Nutchel Cabins: An unusual stay in the Ardennes in Belgium.

It's mid-April and we're on the road from Brussels towards the Ardennes, and more precisely, Martelange on the Luxembourg border.

Nutchel is a small village of around thirty cabins nestled in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes countryside. We arrive by car in the parking area outside the cabins before going to the “Cosy Chalet”. This large cabin serves as a reception area, but also as a relaxation corner where you can spend time playing by the fire or have a drink on their large covered terrace by the Sûre river.

The Cosy Chalet is also the place where you'll find everything you need during your stay. Maps of the region with walking and cycling routes, a small grocery shop with everything you need if you haven't had time to shop for the weekend, or board games to borrow. This is also where you can pick up the meals you've booked for your stay.

Once the keys are collected, we walk to our unique accommodation (cars are not allowed in the area) with our trolley to carry our luggage.

We follow a path amidst the wooden cabins nestled to the right, left, in the middle of the trees, or high up before arriving at the accommodation that will serve as our refuge for the weekend.

The Nutchel Cabins are wooden cabins that can accommodate 2 to 6 people. Some of these unique accommodations are equipped with a Nordic bath.

More information about the different cabins on the Nutchel website.

We stayed in a "Tree Trunk" cabin for six people with a Nordic bath. This cabin includes a beautiful terrace with a picnic table, a fairly large living area with a sofa, dining table, and kitchen. There is also a sleeping area organized over 3 half-levels, each with a 2-person mattress on the floor and a small bathroom with a shower and sink.

In the living room, we also had a wood-burning stove that kept us warm throughout our stay.

The Nutchel domain really wants to emphasize rest and disconnection, so there is practically no electricity in the cabins. Just enough light with some string lights.

A positive point, in the cabins for 4 or 6 people, it is **possible to come with your dogs** for a "dog package" including a basket, a bowl and cleaning fees.

Don't expect to be in an isolated cabin in the woods. At first glance, these unusual accommodations seem a little close together, and you might think you'll be spending the weekend with your neighbours. But after spending 3 nights in one of them, we can assure you that they have considered the orientation of the accommodation. The living area and the outdoor terrace, the two main living spaces, have no views of the neighbouring cabins.

Human contact is very important at the Nutchel resort, and to say the least, we were received very warmly! Once past the doors of the "Cosy Chalet" (the resort's reception), the resort staff looked after us to ensure we had the best possible stay!

It is possible to book meals prepared at the "Cosy Chalet" during a stay at the Nucthel Cabins. We booked a breakfast, a barbecue meal, and a candlelit raclette meal during our weekend in the Ardennes.
The meals, featuring local and seasonal produce, were plentiful and very good. It is also possible to order vegetarian alternatives for each meal.

If you prefer to cook something yourself, or simply prepare a proper aperitif, a small grocery store at the reception offers many products for emergencies. Otherwise, you can always go to the town of Martelange, located 5 minutes away by car, to shop.

The main activity at the Nutchel des Ardennes domain is to take your time and disconnect!

However, we strongly encourage you to discover this beautiful region during a walk or bike ride around the domain. There are many routes starting from the cabins themselves to get some fresh air and enjoy nature. And if you wish, Nutchel even offers bicycles for rent!

Starting from the Nutchel estate, we took this wonderful 4.5 km hike. We begin by following the Sûre, the stream at the foot of the estate, before discovering the beautiful Bird's Bridge. After climbing to the top of the observation tower, we continue our route along the edge of the Anlier Forest. An immersive moment with the surrounding nature and the birdsong. Details of this hike will be available soon in another article.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg being a few minutes from the Nutchel Cabins estate in the Ardennes, we took advantage of our weekend to discover part of the Sûre Valley. Starting from the place called 'Houfels', we went for a walk to discover the different viewpoints on the Sûre which winds through the valley. The panorama must be even more beautiful at sunrise or sunset with the golden light. Several hiking trails pass through there. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to complete one, but we're putting a suggested itinerary below.

The Haute-Sûre Lake is a reservoir lake located in the northwest of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. With its 3.8 km²  surface area, it is the heart of the Haute-Sûre Nature Park. It was obvious for us to discover this lake with our own eyes. We took a short hike to the viewpoint 'Aussichtspunkt Runtschelt' which offers a 180° panorama of the Haute-Sûre Lake.

The Burfelt Belvedere is another iconic viewpoint of the Haute-Sûre Lake, but we ran out of time to visit it. We will not miss returning to visit this beautiful Luxembourgish region just a few kilometers from Belgium. 

We hope this nature stay in the Ardennes region of Belgium inspired you. The Nutchel Cabins, for us, is a return to nature, disconnecting from everyday life to reconnect with essentials. It's enjoying the surrounding nature, relaxing in a Nordic bath and warming yourself by the fire at nightfall. And don't forget that with the promo code LESEXPLORATEURS, you can enjoy 10% off the price of your stay at the Nutchel Cabins.