After our spring trip to Nutchel in Alsace, we continued directly to the second Nutchel location in November: the Forest Village Les Ardennes in Belgium. And I must say: a forest holiday in autumn, with rain, rustling leaves, and a crackling stove in your own cabin, has a very unique, wonderful coziness. So, if you're wondering whether Nutchel is worth it outside the summer season: yes, absolutely!

In this article, I'll tell you about our stay at Nutchel Belgium, what makes the concept there so special, and what the differences are from our visit to Alsace.

Nutchel Les Ardennes: Where is the Forest Village located?

The Nutchel Forest Village in Belgium is located in Martelange, in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes and practically right on the border with Luxembourg. Unlike Alsace, where the cabins are spread out on a hilly terrain with wide views, the village in Belgium is truly in the middle of the dense Ardennes forest. So instead of a panoramic view over hills and vineyards, you'll feel completely surrounded by the forest here – a bit like being in a fairy tale forest. Both locations are beautiful, but if you want to choose between open spaces and dense forest, you'll find a real difference here.

Same concept, same cabins – yet different

The basic concept of Nutchel is identical at both locations: small, lovingly designed wooden cabins without Wi-Fi or television, heated with your own wood stove, plus oil lamps and candlelight for the evenings. There are also hardly any differences in services – in Belgium, you also pick up your breakfast and dinner basket at the Cosy Chalet, and here too, small fairy houses are waiting everywhere in the forest for children to discover and build on themselves.

We had booked a Cosy Cabin with a Hot Tub again, and especially in November, that was a completely different experience than in spring. It rained outside, the leaves were falling, and we sat with the children in the warm hot tub among the trees, while the stove heated up the cabin inside. It was precisely this mix of outdoor weather and indoor coziness that made our Belgium trip so special.

What's different in Belgium compared to Alsace

A few things we noticed compared to our Alsace stay that I want to share with you:

• The location: In Belgium, you're in the middle of the dense Ardennes forest; in Alsace, you had more of a wide view over the hilly landscape between the Rhine and the Vosges.
• Play facilities for children: In Alsace, there was a proper playground and a larger play area in the Cosy Chalet. We didn't find that in this form in Belgium. Here, the forest itself is clearly the focus as an adventure playground. Not a disadvantage for us, but good to know if a classic playground is important to your children.
• Bicycle rental: A real plus in Belgium: you can rent bicycles directly at the reception and explore the Ardennes on two wheels. We didn't experience that in Alsace, and for us, it was a great additional activity, especially on one of the drier afternoons.

Otherwise, both Forest Villages are very similar, with the same cabin types, the same back-to-basics principle, and the same loving attention to detail.

Fun Fact: Two countries in one afternoon

A small highlight that we only discovered on site: Martelange is so close to the Luxembourg border that the border itself runs right through the town – and we actually visited a café through which the former border between Belgium and Luxembourg runs directly. You sit at a table with one foot in one country and one foot in the other! For our children, this was a huge amount of fun, and incidentally, we were able to "collect" two country points in a single afternoon. A nice little extra if you're in the area anyway.

Why Nutchel is also worthwhile in autumn

Many automatically associate glamping with summer – but our November trip to Belgium in particular showed us how beautiful a forest stay can be even in the colder months. The rain outside, the rustling leaves, while the stove is roaring inside and you're sitting together in the hot tub in the evening. For us, it was one of the most wonderful "bad weather family times" in a long time.

Good to know: Practical information for your visit

• Location: Martelange, Belgian Ardennes, right on the border with Luxembourg
• Arrival: approx. 40 minutes from Luxembourg City
• Cabin sizes: for 4 to 6 people, some cabins with hot tubs
• Facilities: private wood stove, partly private hot tub, private bathroom
• For children: fairy houses in the forest, small play corner at the reception – but no classic playground like in Alsace
• Extra: bicycle rental directly at the reception
• Catering: breakfast and dinner baskets can be booked, small village shop on site
• Our travel time: November – rainy, but incredibly cozy

Alsace or Belgium – which is the right choice?

If you can't decide: For families with younger children who appreciate a playground and more indoor play facilities, I would recommend Alsace. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a more authentic forest feeling and enjoy cycling, Belgium is just right. Best of all, of course: try both, just like we did!

You can find more about our first Nutchel stay in our article about Nutchel in Alsace with children.

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