Lac de Louvain-la-Neuve

Stroll a beautiful lake promenade and discover hidden gems of Louvain-la-Neuve along the way.

Ready for a stroll? Take a relaxing stroll around the lake on the 1,570 metres long promenade (aka La rêverie du promeneur solitaire). Basically less than 2km, this is a short stroll suitable for all. There’s 5 hectares to explore around the lake too. Popular with local joggers and trekkers, the lake is an oasis of nature in the urban town of Louvain-la-Neuve.

The promenade. Here’s what you need to know! There’s signs about every 100m to tell you how far you’ve got left ‘till the end of the 1,570 metres. You’ll also see plenty of locals fishing, jogging and walking their dogs along the way. You’ve got beautiful views of the lake and town in the distance as you make your way around.

What to see

The lake itself is the beautiful highlight of this activity. But there’s a couple of things around that you shouldn’t miss while you’re here.

• Head over to the south end of the lake for a view of the northern tip. Don’t miss the beautiful glass building of Aula Magna by Philippe Samyn.
• Maison Blanche, a sort of abandoned building and hidden gem along the Rêverie du Promeneur near the lake shore. It’s an interesting little building that was intended to be a cultural centre, but, well, things didn’t go as planned. - We don’t recommend taking a look inside as the building has been abandoned for a while and isn’t very safe.
• The storm basin: surprise! The lake isn’t actually a natural one. Yup, you wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking but this place was made to help offset any local floods
• Hi Nature! Wildlife have made their home at Lac de Louvain-la-Neuve. Lots of ducks have made their home here. Come in the early morning or on a quiet day and you’re sure to see squirrels and birds aplenty.
• There’s a bronze statue of Yves du Monceau de Bergendal near the northeast of the lake along the promenade. He was a Belgian pilot during WWII, known for being a flying ace and helping the Allies claim victory!