Earth does not take into account arbitrary country borders. A hill can be in Belgium for 50% and the rest in the Netherlands. That doesn't matter to nature. That hill remains and whether you cycle over it from the Netherlands towards Belgium or vice versa. The hill remains the hill. The Limburg region, which is thus much wider than just Dutch South Limburg, has lots of such points. The 1843 border post project (Belgium officially became independent from the Netherlands in 1830) is the visual reminder of the arbitrary borders. It makes cycling in this region extra fun. You can cycle here on the border between two Limburgs.
A divided street
The absurdity of national borders is best seen on Maastricht's Diependaalweg. There, the border runs down the middle of the street. Because one side falls under Dutch jurisdiction and the other under Belgian, you see funny differences. The houses on one side are typically Belgian, the other, of course, typically Dutch. I then wonder: if they did used to call each other, was it more expensive than walking out of your house and just ringing the bell? Or electricity? Or so many other utilities and practical things. Would it make sense to move to the other side for a while? The boundary post shines in the sunbeam at the beginning of the street. A beautiful sight.
Working with what you have
Both Dutch Limburg and Belgian Limburg have a mining history. Ground mining has also taken place, making for particularly beautiful landscapes. Some examples are the Mijnterrils near Maasmechelen and the ENCI quarry near the Pietersberg in Maastricht. In Belgian Limburg, they take the relationship with these beautiful natural phenomena extra seriously. In the 'cycling through' series, you can take a closer look at the heath, forest, water and mining terrils all. Natuurmonumenten manages the ENCI quarry and you can walk in there and with the gravel bike you can get to the edge. This makes you realise for a moment that you are just a small cog in a larger whole.
Castle lords gather
Chateau Neercanne shines beautifully on the hill, just near Kanne. Coincidentally, the chateau is in the Netherlands and Kanne, in turn, is in Belgium. Wouldn't 'neercanne' just mean 'near Kanne'? Anyway, it's a beautiful chateau with a very good restaurant. Nothing for just a coffee stop. Belgian Limburg also has a crown jewel. At least, I think so. The Alden Biesen Castle, near Bilzen is an imposing building with a beautiful garden (French and English style combined) and a fine brasserie as a point for a coffee stop. Speaking of points, the flan is definitely recommended. Vlaai? Yes because the vlai is Limburgish, so it is also from Belgium.
Beautiful gravel paths and road cycling routes
That you can enjoy cycling in this border region is obvious. Not only because of the many events that take place there, including the Grenspalenklassieker, Limburgs Mooiste, the Amstel Gold Race, National Park Gravel, Heathland gravel, Mergelheuvelland gravel and so on. Even if you plan your own round, you can lose yourself completely in the beautiful trails on the border. Previously mentioned highlights, the 'bikes in' do focus more on e-bikers and touring cyclists, but for cyclists and gravel riders, they are certainly interesting too. Around the Pietersberg you will find beautiful gravel paths and the route of the 2024 European Gravel Championship also offers many beautiful spots.
Race cycling is a lot to enjoy. It is very hilly and around Bilzen, for example, you will find the Keiberg. By the way, if you sneak a look in Wallonie, you can also take the Rue de Garage above the fortress of Eben-Emaal. We share some great routes in our komoot collection.
Where can you start?
Of course, there are plenty of accommodation options in and around Maastricht to properly explore the border region. We give you a few options that could be a good fit:
- Martin's Rentmeesterij in Bilzen. This beautiful hotel is located next to Alden Biesen. It is said that Tadej Pogacar likes to stay here during Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The hotel has some options for safe storage of bikes, but rinsing or wrenching is out of the question. However, the breakfast in the morning makes up for a lot (plus the rooms and overall look and feel.
- Dormio Resort Maastricht. This luxury resort on the outskirts of Maastricht, on the border with Belgium is a wonderful base from which to explore the region. Here, you can ride along the canal towards the gravel paths near Kanne and the Pietersberg as well as towards the heathland and possibly towards Meerssen and beyond. On a road bike, Limburg is at your feet, as are the climbs of the Voerstreek. To name a few options. The houses are spacious, almost all have a shed (which is warm, so your bike dries quickly). Only downside is lack of rinse-off area, especially with the thick marl mud.
- Landal Mooi Zutendaal. If you want to play the Mechelse Heide all the way, this is a must-go. We know Landal well from our recent trips to 12 parks in the Netherlands. Cottages with plenty of space, cycling facilities and all four 'bikes in' attractions within easy reach. Plus strategically well located between the locally attractive cities of Maastricht and Hasselt.
- A wide selection of cycling accommodation is available. Among others B&B Punto Velo, near landal park is a nice alternative if you are looking for something smaller and you are not waiting for screaming children and a swimming pool/playground etc.
- Do you want really fancy chic? Then you should opt for Butte aux Bois. With a two-star restaurant in-house, very luxurious accommodation and in the middle of the forest, this is the ultimate base for a fancy weekend of cycling.
Tasty coffee
If you are in the southern regions of the Netherlands or in Belgium, a good cup of coffee is often not far away. A nice slice of vlaai won't be missing anytime soon either. These places are absolute favourites among cyclists:
- Fixed Gear Coffee - Maastricht. This hotspot (large business) near the market is popular with cyclists, as well as students. You can park your bike in the shop and the coffee is top-notch. You can also sit there for a while on your laptop or get a tasty bake. Brian and Shivani run the place.
- AlleyCat Bikes & Coffee - Maastricht. This is technically a competitor to Fixed Gear, but with a slightly different vibe. You can't park your bike here, but the coffee and cake is very good. In terms of location, this one sits a bit closer to the River Meuse and from here you can also get to Wyck and the neighbourhoods behind it in no time.
- Coffeelovers - multiple locations. Before coffee became hip, Coffeelovers was already active in Maastricht. During World Cups and AGR, it is a coming and going of pros here. They have multiple locations.
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