Deep in the woods in a remote corner of the Ardennes, the water gardens at Annevoie are among the most elaborate in Europe.
They were created in the eighteenth century by Charles-Alexis de Montpellier, who borrowed ideas from gardens he had seen during his travels in Italy, France and England.
Begun in 1758, the unique garden incorporates more than 50 water features including fountains, waterfalls and a grand canal.
Some areas of the garden have become overgrown, but there are now plans to restore the estate to its original grandeur.
The castle is the setting for an annual Venetian Festival on 1 May when more than 100 masked participants parade through the gardens dressed in handmade costumes they fashioned for Venice Carnival earlier in the year.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
