Mont Rouge, route courte

This is a more family-friendly version of my two other hikes on Mont Rouge. It's short but with a good elevation gain. Half of the route is in the countryside and half in the woods, with a minimum of tarmac. Enough to keep you busy for half a day while getting plenty of fresh air!

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 160 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 168 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 141 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 62 m

Description of the walk

Park in the large car park below the Mont Rouge mill (Lijstermolendreef).

(S/E) With your back to the mill, turn right to reach the southern tip of the car park. Then turn left onto a path through the woods. Continue straight ahead to reach a small road after a descent. Follow it a few metres to the left to find a barrier on the right.

(1) Go through the barrier and turn left (GR® and watchtower). A little further on, turn right at a right angle and join a path through the woods. Follow it to the right. At the edge of the woods, after a barrier, cross a pasture, keeping to the left, and you will reach a second barrier (post 41). Cross it and follow the small road on the left. After about 150 m, look for a wide path on the right (marker 60).

(2) Follow this path. After the second barrier, you will come to a pasture (with free-roaming cattle). Make a sharp turn to the left and follow the markings that lead to marker 61. After a passage through the woods, cross a "ravine" and you will reach another barrier (marker 61). Go through it and follow the wide path on the right.
Pass under the chairlift, then along the edge of the vineyards and reach Rodebergstraat (N372) at a chapel.

(3) Cross and follow this road on the right (pedestrian path) for about 150 m. Take the path on the left that enters the woods. At the crossroads (marker 38), turn left (withGR®). Ignore a path on the right, go through a gate and you will reach a fork (marker 65). Turn left with theGRP® (yellow-red markings).

Reach the edge of the woods and turn right along the edge. Shortly after a guinguette (on the left), you will reach a T-junction. Turn right, still following the edge. The path then turns right before reaching another T-junction: there is a welcome bench on the right.

(4) Turn right to enter the woods. You will soon reach a fork where you turn right. After a right-angle turn to the left, you will reach a second fork. Turn left before the barrier (speelzone).
You will reach another barrier; go through it to reach a wide path.

(5) Continue straight ahead until you reach a small road. Just before the road, turn right. At the next barrier, turn right again at the edge of the woods. After a sharp left turn, take the first path on the right and you will reach a wide lane.

(6) Follow it to the left along the Plaine de Jeux. Ignore the first turn-off on the right. 100 m further on, take the path going up to the right. Continue uphill, ignoring a turn-off on the left, then a path going downhill opposite, to reach a crossroads almost at the top of the hill.

On the right, you can see a superb (and demanding) staircase. Leave the wide path and take a sharp left turn. After a crossroads, the path turns right and arrives at the edge of the woods. Go through the gate and turn left to reach a small road.

(7) Follow it to the left (towards Kosmos) and immediately turn onto the narrow path on the right. A little further on (house on the right), don't miss the slightly overgrown path that branches off to the left. At the end, turn right. At the fork, keep right and continue straight downhill.

You will reach a house (on the right, marker 31). Then turn right. A few metres further on, at the fork, turn right (sign for Picon). Pass an old pump and, after a steep staircase, you will arrive near a chapel. Pass to the left of it: it is also possible to go to the right to pass in front of it. Join Rodebergstraat.

(8) Cross it and follow it to the right for about 50 metres. Then turn left (marker 41) onto a steeply descending path. Turn right onto the first path and walk through the horse paddocks before reaching a T-junction. Turn right and head for the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 135 m - Large car park
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 112 m - Barrier on the right
  3. 2 : km 1.03 - alt. 97 m - Wide path on the right (barrier)
  4. 3 : km 2.68 - alt. 113 m - Junction with the D372 (chapel)
  5. 4 : km 4.02 - alt. 68 m - T-junction (bench)
  6. 5 : km 4.34 - alt. 93 m - Wide path after the barrier.
  7. 6 : km 4.89 - alt. 94 m - Junction with a wide lane
  8. 7 : km 5.53 - alt. 135 m - Junction with small road
  9. 8 : km 6.1 - alt. 131 m - Junction with Rodebergstraat
  10. S/E : km 7.03 - alt. 135 m - Large car park

Notes

Even though it's short, make sure you're well equipped, especially in wet weather.

After point (7), you can of course continue straight ahead, but I like these two little paths and the hedge that hides the sinister Kosmos.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
François59
François59

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route with quite a few muddy sections due to rainy weather. Worth doing again in good weather!

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bandini59
bandini59

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike for those who prefer short walks (<10km)
A good alternative to the hyacinth trail, another great hike in the area, not listed on Visorando.
You won't get bored winding your way along the wooded trails, admiring the views and tackling a few (gentle) climbs.
The only "negative" point: done in winter, it was quite muddy in places.
A really lovely surprise.

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User 24332153

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike in good weather... Lovely views of the region.

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User 13148844

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike between forest and paths along meadows, very pleasant. Some parts have elevation changes but are well maintained.

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candy59
candy59

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike surrounded by nature (forests, meadows, etc.) with very little tarmac.

I simply preferred to start from the car park of the old Kosmos Hotel.

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FMons
FMons

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, pleasant and easy hike that takes you away from it all. It really feels like a holiday!

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Mikedu59
Mikedu59
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with lots of paths through the woods, which is very pleasant, especially in hot weather. It is accessible to many people. You may encounter squirrels and horses in the meadows.

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