Virelles pond

Aquascope Virelles

The Aquascope invites you to discover the wonders of aquatic life. Explore the museum or wander through the ethnobotanical garden and the wildlife rehabilitation centre, and admire the water birds from a privileged observation point. Looking for a relaxing break? Enjoy the terrace by the water or savour delicious cuisine made with local products.

Address: Route du Lac 42, 6461 Virelles (Chimay)

Access to certain parts of the site requires an entry fee - Info and contact: https://www.aquascope.be/en/

ACCESSIBILITY

Bus: TEC 156c, 109a. Stop: Virelles Lac.

RAVeL 156 (300 m). Bike rental available on site.

Birdwatching experience

Are you a birdwatcher? Then you are in for a treat: majestic white storks watching over their young; common terns darting like arrows; and impressive birds of prey like the white-tailed eagle and the osprey... The open-access terrace is an excellent observation point. There are also observatories in the building and at the edge of the pond (entry fee).

Around the site: Bois de Blaimont walk (6.5 km). Route maps available at the reception.

Supporting three remarkable bird species

The Virelles pond is a strategic location for the protection of rare and emblematic species. In Virelles, the National Park and its partners are installing stork baskets, osprey nests and floating rafts for common terns. Elsewhere in the river valley Eau Blanche, wetlands such as ponds and reed beds are being restored to benefit these species and many others.

From steelmaking to ornithology

The Virelles pond was created in the 15th century in a marshy basin to power the water wheel of a nearby forge. Centuries later, traditional forges disappeared from the region but birds continued to frequent this providential wetland. The nature reserve was created in the early 1980s to preserve this heritage, born from the encounter between humans and nature.