Gembloux
Gembloux (Geminiacus in Latin ; pop. 21,500) was founded by Saint Guibert in the 10th century along with a benedictine abbey. Once part of the powerful duchy of Brabant, the town prospered on the cutlery industry. If nowadays it is more renowed for its College of Agronomical Sciences (established in 1860), for fathering the world's fastest car (the Vertigo, designed by local racing champion Tony Gillet), Gembloux still manufactures high-quality forks, knives and spoons, with such brands as Eternum.
Although the town itself is not the prettiest in the region, it does have a charming Renaissance townhall (still called the 'Baillif's House', from its former usage), a small cutlery museum, and above all a huge 18th-century abbey (now housing the college of agronomics) secluded in a beguiling park. The adjacent St. Guibert's Church, which has preserved a Romanesque basement from the original abbey. Also note the town's belfry, well hidden in a maze a cobble-stone alleys on a hill right in the centre of town.
As many trains between Namur and Brussels stop in Gembloux, it is convenient enough to spend an hour or two wandering around on a sunny day. If you have a car and are there on a Sunday or public holiday between May and September, don't miss the nearby medieval (and beautifully preserved) castle of Corroy-le-château, 5 km to the South-West (take the N29 road).
How to get there
Gembloux is 10 min by train from Namur or 25 min from Brussels-Luxembourg station on the Brussels-Luxembourg line.
By car, it is about 10 min from Namur and 30 min from central Brussels on the E411 motorway.
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