View of Vijlen by Nop Briex

Early January 2026. On a reasonably sunny Sunday afternoon, I drive to my beloved South Limburg, to Holland's only real "mountain village": Vijlen.

Vijlen (Limburgish: Viele or Ville) is a village with over 1,385 inhabitants (reference date 2023) in southern Limburg, belonging to the Dutch municipality of Vaals. Vijlen lies at about 195 metres above sea level, making it the highest situated parish village in (European) the Netherlands.

The village of Vijlen is largely situated on the Vijlenberg (195 m) and the Vijlen Plateau in the south-eastern part of the South Limburg Hill Country. Due to its high location in the extreme southeast of the Netherlands, Vijlen is the place where the first snow usually falls and also the most snow per year. The Sint-Martinus church in Vijlen is sometimes referred to as the highest situated church building in the Netherlands, but that is unjustified. The church stands at an altitude of 192-195 m NAP, but the Reformed Church of Vaals (about 215 m NAP) and St Paul's Church in the same place (211 m NAP) are 15-20 metres higher.

Vijlen lies on the tourist Mergelland route between Epen and Vaals. The village lies on a ridge that extends from the Vijlenerbossen, via the Rugweg, the village itself, Hilleshagen to Mechelen. To the north of the village, the Selzerbeek, which is fed by the Harleserbeek to the east of the village, lies in the stream valley. On the other side of the ridge, the Lombergbeek flows in the valley southwest of the village. Striking features of the landscape include hollow roads, hawthorn hedges, fruit orchards, the largest vineyard in the Netherlands and typical South Limburg black-and-white painted half-timbered houses. There are relatively many campsites and holiday homes in this un-Dutch-looking landscape.

The village of Vijlen includes the hamlets of Camerig, Harles, Rott, Melleschet and Cottessen.