Routes (49)

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• Quaregnon route

  As you explore the Borinage, Quaregnon will undoubtedly leave an indelible impression on you, so rich is the city’s history. Marked profoundly by its industrial history and mining operations, it still retains traces of its past activities. Its hiking trails over slag heaps, its town hall, its cultural events and its local produce are of course included in that. Quaregnon will amaze you with its diversity!

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 17.84 km

• Le top 15 de l’architecture contemporaine

  Come and discover the top 15 of contemporary architecture in Mons and in the Borinage, and change your view of the 20th century heritage. From a selection of projects included in the “Guide to modern and contemporary architecture in Mons & Cœur du Hainaut 1885-2015”, tour a city with a heritage that bets on contemporary architecture as an engine of local and regional development, through the construction and renovation of many public facilities, especially as part of Mons 2015: Mons 2015 Foundation, Mons Memorial Museum, Artothèque, Maison du Design, BAM, Silex, Arsonic, Mundaneum, ... All the projects unveiled here (and many others) are taken from the “Guide to modern and contemporary architecture in Mons & Cœur du Hainaut 1885-2015”, under the direction of Lamya Ben Djaffar and Isabelle De Smet and illustrated with photographs by Olivier Cornil. The book, from a partnership with the UMONS Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, was published in 2015 by the Cellule Architectural Publishers of the Wallonia-Brussels – Mardaga Federation. It is available from the Tourism Office and in all the good bookshops in Belgium and France.

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 7.22 km

• Quiévrain, at the country's edge

  A route that takes in the traces of a rich history, unique to these cross-border regions. Leave Quiévrain by taking the RAVeL, a former railway line, which in the 19th and early 20th centuries was the economic artery of Borinage where coal transited. At the wind farm, the route forks and descends down to the Hauts-Pays. The flags in the landscape mark the memorial of the terrible Battle of Audregnies, in August 1914. Here is Audregnies and its magnificent treed square, the largest in Belgium. And the Dufrasnes bakery fits perfectly in this little village. Having slipped a loaf of delicious artisan bread into the backpack for a picnic, we return to the frontier, following the age-old path, one of seven Chaussées de Brunehaut which crisscrossed a whole section of Europe in the Middle Ages. Roads that united people before letters... And Quiévrain, at the gates of France, is at their crossroads.

  • 
    04 h 00 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 10.15 km

• Quaregnon, a rich heritage

  A route through urban territory but which for which there is no lack of charm when it comes to climbing the La Flache slag heap. On Monday, Quaregnon is adorned with thousands of colours and fragrances – it’s market day! The stalls are filled with Italian, Moroccan and Turkish products that scent the air. Here beats a bit or the heart of the South. From the Town Square, where the old outline of the church is reproduced, let us go along these streets that have an interesting architectural heritage. An example is the community hall, built in 1939 adjacent to the tower of the Gothic church, dating from the 15th century. We climb or rather clamber up the La Flache slag heap, ending up at an altitude of over 100 m. At the peak, the view takes in a 360° panorama and you can see over 30 km! It also lets you see the size of the Grand-Hornu site. On our return, we go along the imposing Louis Pierard Stadium, erected in 1946. Return to the centre of Quaregnon where we delight in taking in a small Craquegnon (cheese).

  • 
    01 h 30 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 7.29 km

• Moneuse route: the Houlette massacre - Honnelles

  This route takes you in the footsteps of Antoine-Joseph Moneuse, the famous bandit and Captain of the Chauffeurs du Nord. During this walk, you’ll relive this dark day of 22 November 1795. At that date, one of the most bloody events to have hit our region took place: the Houlette massacre. Moneuse was soon suspected of being the perpetrator of this heinous crime that killed nine people. But the truth is never simple ... Through the fields and paths of Roisin and Meaurain and the French village of La Flamangrie, you’ll have to cross the Franco-Belgian border several times where our region was torn between Austria and France, recalling a troubled period of history. Have a good walk and watch out... Bandits are about. Route created and put together by Hauts-Pays natural park Illustrations Claude Renard

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    medium
  • 
    01 h 00 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 9.76 km

