From the City of Five Steeples to the City of Hurlus
Get ready for two great days in Picardy Wallonia between Tournai and Mouscron along the
French border. Start the adventure on foot or by bike from Tournai, the City of Five Steeples.
The name was given due to the five towers of its cathedral and is one of the oldest cities in
Belgium. Everywhere you go you’ll find traces of multi-millennial history in its preserved
architecture. In particular, the oldest Belfry in Belgium as well as Notre-Dame Cathedral
and heritage sites from medieval times, both on the UNESCO list.
Another highlight is the Museum of Fine Arts designed by Victor Horta. In this impressive
building, you’ll discover the paintings of great names in art, from the middle ages to the
present day. You then leave Tournai, following the recently re-developed banks of the
River Scheldt in the direction of ‘Mont Saint-Aubert’. Once you’ve made the climb you’ll
be rewarded
with a superb panorama of Tournai and its surrounding countryside.
Then, as you follow the canals again you’ll discover the Domaine and ‘Château de Bourgogne’,
arriving in Mouscron where you can admire its famous ‘Château des Comtes’. Mouscron
was nicknamed the City of Hurlus in reference to a character who lived on crimes of all
kinds in the region during the religious wars in the 16th century. This resulted in the Hurlus
festival which takes place every first weekend of October and is punctuated by trumpets,
drums and folkloric characters.
Picardy Wallonia is full of surprises you won’t expect.
51 km
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max. 72 m
min. 13 m
105 m
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Accessibility | ||||
Style : Roadtrip Public : FamilyCyclists |
In the centre of Tournai, 800 yards from the cathedral, a mansion of the 1920’s proposes a number of themed rooms. gitesdewallonie.be/en/maison-tahereh
www.visittournai.be
www.visittournai.be
walloniebelgiquetourisme.be/fr-be/3/ou-aller/villes-dart/tournai/incontournables
www.patisseriequenoy.be/specialites
villatournesol.wordpress.com/blog/
www.bed-breakfast-tournai.be/
Le Roc Paisible is a peaceful B&B in Havinnes (near Tournai). The room (big enough for 3) is located on the first floor of this countryside house: a cosy space with furniture renovated by the owner himself. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/le-roc-paisible-bb-tournai
walloniebelgiquetourisme.be/fr-be/content/chambres-dhotes-la-roseraie-a-templeuve
This 18th century house in the centre of Tournai guarantees a relaxed atmosphere and a personalised welcome. Annual closure between Christmas and New Year. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/hotel-dalcantara
A pleasant, peaceful camping site: walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/chateau-du-biez-camping-site
The Biérodrome, located along the Escaut, is fully dedicated to craft beer: the perfect place to satisfy your curiosity about the brewing world... and your tastebuds, of course.
The Brasserie de Cazeau, a family brewery, invites you to try their craft beer, full of character. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/brasserie-de-cazeau-tournai
Love adventure and reconnecting with nature? Ecopark Adventures Tournai, with its 2 separate parks, guarantees thrilling memories...
The current Museum of Fine Arts was born from the genius of Art Nouveau architecture, Victor Horta.
"The current Museum of Fine Arts was born from the genius of Art Nouveau architecture, Victor Horta.
Antoing Castle was the stronghold of the powerful family of Melun and then passed to the current line of Princes. Today we can still see a large part of the 12th century enclosure and the bolewerk (fortified bastion) built in the 15th century. In the 19th century, the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc transformed the castle into a magnificent Neo-Gothic house.
The historic town of Tournai is home to TAMAT, the Centre for Tapestry, Wall Arts and Textile Arts of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/tamat-contemporary-centre-textile-arts
Tournai is best seen from its 15th century belfry, listed by UNESCO. Built on the site of the 1218 original after it burnt down, it is the oldest in Wallonia's seven belfries and the only one with outdoor viewing platforms.
