Redu, Belgium
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Buried in the depths of the fairytale forests of Belgian Ardennes, the village of Redu was built 1100 years ago. Some of its beautiful stone houses, dating from the 1700, are now breathing books and literature. The village’s 10 secondhand bookshops are filled with thousands of volumes; a paper manufacturer and a book binder – an unprecedented portrait of a village of only 400 inhabitants. Shelves and shelves of books is what brings visitors to this forgotten part of Belgium. And what is more astonishing is that Redu is currently under transformation from a traditional book village into and art village, with a renowned art-history museum, several galleries and a dozen of artisan shops. All nestled in the middle of this time-honored settlement.
Redu combines books, art, literature, poetry walks and good food, because the village hosts five exquisite restaurants. ‘Redu is a place to meditate, to absorb a distinctive scent of thousands of leather-bound books and energies of hundreds of authors. All you need are a few hours of time, a book, and a quiet place to sit down and enjoy some good Belgian drinks and food.
Some core events make up the full story of this village:
During easter, the whole village is filled with around 100 bookstands in all the streets of Redu. During three days, booksellers from the whole country come and sell their treasures, surrounded by music- and artistic events. Additionally, the Night of the Book, is one of the most popular summer events in this part of the Belgian Ardennes. On the first Saturday of August spectators unwind under the stars with great music, street theatre performances, nature-inspired cocktails and dozens of bookshops open all night.
Actually, it does not matter if its spring, summer, fall or winter, the book village of Redu, with its charismatic bookshops and art places, are worth your memory all year round.
An artistic, poery walk, covers the walls of the old houses in redu. Currently, the 5th Poetic Walk is called, Joie de Livre, and celebrates the 40th birthday of the booktown. Previously, in 2018, “Pens and Rifles” was the first poetic walk installed in the streets of Redu. In its own way, the village commemorated the Armistice through the voices of soldier-poets of all nationalities who participated in the conflict, expressing the anxieties and suffering of the Great War.This walk was followed by three others: “The Water-Drunkard,” which, in its own way, highlights the charm of springs, streams, and rivers in Wallonia; “Words of Art,” conceived by combining poetry about trees with copies of paintings exhibited at the Mudia; and, more recently, “Verse-Blowers,” focusing on glass, transparency, fragility, and the material that so many master glassmakers in our region have worked with.
As the village celebrates the fortieth anniversary of Redu Village du Livre, a new poetic walk, “Joie de livre” (Joy of Books), is dedicated to celebration, fantasy, and joy.
Rue de Saint-Hubert, 17B, C & D
Mobile : 0495 53 94 99
Horaires: Ouvert samedi et dimanche de 11h à 17h/18h. Vacances de Pâques et d’été: ouvert samedi et dimanche de 11h à 17h/18h. Fermé en hiver.
Rue de Transinne, 34
Telephone : 061 65 66 15
miep.vanduinpro@gmail.com
Horaires: Open almost every day. Ouvert presque tous les jours. Haast iedere dag open van 11 tot 18 uur.
Rue de Saint-Hubert, 17 E.
lalexandrin@outlook.be
Horaires: Ouvert de 11h à 18h du jeudi au dimanche. Vacances et jours fériés : ouvert 7j/7 de 11h à 18h.
Rue de Saint-Hubert 14A
Mobile : 0479/96 10 43
barquesaoule@gmail.com
Horaires: Ouvert WE, jours fériés et vacances scolaires de 11 à 18h.
Rue de Daverdisse
Téléphone : 0495 32 56 47
Mobile : 0494 03 21 04
lamalleauxbd@scarlet.be
Horaires: Ouvert WE, jours fériés et vacances scolaires de 14h à 17h.
Rue de la Prairie, 36
Téléphone : 061 50 41 78
Mobile : 0478 041 345
lareduiste@gmail.com
Horaires: Ouvert samedi, dimanche et congés de 12 à 18h.
VENDREDU
info@vrijdag.be
Horaires: Ouvert vendredi, samedi et dimanche de 11h à 18h.