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2026 Our Own Story Maastricht July concerts

Heather Jamieson and her cousin Jen. Having sushi for dinner at Sashimi’s.

Meeting more fan- friends at “de la Bourse”. Thanks Al for the Maple Syrop!

Ha, ha, oops, Ruud’s view when we watched André outside!

Fireworks and snow on the Vrijthof. Snow during a heatwave in our country, how is that possible?

My revenge-photo. Ha, ha, Ruud!

A new merchandise shop opened at Hotel Derlon, (OLV square). Promoted by the appearance of Mascot “Little André”, sometimes as a surprise prior to a concert.

His hairstyle is based on André’s childhood hero "Tintin" Photo below: Lotte (from Andre RieuTravel team) runs the shop. Pierre’s daughter Lieke (long hair) assists her.

Quality time at Derlon’s terrace, meeting more friends

Hi sir, we remember you

Barbara Fischer, from Germany

Elisabeth (Libby) Heinsohn-Deer from Adelaid, Australia and Debbie Kral from Florida, USA

Kenny and Connie Toong from Malaysia, now living in Canada. We have met them before 7 years ago in Maastricht! (2019)

Burning candles for a better world. Dear Mary, Star of the Sea, please help to make a better world! André is trying, but cannot do it on his own! He needs some assistance from above. Please.

Visiting the renewed courtyard of the OLV (Our Dear Lady) Basilica, with big white Casa-Blanca lillies.

Heather and her cousin Jen came from New Zealand. Jen had never been here before. She loved the images on André’s big backdrop in the concert (of the Limburg countryside) that much, that we decided to take them on a trip through the surrounding area and of course to the Three Country Point at Vaals and our highest “mountain”.

We started at EIJSDEN castle and hit the icecream parlor, as usual.

Historic houses and the restored watermill (Volmolen) at EPEN.

Three-country point in VAALS. Highest “mountain” in the Netherlands measures 322.5 m above sea level.

Historic building in Vaals, now Van der Valk Hotel “Bloemendal”.

Castle Schaloen, near VALKENBURG

NL, Belgium, Germany. We are in Germany!

We spent another day with Richard and Linda Oswick at their summer residence at the OOSTERDRIESSEN campsite.

It was a relaxed day with plenty of food and drink, resting, and some walking.

On Wednesday 8th we attended a free concert at the “Pandhof” (courtyard of the St Servaas basilica). Laura Engel was there with her mother and the kids Mateo and Eve. And more friends were there!!

The evening concluded with a drink at Revue-terrace.

You all know the story of the Musketeer d'Artagnan, who fought for his French king, Louis XIV, in the 17th century. The intention was to capture Maastricht, but he fell in the battle and the French troops retreated. He was therefore, technically an enemy of Maastricht, yet strangely enough, he is honored here and even got a statue in the Aldenhof park. Ruud and Ineke are interested in history and read about a horse graveyard from that wartime period, excavated in 2010 in the Meuse Valley near Borgharen. Why no statue for those 67 fallen horses? We went to take a look!

Only a memorial needle and a plaque

A simple exhibition with photos of the excavation was on display at the nearby Hartelstein castle farm.

The excavations in 2010 in a ditch at the Maasvalley. 67 horses from the French army. By way of a memorial monument, an artist created a work of art by placing 67 boulders, each representing a horse.

We did not see the boulders in the field anymore. The valley and the boulders were covered by beautiful wild flowers.

Nonke Buusjke (meaning: uncle’s bush) On Sunday July 12th we drove to Schinveld to visit the little museum village Nonke Buusjke that is only open to visitors on Sunday afternoons between 12 and 5 pm. We were lucky to be treated on a concert by the local (Brunssum) musicians, in various music styles. We enjoyed it very much.

Above: a lazy and cool Sunday afternoon in the Schinveld forest. Below: Our hotel was dealing with a huge problem regarding the air conditioning (30,5 C = 90 F in our room) which lasted all 3 weeks, and I am wearing two cooling scarves here to keep my brain cool.