• Jurbise - Beautiful Countryside

  Jurbise, a few kilometres to the north of Mons, is not short on charm with Moustier castle, the starting point of this ride. From the town hall, the route snakes through fields: small niches and chapels mark out the way to Egmont castle, from the late Middle Ages. On its foundations, a monastic community established a priory, slightly removed from the world. It is true that on these rearranged routes you get a calm soothing feeling. You silently cycle over bitumen to Herchies. There, a tree of nails stands proudly from a legacy of popular beliefs. Put up in the 1950s, it is the worthy heir of the missing oak, which is more than four centuries old. From the village, you pass through a rural landscape including the hamlets of Gernante and Petite Vacresse, which are peaceful and undoubtedly offer a great quality of life to their inhabitants. At Erbisoeul, leave the road on the right leading to Jurbise golf course, one of the oldest in Belgium and designed at the time by the English garden architect Simpson. The return to Jurbise goes along country roads which are unknown and yet very rural.

  • 
    01 h 50 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 17.65 km

• In the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh in the Borinage

  From the “Maison du Marais” in Cuesmes to the former “Marcasse” coalmine in Colfontaine, explore Mons-Borinage and the sites visited by Van Gogh during his time in the region.

  • 
    03 h 00 m

    hard

  Longueur du parcours: 48.57 km

• Colfontaine route

  Here’s a bike tour that explores the many facets of Colfontaine. Its narrow streets, its history with Van Gogh, the coal mine of Marcasse, its forest and its heritage... You start by coming from Mons via the Ravel!

  • 
    01 h 30 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 14.65 km

• Montignies-sur-roc, the Epicurean's Route

  Crossing the Haut-Pays by bike where we enjoy stopping at renowned producers. From the square, let’s go down into the picturesque valley formed by the Petite Honnelle. A small hill and here comes the pretty square of Audregnies. It’s an opportunity to stop at the Dufrasnes artisanal bakery and taste the delicious breads, cooked on stone. The Flavours Route goes on, towards Wihéries. There, another bakery is worth the detour. At Chez Joël et Christine, at the ball game square, we take away a small homemade pie – the cyclist remains an Epicurean… The RAVeL, this pretty green channel, takes us quickly to Quiévrain. We get something to eat at ®Bistrot de Terroir, Estaminet, before continuing towards Angreau where one of the taste masters, the chocolatier Druart is located. From Roisin a short detour towards Meaurain, bee country. Just after Autreppe the route follows the ridges that lead us to Onnezies, illuminated by the soft light of late afternoon.

  • 
    04 h 00 m

    hard

  Longueur du parcours: 43.31 km

• Quiévrain Route

  Quiévrain, Audregnies, Baisieux ... This bike tour will expose you to the three villages from different angles, covering heritage, nature, history and recollection through the Mémoire d’Audregnies.

  • 
    01 h 30 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 14.14 km

• Boussu, au fil de l'eau

  A route that glides along the Haine, in the heart of a wetland, on of the most unexpected natural reserves in this industrial region. Start in the greenery of the park of the Boussu chateau where there is a magnificent reed bed. Here we are in the heart of a wetland of over 760 ha that the water board will allow to dry out. Continue this tour along the water, cutting through the levees – with natural filtration, the Saubin is a good example of natural clean up. From these peaceful landscapes, we return to the most austere tailing dumps of shafts 7 and 8 of Hornu. These black mountains, immense, witness to the mining activities that prevailed there. Like the RAVeL along the old Warquignies station, which housed all the skips from the mines – 42 tracks, rotary hubs – nothing is left... Just before reaching the centre, a short detour to the left brings us to the Desevaux brewery.

  • 
    03 h 30 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 10.52 km

• Cycle route: Mons – SILEX'S – Mons

  This route designed by ProVélo and Mons’ Maison des Cyclistes cycling centre connects Mons’ Grand-Place to SILEX’S, the interpretation centre of the archaeological site of the Neolithic Mines of Spiennes, which are UNESCO classified. An exceptional site where going down a mine is the highlight of a trip (advance bookings is required, on 0032 65 39 59 39). The outward trip between Mons and SILEX’S is as direct as possible; the return offers you a slight detour through the low-traffic roads of villages in the immediate vicinity of Mons. A route designed by not-for-profit organisation PRO VÉLO Maison des Cyclistes du Hainaut (bike point) in Mons. Source: http://www.provelo.org/fr/tour/idees-balades/minieres-neolithiques-spiennes

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 17.89 km

• Blaugies, between two worlds

  A route that runs between fields and woods, to the discovery of a lovely valley and an industrial heritage. Far from the stereotypes, the Borinage is a green country. Blaugies is a village that lives with the rhythm of hay-making. We move along the country paths, towards the Saint-Ghislain woods which from the 19th century had been the border between two worlds, less than a kilometre apart. On the hand, that of small-scale farmers, on the other, the mine. We are aware of it treading through the woods, here on clay soil, there on coal dust... In the woods, the stream plunges us into a wild world – we even surprise a deer. And yet, going up the path, on the right are found the ruins of the Sauwartan mine, witness of an era when dust, pollution and noise invaded the woods. So things justly return – near the ruins, daffodils appear in season. The black of Borinage is no more...

