Châlet d’Asdonck

The Châlet d’Asdonck is the name of a country house located on the Immert in Heppen, a part of the Belgian municipality of Leopoldsburg. Another name for this area is the ‘Asdonkerheide’. The building dates from around 1900 and is located at the corner of the Olmenseweg and the Kanaalstraat.

 The Châlet d’Asdonk is commonly called ‘Kasteelke van Neraar’ (‘Small castle of Neraar’), which refers to the name of the original owner of the villa with estate. That was Captain Commander – and later General – Edouard-Charles Henrard, Professor at the Military School in Brussels. He acquired an area of ​​65 hectares on March 21  1898, on which a house with farm was situated. For this he paid 12,000 Belgian francs, converted around 300 euros. In 1902 Henrard sold 71 acres of land to the Debry family.

The officer built a chapel called Châlet d’Asdonck on the ground. During that time a park was also established, on the initiative of Henrard’s wife Anne-Petrouille Dobbelaere.

After a number of years of neglect, the estate has been restored by the current owners, entrepreneurs Ludo Gielen and Nathalie Riga. They have been renovating the garden and park since 2002.

Take a look at the old postcardstoo