Han-sur-Lesse Travel Guide

  Countryside near Han-s-Lesse, Belgium
by Martin_S.
  • Countryside near Han-s-Lesse, Belgium
      Countryside near Han-s-Lesse, Belgium
    by Martin_S.
  • Grottes de Han, exit from cave system by water
      Grottes de Han, exit from cave system by...
    by Martin_S.
  •   Han-sur-Lesse
    by irisbe
  • Pot and pans found in the river.
      Pot and pans found in the river.
    by Roeffie
  • Grottes de Han, Embarkation Hall postcard
      Grottes de Han, Embarkation Hall...
    by Martin_S.

Explore Han-sur-Lesse

Things to Do  

Grottes de Han caves
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Martin_S. 2628 reviews
Grottes de Han, Embarkation Hall postcard
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Here at the Grottes de Han cave system you begin your trip from the town of Han-s-Lesse at the ticket counter where you board an open train which takes you several kilometers to the caves entrance, just a small hole in the mountainside. You little suspect the wonders you will find inside as you enter and go down the stairs.
We were unable to understand many of the explanations here because the tours are given in Belgian-Dutch, French and German, no English.
But still it is enough to just walk and enjoy. At some point you enter the Embarkation Hall where you are loaded onto a large boat, seating some 50 people. This takes you to the exit by way of the underground river. Be aware that as you near the exit they fire off a cannon or air gun INSIDE the cave, the sound and reverberations are quite "surprising", especially if you do not know that it is about to happen...

Updated Jan 4, 2007

Phone: 084-377212

Website: www.grotte-de-han.be

Related to:
 Family Travel
 Adventure Travel

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The Museum of the subterranean world
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kbl 272 reviews
Museum

The museum has a nice colection of archeologic remains discovered in the grotto. The oldest objects are over a 5000 years old.

Written Jan 3, 2005

Related to:
 Archeology
 Museum Visits

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The Wildlife Reserve
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kbl 272 reviews
Wild boars

The Wild reserve of Han-Sur-Lesse is a domain that is 250 hectares. It is a beautifull terrain that willl show you the old Lesse Vally. One of the few Belgian places where environment is undamaged.
Many animals live inside the domain: stags, dear, wild boar, Ibex, European bison and bears.

The only way to visit this domain is with the safari car.

Written Jan 2, 2005

Address: At the town centre of Han

Related to:
 Zoo
 National/State Park

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The Grotto of Han
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kbl 272 reviews
Inside the Grotto

From the village, a small train will bring you to the grottos. You'll foloow the guides trough the different chambres that are created by the Lesse in the last few hundred million years...

After walking 2.7 kilometer, and climbing +400 stairs, you'll get to the boat tha will lead you out of the caves.

Written Jan 2, 2005

Address: Han-Sur-Lesse - centre

Related to:
 National/State Park

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Grotte de Han
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himalia11 980 reviews
Cave of Han

This is a really huge cave. A train takes you to the cave, which takes about 15 minutes. In front of the cave, we saw two queues: one for French speaking and one for Dutch speaking people. The Dutch one was shorter, so we took this one (and finally had a tour in Dutch AND French as there were only few Dutch speaking people). After some minutes waiting the tour started, and I still wonder where the other groups were, we didn't meet them in the cave. The cave is great, there are very much stalagtites and stalagmites in all kind of variations, small tunnels alternate with big halls, and the highlight was a sound and light show in one of this halls which had a lake. The way mostly was tarred (so no cave feeling concerning this!) and easy to walk, with several stairs. I've read that it were 400 stairs, but it's not at all exhausting as they are spread over the whole walk. The tour takes about 1,5 hours, and in the end there's a short underground river tour. The exit of the cave is 500 m from the village, you are back there in some minutes.

This cave is beautiful and impressive. Other nice caves in Belgium are the one in Hotton (a more "narrow" one, but also impressive) and the cave of Remouchamps (the underground boat drive there is a bit longer and with smaller non-motor boats, really interesting!).

Opened from 10:00 to 16:30 with a break at noon and depending on the season (better check the homepage first).

Admission is 11 Euro for adults (includes Expothème). Several combination tickets with other things are possible (like wildlife park etc.)

Updated Jun 15, 2004

Address: Rue J. Lamotte, 2

Website: www.grotte-de-han.be

Related to:
 Family Travel

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The Secret Caves of Han-sur-Lesse
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MartinaH 109 reviews

The caves of Han-sur-Lesse are an underground wonderworld !

The "Grottes de Han" are a giant calcareous cave cut out by the Lesse river. The caves are about 16 km long, but only 3 km are open for visitors.

One of the rooms "the Chamber of Wonders" has the magic of a crystal palace.

Don't miss the subterranean boat-ride so as the Han wildlife Reserve, a safari park with wolves, bisons, brown bears,...

Written Mar 6, 2004

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Domaine des Grottes de Han
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Roeffie 1353 reviews
Grottes de Han

Domaine des Grottes de Han

In the little town of Han-sur-Lesse you find the caves and wildlifepark of this town. Also you can visit the museum in the towncentre, which contains many archeological findings. The river Lesse is entering a mountain at 'Gouffre de Belvaux' and is leaving the mountain again at 300 meters before entering the town.

Tickets:
In the village centre, opposite the church, in the reception hall.

Departures:
By tram for a 4 km trip. Board from the back of the reception hall next to the cafeteria. Be warned: the train always leaves on time! Route through the Caves on foot for approximately 3 km. The exit from the caves is located 500 m from the village (5-minute walk).

Tour time:
Between 1 hour 30 minutes and 1 hour 45 minutes

Updated Aug 7, 2003

Address: Han-sur-Lesse

Phone: +32 84 3782 33

Website: http://www.grotte-de-han.be

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Hotels  

Auberge de Faule

 5 Opinions

Local Customs  

La Blonde de Han Beer
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Martin_S. 2628 reviews
La Blonde de Han Beer and glass

If you are in the Han-s-Lesse area, what better way to enjoy a local custom, order the beer named after the area, the LaBlonde de Han.

Written Nov 20, 2006

Related to:
 Beer Tasting

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Favorites  

The domain of the Grottoes of Han
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himalia11 980 reviews
Grotte de Han

Favorite thing: There are several things to see there in Han: the cave of Han, the animal reserve, the museum of the subterranean, the Expotheme, and of course several restaurants and shops and a nice playground for children. In Rochefort, there's also the cave of Lorette.

There are tickets for combinations of these attractions, so you can save some money if you visit several things. You get all tickets in the reception hall in the center of the village, which is on the main street, opposite of the church.

The cave of Han is absolutely worth a visit (see my other tip). The ticket of the cave of Han includes also the Expothème, which is not far from the caves exit. It's an exhibition with the subject "Climate of yesterday and tomorrow" and you only can visit it with a guide (only in Dutch and French!). We didn't feel like waiting for a guide who speeks neither German nor English, but at least we were allowed to see a short film about the climate changes in English and to visit a part of the exhibition on our own (with an English paper with some explanations). Nevertheless I wasn't much impressed by it... At least there you didn't have to pay for the restroom, at the reception hall of the "domain" you had to pay 30 ct...

Written Jun 15, 2004

Related to:
 Family Travel

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Little museum with artifacts found in the Lesse.
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Roeffie 1353 reviews
Pot and pans found in the river.

Favorite thing: Next to the Church in the town of Han-sur-Lesse you will find a little museum, where everything is shown what divers found in the river Lesse.

Updated Aug 4, 2003

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Map of Han-sur-Lesse