Choosing the road less traveled; we had climbed out of the La Lesse Valley onto a plateau with a great view of cow spotted hills. Twisting and turning through bucolic hillsides along Highway 95, we found Beauraing. Becoming as it was, we were in search of Castle St. Anne. With a little help and after a few excursions into places non-gratis, we spotted the turrets. How lovely! We were only a kilometer from the main E41, clearly visible from the autobahn.

Berating ourselves, we pulled into an ample parking lot and explored the exterior of St. Anne with its sluggish moat. Sneaking up on St. Anne was not an option, as she was not perched on a lofty crag, but was nuzzled in a corner of an expansive tree less plain. Crossing the drawbridge, which does not draw, we entered the archway. To the left was the lavish Restaurant St. Anne and to the right the gift shop, ticket counter and entrance to the garden. 2 Euros.

Through a squeaky slated door we stepped onto a pebbled walkway with the gardens to the left and a massive main tower to our right across another tributary of the moat. Another bridge crossed the moat to the entrance to the Nature and Falconry Museum.

Behind the main tower we inspected the tidy crafted garden. Surrounded by three sides of a brick farmhouse, the symmetrical garden was rectangular plots surround by evergreen shrubs with colorful fall flowers and vegetables. We noticed an anchoring pruned bush in each plot with daisies and mums along side the broccoli and cabbage. Small apple and pear trees provided an aisle down the center. Weathered doors lead inside the farmhouse where historical farm tools decorated the dark walls.

Past the largest turreted tower we discovered three other towers anchoring the corners of the museum, not quite so powerful. Originally Castle St. Anne (1450) was an enclosed courtyard and renovated to expose one side of the courtyard to the moat. We were pleasantly surprised to see an expansive plaza with graceful column. Past the towers in a green pasture rambled tiny tiny deer, part of the animal park. Over the hill were signs of a fortified farm, testimony to the dedication of Castle St. Anne to the rural life of the last century.

Inside the gift shop we asked touristy questions of the attentive attendants, who spoke excellent English. Robert inquired, after seeing scads of small ponies in the fields leading to the Castle, why Belgium had such small deer and horses. Our informative hostess quirked her head to the side and with a delightful little twinkle replied, "Belgium is a small country."

Castle St. Anne is open every day except for Jan. 1 from 9-6, July and August 9-7. Admission is 5.50 Euros, Children 3.80 Euros. Website www.chateau-lavaux.com