Page 40 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

38  INTRODUCING Bel GIU m a ND l U xemBOURG

Average Monthly Rainfall
Rainfall Chart
MM Inches On the whole, Belgium
300 12 and Luxembourg are
rather rainy countries,
240
9 with fairly constant
180 low rainfall through-
6 out the year. Spring
120 is the driest season,
3 but summers can be
60
damp. In winter, the
0 0 rain may turn into
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec snow and sleet.
Scherpenheuvel (see p166).
St Verhaegen Day (20 Nov),
Brussels. Students celebrate
“Saint” Pierre-Théodore
Verhaegen – founder of
the original city university –
with madcap antics, often
on public transport.
December
Feast of St Nicholas (6 Dec),
nationwide. The 4th-century
Bishop of Myra, St Nicholas,
parades with Zwarte Peter, or
Père Fouettard, who threat ens
to whip naughty children.
Cars battling for advantage at the Belgian Grand Prix It is a day of gift-giving and
eating speculoos, traditional
events such as a battle of spiced biscuits.
Autumn échasseurs (stilt-walkers) in
September can be pleasantly 17th-century costumes. January
warm, but with a hint of chill Driekoningendag/Fête des
in the air. As the crisp days October Rois (6 Jan), nationwide.
become shorter, restaurants Flanders Film Festival (variable), Epiphany cele brates the visit
serve warming game dishes. Ghent. This 12-day international of the Three Kings to Christ’s
festival is respected for its range nativity. The recipient of a
September of films and focus on film music. trinket baked into an almond
Grand Prix of Belgium cake gets a paper crown.
(1st Sun), Spa-Francorchamps. Winter Ronsense Bommelfeesten
Formula One racing returned (Sat after 6 Jan), Ronse. This
to this popular circuit in 2007 The Christmas markets that
after a gap of four years. start in early December bring
Grande Procession (2nd Sun), a glow of good cheer, but
Tournai. A costumed carnival parades, the most
procession, first held in 1092 exuberant public celebrations,
after the passing of a plague, are the real showpieces.
accompanies St Eleutherius’s
reliquary and other church November
treasures through the city. Toussaint/Allerheiligendag
Journées du Patrimoine/ (1 Nov), nationwide. All Saints’
Open Monumentendagen Day, or the Day of the Dead,
(2nd or 3rd week), nationwide. is when family graves are
The annual Heritage Days are decorated with flowers.
a rare chance to explore many Kaarskensprocessie (Sun after
private historic buildings. 1 Nov), Scherpenheuvel. A
Fêtes de Wallonie (3rd week­ solemn candlelit procession
end), Namur. Wallonia’s role is the culminating point of
in the 1830 revolution (see the pilgrimage season at the The traditional Christmas market held in
pp48–9) is celebrated with renowned Marian shrine in Brussels’s Grand Place

038-039_EW_Belgium.indd 38 16/10/14 3:35 pm