About the village

Leut (Maasmechelen) is centrally located in the RivierPark Maasvallei. The history of the village is inextricably linked to that of the Castle of Leut, also known as the ‘Vilain XIIII’ Castle. Indeed, the spelling of this noble family’s name is actually ‘XIIII’. As early as the Middle Ages, the castle (then a fortress) was inhabited by the ‘lords of Leut’. Over the centuries, the medieval moated fortress with two moats and a drawbridge evolved into an open residential building with a fixed bridge over the remaining moat, surrounded by a vast park in the English landscape style. This park was laid out in the 19th century by the castle’s most illustrious resident: Charles Vilain XIIII.

Charles Vilain XIIII also left his mark on the village itself. In the shadow of the Saint Peter’s Church and the three linden trees with the (working!) village pump, the villagers like to gather here for a chat or a game of pétanque. The historic cemetery and a few notable buildings are also worth mentioning.

The influence of the Meuse River on the surroundings of Leut is evident everywhere: the typical T-street pattern of the hamlet of Mazenhoven, the Meuse Cross in Vucht, old Meuse meanders, and new wild nature along the river. Leut, Meeswijk, and Vucht are three Maas villages that are best explored together. In each of these three villages, you’ll find small-scale parking areas indicated from the Rijksweg. Zooming out a bit further: the history of Leut is also connected to that of Elsloo and Stein (on the Dutch side of the Meuse). It’s no coincidence that a few castles can be visited here as well.