The church of Saint Leonard rises over the little town of Zoutleeuw, in the fruit-growing country east of Leuven, and it is far grander than the size of the place suggests. In the Middle Ages the town, known in French as Léau, was a prosperous trading centre on a route between Brabant and Liège, and its burghers put their money into stone. Work on the church began in the thirteenth century and went on for generations, giving a late Gothic body with a tall tower, rich sculpture and a lofty, light interior with white walls and tall windows.
Inside, the church is a treasury. The most remarkable object is the sacrament tower, a slender stone structure about eighteen metres high that reaches almost to the vaulting, carved in the sixteenth century in a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance forms, with tiny figures and canopies. It is one of the masterpieces of its kind in Europe and is attributed to the sculptor Cornelis Floris. There is also a fine rood screen, a series of carved altars and a collection of paintings and church silver. The town's other buildings, including a Renaissance town hall and a beguinage, are also worth a look, though the place is small enough to cover on foot in an hour.
The countryside here is Hageland and Haspengouw, soft, rolling farmland with orchards of apple, pear and cherry, and the best time is April when the blossom is out, or September when the fruit is ripe. The roads are flat or gently undulating, narrow and often lined with trees, with surface quality that varies, and in Belgium you should watch for cobbles, mud left by tractors and cyclists. The roads between the villages are quiet, and short stretches of good tarmac make for relaxed riding. Rain is frequent, so be ready.
Zoutleeuw has a few thousand people, so you will find fuel, bakeries and cafes without any trouble, and larger places such as Tienen and Sint-Truiden are a short ride away. Try a Belgian waffle or a local beer in a cafe on the market square, or perhaps a slice of fruit tart in season. Check the church's opening hours before you go, because it is not always open outside the afternoon.