Residence: Fenffe

Untill some years ago, the 16th century château-ferme of Fenffe at Villers-sur-Lesse was used as a weekend or holiday retreat by the royal family. It's only a few kilometers from the castle of Ciergnon.

The estate consists of 564 hectares with several ponds, a kitchen garden and a pigeon tower.

The castle of Fenffe was bought in 1891 by King Leopold II from the noble family Delvaux de Fenffe. It's part of the larger Domaine Royale des Ardennes.

In the 1920s and early 1930s it was frequently used by King Léopold III & Queen Astrid and their children as a weekend destination. The estate used to house a working farm then. It suffered greatly during the Second World War and had to be restaured afterwards.

Untill 1993, when Albert II became King, it was a much used holiday destination of Prince Albert & Princess Paola. 

Albert & Paola's children at Fenffe in 1978.

These photos of Crown Prince Philippe and his young family were taken at Fenffe, in 2003. Mathilde was expecting Gabriel.

After Albert II's abdication in 2013, the plan was for Albert & Paola to start using the castle of Fenffe again as a get-away in Belgium. However the restoration and maintenance costs proved to be too high for the couple. Instead they bought the former presbytère (vicarage) of Villers-sur-Lesse which they had completely redone. 

The presbytère of Villers sur Lesse: before & after

The castle of Fenffe is now rented out to a well known family of restaurant owners.

Albert & Paola have passed on the naked ownership of the presbytère of Villers to three of their grandchildren: Princess Louise, Prince Aymeric & Prince Nicolas (the children of Prince Laurent & Princess Claire).