. The municipality comprises the towns of , Kwaremont, and which fused in 1971. In 2021, Kluisbergen had a total population of 6,682. The ...

Maarke_-_Kapelleberg_1.jpg, Kapelleberg Brakelbos, Brakel 05.jpg, Brakelbos bluebell woods Berendries.jpg, Berendries ID27620-Mater_Tissenhovemolen-PM_68313.jpg, Tissenhove windmill Vlaamse_Ardennen.jpg, hilly countryside in Brakel Sint-Denijs-Boekel_-_Moldergemmolen_2.jpg, Moldergem watermill Muziekbos.jpg, Muziekbos bluebell woods

References

Flemish Ardennes and South East-Flanders at Internet Archive

External links

Flemish Ardennes official website
* Natural regions of Belgium Areas of Belgium Regions of Flanders Landforms of Flanders Landforms of East Flanders {{EastFlanders-geo-stub