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Wallonie

The Little Mermaid of the Lake

Lakes

Wallonie

The Little Mermaid of the Lake

Highlight • Monument

The Little Mermaid of the Lake

Recommended by 99 hikers out of 104

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Location: Rixensart, Nivelles, Walloon Brabant, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

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Best Hikes to The Little Mermaid of the Lake

4.5

(17)

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1. Lake Genval – The Little Mermaid of the Lake loop from Genval

10.2km

02:46

140m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

3.6

(8)

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2. The Little Mermaid of the Lake – Lake Genval loop from Maubroux

8.38km

02:16

120m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.1

(7)

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3. Lake Genval – The Little Mermaid of the Lake loop from Rosières

14.3km

03:52

190m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

Willem VS

November 8, 2020

The Little Mermaid of the Lake, in Genval!
Last Sunday June 30 (2019), it was the inauguration of the Little Mermaid of Lake Genval. A Little Mermaid, like the one in Copenhagen, but smaller. The small bronze statue sits on a rock in the waters of Lac de Genval, in front of the Château du Lac. It is the work of Michal, whose real name is Michel Alexandre Neuwels, sculptor from Plancenoit (Lasne).
facebook.com/MagazineBW/posts/2586373058053274

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Willem VS

November 8, 2020

Lake Genval (French: Lac de Genval) is located on the edge of the Sonian Forest, southeast of Brussels. The lake is partly located in Genval, a borough of Rixensart in the province of Walloon Brabant and partly in Overijse in the province of Flemish Brabant. It is an artificial lake that was created in 1903 by creating artificial banks around a swampy area.[1] Around the lake are some buildings from the Belle époque, including the five-star hotel Château du Lac. The area around the lake is very touristy and houses, among other things, a yacht club.
nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meer_van_Genval

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December 21, 2024

"La sirène du lac", as sculptor Michal named his statue, stands in the lake at the height of - of course - "Le Château du Lac", today a hotel. This siren apparently preferred an artificial lake to a river or sea, but people are said to sometimes think of eroticism when they are near water, and ultimately erotic song is the seductive weapon of sirens.

We should not spoil the legacy of Hans Christian Andersen's "Lille Havfrue" by making comparisons, because that little mermaid grew up in the sea and has a statue in a harbour instead of a large lake that was created on behalf of a lawyer and businessman.

The statue was commissioned by Jean Vanderbecken (RIP), former mayor of Rixensart for the MR, and fits in perfectly with the atmosphere of the "Château" and the "lake" as it has been developed on the French-speaking side.

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December 21, 2024

The Genval lake is located in the Zilverbeek valley. The artificial lake is located for the most part on the territory of Overijse and was constructed by order of lawyer and businessman Gustave Smets - Mondez. The 18 ha lake was constructed in 1904 in an area with a series of spring-rich ponds and marshes through which the Zilverbeek or the Argentine flowed. The Zilverbeek still flows along the lake on the Overijse side. The area attracted many tourists from the very beginning. Around 1900, the urban development plans were also drawn up for the construction of the park on the Walloon side.

Several impressive villas were built here that were reminiscent of copies of buildings from Versailles and monuments on the Swiss Lake Lucerne. On the Overijse side, there was less interest in the construction, which is why the slopes are less developed than on the Walloon side, where it was promoted as a spa.

After the First World War, the lake was sold to John Martin (1886-1966), an English brewer from Antwerp. He would establish the Schweppes factory here (Belgian license) in the "Château du Lac" (until 1981). The lake is still in the hands of his heirs.

On the Meerlaan there are still a few cottage-style villas overlooking the lake. These villas are depicted on various old postcards and are still recognizable today but have been heavily modified.

Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Maleizen, id.erfgoed.net/themas/14294

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Elevation 40 m

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Today

Friday 14 November

16°C

13°C

20 %

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Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

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Location: Rixensart, Nivelles, Walloon Brabant, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

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The Little Mermaid of the Lake

1. Lake Genval – The Little Mermaid of the Lake loop from Genval

2. The Little Mermaid of the Lake – Lake Genval loop from Maubroux

3. Lake Genval – The Little Mermaid of the Lake loop from Rosières

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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