Oudenaarde's town hall looks like something carved from lace. Built in the early sixteenth century in the late Gothic style, it has a facade covered with pointed arches, niches and statues, and a slender belfry topped with a gilded crown on which stands a small knight known locally as Hanske de Krijger, Little John the Warrior. The building is one of the finest of its kind in Flanders, and it is listed by UNESCO among the belfries of Belgium and France. Inside, there are displays of the tapestries for which Oudenaarde was famous across Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, especially its verdures, woven scenes of forests and greenery.
Oudenaarde sits on the River Scheldt, in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes, and it has had its share of history. In 1708, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated a French army in a great battle just outside the town. Today, though, Oudenaarde is best known as the home of the Tour of Flanders, one of the great classics of cycle racing. The Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen, a museum devoted to the race, stands near the market square, and the finish line is close by.
The hills around town are where the race is won and lost: short, steep climbs, many of them cobbled, with names that every cycling fan knows, the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, the Koppenberg. On a motorcycle, they are an interesting challenge, steep and slippery when wet, with rough stones and narrow lanes. Respect the cyclists who come from all over the world to ride them; they have priority in spirit if not in law.
The riding in the Flemish Ardennes is pleasant, with rolling hills, green fields, woods and villages, on narrow roads with many bends. Traffic is moderate, but cyclists are everywhere, especially at weekends. Further south, towards Ronse and the French border, the hills continue, with good views.
Oudenaarde has fuel, shops, cafés and restaurants. Try the local brown beer, Oudenaards bruin, a sour-sweet ale brewed in the town for centuries. The market square is lined with terraces, and on a sunny day it is a lovely place to sit. Showers sweep in regularly, so keep a waterproof handy.