  • 
    02 h 30 m

    medium

  Longueur du parcours: 7.28 km

• Montignies-sur-Roc, sweet life

  The undulating hills surround Montignies-sur-Roc, a rural country where one finds the sweetness of life in the Hauts-Pays. From the village square, we follow the paved road which takes us to the paths of the Hauts-Pays. Far from the cities and heavy industry, we breathe. At Autreppe, the hills and the forest merge and obscure the horizon. We enter the valley carved by the Honnelle. A steep descent and we are there at the foot of the Caillou qui Bique, the legendary rock where poet Emile Verhaeren liked to recharge. We go up the course of the river to rejoin the RAVeL upstream. It will take us to the entrance of Audregnies. A short detour via a secret trail brings us to the Brasserie de l’Abbaye des Rocs and the little shop of the Pype-Lievens Farm, producing delicious white cheeses, camamberts and yoghurts. Here you will be greeted by the charming smile of these producers, in harmony with the welcoming side of the Hauts-Pays Nature Park.

  • 
    04 h 00 m

    hard

  Longueur du parcours: 11.97 km

• Parcours-découverte de Saint-Symphorien

  Venez découvrir le village dans ses coins les plus inattendus

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 6.42 km

• Cycle route: Mons, a tribute to 1914-1918

  On the occasion of the First World War centenary, Mons has joined forces with many towns in Belgium and France which witnessed the Great War to increase awareness and sensitivity towards it. Through commemorative ceremonies, exhibitions and various forms of representation, the Mons region will pay tribute to all those civilians and military men who suffered during these four years. Mons is at the heart of the First World War commemorations in 2014. Discover the legend of the Mons Angels and navigate the territories marked by this Great War. So we never forget...

  • 
    03 h 00 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 31.23 km

• Shopping -The experience walk

  Venez faire votre shopping autrement! Pourquoi autrement? Parce que vous trouverez un large choix de boutiques de qualité aux produits originaux. Parce que vous pourrez profiter de notre magnifique patrimoine pour embellir votre balade. Parce que le coeur historique regorge de bonnes adresses gourmandes. Parce que vous découvrirez le charme de nos 8 quartiers commercants à l'ambiance unique. Tout simplement parce qu'au centre-ville de Mons, une expérience shopping que vous ne trouverez nulle part ailleurs vous attend.

  • 
    01 h 30 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 1.77 km

• L' Art habite la Ville (Art lives in the city)

  Discover also: "Mobilier urbain revisité" In the city centre In collaboration with graphic arts schools in the region, urban furniture elements were decorated for the project. Across the city, tightrope walkers will balance between two posts, and ORES and PROXIMUS terminals will burst with colours. Pierre Liebaert - "Je crois aux nuits" From May 2019 Pierre Liebaert, a young photographer from Mons who regularly exhibits in museums and festivals, has produced four photographs about folklore related to the renewal of the body and nature.

  • 
    02 h 00 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 5.95 km

• Shopping - Kids walk

  Take this shopping tour iwhere the spotlight is on the children!

  • 
    01 h 30 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 2.83 km

• Hensies, bird paradise

  Upon entering this natural sanctuary, who would imagine that this site was once the location of an industrial operation? Its story is beautiful and reminds us that nature is often the strongest. This magnificent reserve was original a mining site which collapsed in the seventies. The groves and flooded meadows, spaces between wetlands and dry areas are developed, forming reed beds and marshy woods. These marshes are our greatest ornithological reserve in Belgium, hosting thousands of birds, especially during winter gathering. Observation posts have been built on the banks of the ponds. Enter quietly to see from the openings, ducks, mergansers, red-crested pochards, bitterns and other species. Along the reeds a heron flies nonchalantly – we no longer know where to point our binoculars... What a wealth these swamps contain!

  • 
    01 h 10 m

    easy

  Longueur du parcours: 4.26 km

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