Abbaye d'Orval — Attraction in Florenville

I stayed 2 nights during a personal retreat in the Abbey. The Abbey has a long story. It's architecture we can see now is quite modern. The imposant entry statue of the church with in the center Our Lady holding baby Jesus and the side statues of 4 saint Friars give the middle field a special and triumphant style. The church's interior is quite simple and looking from the outside makes it look bigger than it is on the inside. Infact the inside looks quite small. A beautiful round stained glass image of Our Lady hangs over the main altar. The friars offer hospitality to all people who wish to stay some days in the Abbey for personal reasons. They also offer special retreats during the year for youth, couples, ... Staying in the Abbey is a very personal experience, but as for me I always find peace of mind and it's a time to "cut myself free from the outside world" for a while. The food I find a bit of a poor taste and lacks a bit of interest, and the breakfast offered is quite "basic". No cereals, no yoghurt, no cookies/cake, no fresh cheese, other than the one produced at the Abbey. Basically it's only bread, butter, jam, and Abbey cheese. Milk, coffee/tea and apples. At least you get offered a beer at lunch and dinner. The sitting room is big and has some journals and books you can read there. The furniture is nothing else than wooden tables and chairs. No reading/padded chairs or couches, which unfortunately doesn't make it a place you'd like to stay for a longer while. The Abbey offers a library where you can borrow a book during your stay which is really cool. But here too, no reading chairs/couches other than hard wooden chairs and tables. A bit frustrating, because it makes people always walk back inside their rooms, maybe some would like to sit down more comfortably and talk to someone else? The place where the Abbey is located is quite far from all, so you can't really have a walk other than the main street and a forest path right next to the Abbey that I wouldn't recommend in winter/rainy periods except if you have some solid and waterproof walking shoes and don't care to get them muddy. Then you could also visit the "Chapelle des Scouts" located in the forest upper left side of the Abbey. It is accessible only per walking a path through the Abbey forest. A map and the key to open the fence will be given to you at the reception. As a guest, you can visit the old ruins for free, where you can also have access to the Abbey museum (located under the actual church) and brewery museum. There is also a shop where you can buy books and religious items and other items and of course the famous Abbey...

From our drive departing Onhaye to Florenville, the route gradually deepened into winding roads framed by the lush Ardennes forest—every kilometer seemed more enchanting than the last. Orval Abbey sits tucked into the Gaume region on the fringe of the Belgian Ardennes, surrounded by dense woods and the serene run of springs and streams

Parking at the entrance, you immediately sense the calm. The sprawling abbey site invites a relaxed walk through ruins and herb gardens, punctuated by whispers of ancient monastic life. Walking through the ruins with only birdsong and the soft rustle of leaves brings a rare kind of tranquility.

Just inside the abbey entrance is the delightful gift shop. It’s filled with Orval beer—including the rare “Green Orval”—chalice-style glasses (perfect for that classic pour), cheese, jams, and prayer-beaded souvenirs

A highlight: the separate restaurant (Nouvelle Hostellerie d’Orval) located just outside the abbey grounds. You can easily hang out on the terrace, sip a perfectly poured Orval in its official chalice, and nibble on cheese plates made with abbey cheese. It feels like stepping into a refined picnic—lush forest views, gentle chatter, and slow enjoyment

All in all, Orval feels far removed from hustle and bustle—two steps into its grounds and you’re in a quiet haven. Whether you’re perusing the shop, strolling through ruins, or relaxing with beer and cheese, it’s a deeply soothing experience. Perfect for anyone craving a peaceful woodland escape with a uniquely...

Bucket list visit for me - I love their beer and appreciate their monastic life. I include a comment about visiting the church and Orval Vert below.

I visited with a mixed group - it was my addition to the itinerary and the rest of the group wasn’t really interested initially. However, the grounds contain an excellent, small museum covering the history of the abbey. It was a fabulous projection piece that is excellently pulled off. There is a smaller museum for the brewing and cheese process. There are also the ruins to walk around and yet another museum to wander about in.

The cost of entry is reasonable at €7 excluding any discounts.

You cannot visit the church itself unless you are attending Mass or their prayers. There is no other times of access.

Orval Vert is only available on the on-site brassiere, which was closed for our visit. It is NOT available (to my knowledge or the book shop staff) in any near by town though open to correction here.

The book shop is small but sells the beer and glasses at reasonable prices (€8 for two bottles plus a glass, €20 for 10 bottles plus a glass, €3.50 for the...