There are towns that deserve to be better known. Or better known in any case. Such is the case of Maastricht, capital of Limburg in the south of the Netherlands. Here's the story of an incentive scheme run by a property company in a metropolis on a human scale, where the charm is there for all to see...
By The Editor -
Programme
The city is big enough to keep your attention, yet small enough that you'll never get lost, and there's plenty of time for free time.
Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau 40 bis, rue du Faubourg Poissonnière. 75010 Paris. Phone: +33 (0)1 43 12 34 22 - Fax: +33 (0)1 43 12 34 21
Internet: www.holland.com
Maastricht Convention Bureau Het Dinghuis, Kleine Staat 1. 6211 ED Maastricht. Phone: +31 (0)43 328 08 38 - Fax: +31 (0)43 321 37 46 E-mail: info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com
Internet: http://maastrichtconventionbureau.com/
Practical guides
Green Guide Netherlands, Michelin - Petit Futé, Amsterdam and the Netherlands
Flight plan
The easiest way to get to Maastricht is by train. There is no direct access from Paris, however: you first have to take a Thalys to Liège, then change trains. Thalys links Paris to Liège six times a day in 2 hours 10 minutes. An SNCB train then links Liège to Maastricht every hour. This journey takes 30 minutes.
Day 1: Arrival at Maastricht station in the afternoon. Check-in at the Hotel Beaumont. Dinner at Château Neercanne. Return to the hotel.
Beaumont Hotel
Since 1912, the white façade of the Hôtel Beaumont has lit up the bricks of the Wyck district, a stone's throw from Central Station. The hotel is celebrating its centenary this year, with the fourth Beaumont generation at the helm. It's obvious to guests of this deeply inhabited hotel: there's a family history here that began modestly in the heart of the Belle Époque when Willem Beaumont bought the Swelsen café and opened 12 rooms. Micro-expansion after micro-expansion, the hotel now has over a hundred rooms, without sacrificing the spirit of the place: a simple welcome, warm colours and lights, rooms that focus on the essentials.
A hotel in a convent: there's something intriguing about that. The scenario became reality in May 2005 with the opening of the Kruisherenhotel in the Convent of the Croisiers, inherited from the late 15th century. Because of the building's historical heritage, the designers had to redouble their ingenuity to build a real "box in the box" design without touching the walls. The communal areas are housed in the church and the bedrooms in the adjoining monastery. Dining in the light of the stained glass windows, cocktails in the apse and meetings in the transept: it's a unique experience.
Day 2: Morning cruise on the Meuse, followed by a choice of a tour of the Sint Pietersberg caves or lunch at the Grand Café d'n Ingel. Afternoon at leisure and dinner at the hotel.
River cruising: through history
It's a fact: the idea of a trip along the Meuse rarely gives rise to outbursts of joy. This is to overlook the discreet charm of this 950-kilometre waterway, which unites France, Belgium and the Netherlands in its bed, forming a central axis in the military and commercial history of Western Europe. The link between the river and Maastricht is a close one. The city owes its name to the river-Maas, the Meuse in Dutch-and was founded on the basis of its privileged location at the intersection of major communication routes. So the river makes the city, and it's only natural that you should travel along it to discover it. Wilhelmina, Saint-Servais, Kennedy: the history of the city is told as you cross the bridges.
The caves of Sint Pietersberg: 200 kilometres in the dark
If there's one place where you don't want to be scouted, it's here. In fact, it's forbidden: you'd soon get lost in the 20,000 galleries dug into the marl of Mont Saint-Pierre, between the Netherlands and Belgium. A giant quarry whose history can be leafed through like a book under the guide's torchlight. The high galleries bear witness to the lives of the thousands of men who have dug them and travelled through them since ancient times. Advertisements tell the story of the Belle Époque, when the galleries became a popular place to take a walk. Further on, a baker's oven and sanitary facilities are a reminder of their role as a "spare city" during the air raids in 1944.
Day 3: Lunch at the Café Zuid restaurant. Private visit to Fort St Pieter in the afternoon. Free time. Dinner at restaurant 't Hegske.
Visit the town: its military past
Maastricht vies with Nijmegen for the title of 'oldest city in the Netherlands'. Physically untouched by world conflicts, the capital of Limburg has retained most of its heritage dating back to the Romans, who built a bridge over the Meuse to extend the invasion of the Celtic regions. The town's eventful history includes many wars, from its capture by the Spanish army in 1579 to its annexation by Napoleon, not forgetting the conquest of Maastricht by Louis XIV in 1673, during which d'Artagnan was killed. Behind the 'gateway to hell' that opens up the city, the military architecture - ramparts, forts and casemates - bears witness to this military past. But the city is also renowned for its strong religious heritage, with the Basilica of Saint-Servais, the Church of Saint John and the Basilica of Our Lady, a place of Marian pilgrimage to give thanks for the Star of the Sea, a miraculous image displayed in a chapel in the church. However, Maastricht is not a museum town, and it knows how to make something new out of something old. The most striking example is the conversion of the Dominican church into a gigantic bookshop. Very impressive indeed.
Bonnefanten Museum: art in free time
"Trust your eyes and don't try to read between the words". That's the invitation extended by the Bonnefanten Museum, one of the best ways to spend a spare moment in Maastricht. Here, there are no explanations spread out in small print on off-putting panels. The eye is the only compass, assisted if need be by an orientation guide that assigns a title and an author to each of the works on display. Another original feature of the Bonnefanten museum is its emphasis on mixing genres and periods. Here, you can move from a Brueghel to a Warhol, from a fragment of an altarpiece to an erotic neon by Bruce Nauman, all in the space of a few steps. The museographer's talent lies in weaving a subtle link - without any concern for chronology - between these stages. Of particular note is the possibility of observing the work of a real restoration workshop behind a display case and a singular architecture designed by Aldo Rossi.
Day 4: Morning at leisure, followed by lunch at 't Plenske restaurant. Departure.
Gastronomy: a whole host of pleasures
Joie de vivre: that's how the people of Maastricht describe the appeal of their city. This daily happiness obviously includes discovering the good restaurants and the many specialities that punctuate any visit at regular intervals. On this tour of 'made in Maastricht', you'll be able to taste vlaaithe famous Limburg tart, or bake your own spelt bread at De Bisschopsmolen bakery; try the homemade mustards and chutneys at Adriaan de Smaakmaker or try the rommedoe - a cheese - at the Sjinkerij in Bobbel; or visit the De Keyzer brewery and the amazing cellar at Thiessen. To be honest, local wines don't play a major role here... However, the vineyards are just around the corner, in the hills of the Geer valley, where you'll find PinotNoir, Riesling and Müller-Thürgau grape varieties. Groups are invited to discover the De Apostelhoeve and HoeveNekum estates.
More
- A nearby destination.
- A town on a human scale, where everything is within easy reach.
- A well-preserved town with a rich past and an exceptional heritage.
- Hotels with historical connotations.
- An attractive gastronomic offering.
- A very French-speaking city and visits in the language of Molière.
Minus
- No direct train access from France.
- It's a name that, at first glance, hardly inspires fantasy.
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