As a bonus, we had a unique view of the Bokkenrijders' catch-up performance. Click HERE

The last supper of our New Zealand friends with us, at Brasserie Louis of the Derlon Hotel. The next day they would take the train to Delft, to spend a few days there, before flying home.

A group of Ruud’s colleagues and business guests, attending the dinner/concert pakkage at the Vogelstruys restaurant. A total of 32 persons.

On Wednesday July 15th, we went to visit the caves of Kanne (Be), for a two hours guided tour in a wonderful 11 degrees C. (mushrooms are grown there) Yes, we needed a cardigan or jacket!!

And we tried the new suspension bridge over the Albert canal, named: Passerelle de Caster. It was opened in April 2026

Start of the 3rd series of four concerts: Thursday, July 16, 2026. Here we go again: Busloads of André fans arrive each afternoon on the Market square and we saw my family (?) coming by, as well.

At the Stationsstraat we saw a work of art that we had never seen before in Maastricht. The (temporary - for three weeks) sculpture draws attention to people who are terminally ill.

Sue and Richard Dawney (UK), Ruud and Ineke, having lunch together in Wyck, at the other side of the river Meuse.

Sue and Richard Dawney attended the concert of Thursday 16th July 2026

Ludo and Jeanine Mesters can often be found volunteering at the drinks counter at the edge of the concert. © Laurens Bouvrie

Jeanine is marching along this week with the "green" St. Petrus and Paulus brass band from Wolder as an alto saxophonist.

For 10 years, we have enjoyed working with Ludo as party manager for Stiphout Shipping Company for our fan dinners. On July 17th, we visited them at their home in Geulle and were treated to a luxury lunch in their garden. Thanks Ludo and Jeanine! It was a joy to see you again!

Below: Recently opened to visitors, every Friday afternoon. St. Matthias Church on the Boschstraat, with the adjacent Chapel of Our Lady of Banneux.

Jos Jacobs, retired night porter of hotel DuCasque and close friend to retired receptionist Vito Chiappa, brought us the sad message that Vito just passed away in July 2026. We are so sorry! We have known and appreciated Vito for almost 20 years. He enjoyed the invasion of André fans each year. The last years we knew he was seriously ill. We visited him at his home in Urmond in 2025. May he rest in peace.

In loving memory: Vito Chiappa, receptionist of hotel DuCasque.

On our last day in Maastricht we enjoyed a “farewell” drink and snack with Pascal Mestrom and Laura Engel, at Charlemagne, OLV square.

The Royal Marching Band St. Petrus and Paulus, performed the third week. Jeanine Mesters plays the alto Saxophone.

Ruud’s colleague Jeroen van der Weijden with Saskia, performed all concerts

Pierre provided another surprise: he appeared at the final concert among the dance couples, with choreographer Kimberley Jacobs-Smith as his partner

The party is over. Three weeks Maastricht flew by. We loved every day catching up with friends, and every concert! Sometimes with tickets on the square, sometimes with a dinner / screen arrangement at a Vrijthof restaurant, sometimes watching from our hotel room. Thank you very much André, orchestra and crew, is was a joy to join your jubilee as 20 years fans on the Vrijthof!

The clearing of the Vrijthof square and stage begins immediately after the last concert has finished. The crew worked all night long. This is what we saw when we opened the curtains at 8 am. Seats gone, instruments gone, and a lot of purple boxes in front of the Main Guard house. Men with leaf blowers cleaned the square, and even the yellow streamers were regularly removed from the trees with cherry pickers and a long grabber stick.

The first person we met after arrival, in Maastricht, was Heather’s favorite police officer: Sander!

I assume that they don’t come for André.

The encores of each concert. An Amazing view from our hotel room. Bye bye, until next year!

At the Vrijthof concerts, there is a special parking space for walkers and wheelchairs, including the service of the piccolos.

The Wish Ambulance Limburg ensures an unforgettable evening for seriously ill people.

Seen at the Sunday flea market in Maastricht: a Vinyl LP Record from 1980, by the Maastricht Salon Orchestra: Rendez-Vous. Asking price now: € 25,00