The Train Station

The Right Side of the Tracks

If you want to get away to rolling hills and pastures, but you refuse to compromise on style, this Belgium holiday home rental could be just the right property for you. A converted train station, it delivers cool, contemporary design to a rural setting.

This lovely architectural gite was once a small train station, but the only clue to its former occupation is the genuine train tracks that still sweep across the property's garden. Nobody's using them these days - except for small kids (and the odd playful adult).  

The original stonework of this Belgium holiday home rental has been retained both inside and out, but with strong contemporary lines and generous panoramic windows. One of the best features of the house is its great vaulted ceilings, on the ground level and in the loft, which create a wonderfully spacious feel.   

The two-story building is perfect for groups of friends or multiple families as it consists of a ground floor with living room, dining room, and three bedrooms (all with ensuite bathrooms), as well as a huge loft with an additional living area, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.   

A fifth bedroom was added in the garden that can accommodate two additional guests with room for up to twelve overall. 

Design features that we love include the vast, almost monastic dining table, the metallic kitchen-bar, the mix of new and vintage furnishings, the modular beds, and the super cool Agape bathtub in the loft. Other notable design elements include Vega, Daphine and Antonangeli lighting, Lampecco pottery, Arne Norell and Kaare Klint armchairs and Pastoe chairs.  

The large garden is surrounded by pastures and woods, and fun features include a bread/pizza oven, boules, ping-pong and, of course, those wonderful train tracks.   

ADDITIONAL FEATURES  

Each level has an outdoor terrace, and the lower terrace has a barbecue. The lower kitchen-bar is fully equipped to semi-professional standards, including a gas stove Lacanche, and side-by-side fridge. Both levels have B&W music docking stations.  

AROUND  

Situated 2km from the village of Bioul, this isolated property with views over the fields, is only five minutes away from the Molignee Valley, and 10 minutes from the Manoir de Thozee, the home of Felicien Rops, the famous 19th-century artist.   

Other sights worth visiting include the Abbeys of Maredsous and Maredret, the chateau of Freyr, the gardens of Annevoie, and Bambois Lake. There is also golf at Rougemont and canoeing on the River Lesse.   

LOCATION  

Bioul, Belgium. Nearest airport: Charleroi (22 miles), Brussels (57 miles). It's perfectly situated just one hour from Brussels, at the gateway to the Ardennes, in the vicinity of Namur and Dinant.

BEST TIME TO VISIT : Year round.