Authentic Maas villages around Thorn

The special white town
The special town of Thorn is the starting point of this route. In Thorn you will find picturesque white houses that originated in the French period. At that time, the French introduced taxes based on the size of windows. Residents of large houses bricked up their windows because otherwise they would have to pay too much tax. To disguise the construction traces, they painted their houses white and so Thorn became 'the white town'. The old city center has been a protected cityscape since 1973. From Thorn you cycle to Maasbracht. There you can admire the Leonardus Mill from the 19th century. Then you cycle back to Thorn via Maaseik. You will pass the Thorn Abbey from 975. In the thirteenth century, the old abbey made way for a church in Gothic style.

Castle farm De Grote Hegge
A little way outside Thorn you cycle past the De Grote Hegge castle farm. The history of this farm dates back at least to 1389, but perhaps much further. Old notes show that the estate then consisted of a fortified house, a Laathof, a Leenkamer and various farms and meadows. The current main building was only built in the fifteenth century. Between 1974 and 1975, the castle farm was extensively restored and the moat was dug again.