Fourneau Saint-Michel

About the museum

The blast furnace of the Fourneau Saint-Michel was built in 1771 by Nicolas Spirlet, the last abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, on the banks of the Masblette stream, which powered the forge and the bellows. It was then among the most modern installations of its time. At the Revolution the abbey’s property was sold; Léopold Zoude took over the site, which gradually became a forge serving the needs of agriculture. The Zoude family sold it in 1942, and the whole site was listed in 1952.

In 1966 the site became a provincial estate. It was gradually restored, and the Province of Luxembourg then set up a nearby open-air museum: more than fifty buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, including farms, houses, a chapel, a school and craftsmen’s workshops, were dismantled elsewhere in Wallonia and reassembled here to form hamlets typical of the Ardennes of old. Furniture, tools and machines are presented in their context, from the clog workshop to the printing works, from the bakery to the grocer’s shop.

The Musée du Fer occupies the buildings of the former charcoal-fired blast furnace, a listed monument unique in Belgium. After major restoration and upgrading works it reopened in 2019 with an interactive route for children, led by Nicolas, the young apprentice founder. The floods of July 2021 nevertheless damaged part of the open-air site, and not all the damage has yet been repaired. The estate also offers walking trails.

Highlights

• Charcoal-fired blast furnace from the 18th century, a listed monument
• More than 50 buildings moved to the open-air museum on over 40 hectares
• Craftsmen’s workshops, school, chapel and grocer’s shop of times past
• Interactive route for children with Nicolas, the apprentice founder
• Playground, picnic areas and walks across the estate

Permanent exhibitions

• Musée de la Vie rurale en Wallonie – Open-air museum over more than 40 hectares: transplanted 19th- and 20th-century buildings grouped into hamlets, with workshops, school, chapel and grocer’s shop.
• Musée du Fer – Visit to the former blast furnace, from its 18th-century operation to cast-iron and iron products, with a space devoted to Abbot Nicolas Spirlet.

Operated by

Province de Luxembourg

Admission & discounts

The base rate is that of the Musée de la Vie rurale en Wallonie (adult €6). Admission is free with an Article 27 ticket.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The estate is largely accessible to people with reduced mobility who are accompanied. Dogs on a lead are admitted to the estate.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Playground / play area

At the Musée du Fer, children follow an interactive route with Nicolas, the apprentice founder. The open-air museum has a playground and picnic areas; a whole day can be spent there.

Getting there & parking

The estate is on the road from Saint-Hubert to Forrières, near Awenne.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Bar Al Pèle at the Musée du Fer: local cuisine (pan-fried dishes, omelettes), closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (except in high season and holidays), open Wednesday to Friday 11:00–17:30 and at weekends 11:00–18:30; hours vary by season. Picnic areas and toilets along the open-air trail.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit