Bois de Halle
The Magical Bluebell Forest
Each year, for about 3 weeks in the Spring, the Bois de Halle (the Forest of Halle, a town near Brussels) blooms in a magical kingdom where fairies could live.
Amanda, Casey and Alex in the Bluebell Forest
Sonya in the Bluebell Forest
3 frogs on a log...
Amanda, Sonya, and Casey - Alex was really into picture taking today!
Halle is a small city just to the south of Brussels, actually still inside the ring road that goes around Brussels.
When you are driving here, you cannot imagine that a forest will appear in the store filled area you are driving through... Let alone imagine that it is filled with bluebells!
Alex
But here it is - the directions tell you to turn by a certain store, wind around a bit, and then turn onto the Chemin du Bois De Halle (the street to the forest of Halle), warning you that it is very narrow and in pretty rough condition but to "Press on!"
You see the forest line ahead and drive into it, only to be amazed by the mass of bluebells just inside!
They go on and on in many directions and there are wonderful walking and bicycling paths through them as well.
Oddly though, when they stop they just stop - a mass of bluebells on one side of an imaginary line and absolutely none on the other - they grow here, but not there!
They are small and delicate looking, but very hearty as well - many, many people come to look and lots don't stay on the paths, but the bluebells just keep standing!
It has been called the Magical Fairy Forest, the Magical Bluebell Forest, and I am sure by many other magical names, because it is nothing short of just that.
Bluebells are wild hyacinths - which is why when Sonya went here with a friend during the week we noticed that there was a smell quite a lot like hyacinths...only after getting home did we learn that was because that is what the bluebells are!
Sonya took the kids back a couple of days later so they could see why it is so magical
Keep an eye out for the magical fairies - you just might spot one if you look hard enough!