Listed by UNESCO for its 5 bell towers, its nave and transept of Romanesque style, Notre-Dame Cathedral is a gem of medieval architecture. Its rather large nave counts 4 horizontal levels along 8 spans. The columns are topped with capitals often decorated with botanical details and are all different: a hundred different pieces in total, quite unique in Belgium! walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/content/notre-dame-de-tournai-cathedral-listed-unesco
The Alizé Mouscron hotel and aparthotel, ideally located near the town centre, is part of the We Care network. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/3/accommodation/eco-labelled-accommodation/best-western-plus-hotel-alize-/13604
Looking for an eco-friendly place to stay at the very heart of Tournai? Try the city's Youth Hostel. walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk/en-gb/3/accommodation/eco-labelled-accommodation/auberge-de-jeunesse-de-tournai-/10780
Listed by UNESCO for its 5 bell towers, its nave and transept of Romanesque style, Notre-Dame Cathedral is a gem of medieval architecture. Its rather large nave counts 4 horizontal levels along 8 spans. The columns are topped with capitals often decorated with botanical details and are all different: a hundred different pieces in total, quite unique in Belgium!
Do you have the courage to come down the 306m zip-line, the longest in Belgium at the site of the Carrière de l'Orient? Afterwards you can take a plunge in the swimming pool or make a tour of the lake by pedal boat... Ecopark Adventures is the ideal place to spend a relaxing day with family or friends. Look for adventure and discover nature!
Aqua Tournai offers a whole range of possibilities for a relaxing day : indoor and outdoor pool with 4 slides, a cafeteria with outdoor terrace, pedal boats, a barbecue island, a play area for children and "tree climbing"! This is the ideal place to spend time with your family, by the lake and in a nature reserve accessible via walking trails.
A haven of peace at a stone’s throw from the city centre. This recreational site of biological interest offers a whole range of activities for the entire family: indoor and outdoor swimming pool featuring 4 slides, cafeteria with outdoor area, pedal boats, barbecue areas, play area (sand box, rope apparatuses, slides,…), tree climbing, fishing ponds and a walking trail around a vast lake. The perfect place to spend an agreeable day with family or friends. The nearby camp site "le Camping de l’Orient" consists of 50 pitches.
Great campsite (20 ha), 4 km from the city centre with a manmade lake, cafeteria, games, barbecue, pedal boats and swimming pool with waterslide.
De multiples opportunités de détente vous sont offertes à Aqua Tournai : piscine intérieure et extérieure avec 4 toboggans, cafétéria avec terrasse, pédalos, île aux barbecues, jeux pour enfants et accrobranche ! Site idéal pour une journée de loisirs en famille, au bord de l’eau et au sein d’une réserve naturelle qui se visite grâce à des promenades-nature.
Tirant son nom de sa toiture tardive en tuiles rouges, le Fort Rouge n’est autre qu’une tour d’angle de la première enceinte communale de Tournai (XIIe- XIIIe siècles) et, à ce titre, un des témoins de la transition militaire opérée, à cette époque, entre plan quadrangulaire et circulaire. Cette modification structurelle est également visible à la tour du Cygne (rue du Cygne). Probablement détruit en 1213, le Fort Rouge est reconstruit en des dimensions plus imposantes permettant de mieux défendre cette portion anguleuse du rempart. Le fort est depuis constitué de quatre niveaux sous une toiture presque conique. Le dernier de ces niveaux dispose de consoles triangulaires qui soutenaient à l’origine des mantelets, volets en bois occultant les créneaux. Suite à la construction de la seconde enceinte communale (XIIIe-XIVe siècles), le fort perd sa fonction militaire. Son fossé (dit Kinsoen) est comblé et la tour est englobée dans la propriété du comte Dumortier. L’habitation de ce dernier étant ornée de médaillons figurant les Césars, l’îlot prend alors le nom d’îlot des Douze Césars. Le Fort Rouge a fait l’objet d’une rénovation et d’une mise en valeur laissant apparentes les traces du plan originel de la tour. Classé comme monument le 27 septembre 1972
The Mont Saint-Aubert is also called Mont de la Trinité because of the pilgrimages of the same name that first occurred in the 14th century. Seen from the motorway this isolated hill is like a lighthouse rising from the sea. A narrow winding road lined with magnificent houses takes you to the top. But don't be mistaken: even though Mont Saint-Aubert is mainly known as a recreation site, agriculture is still very much present here. Playgrounds, restaurants and bars enliven the top of the hill, but the walking trails take you to the heart of nature and offer magnificent views of the surrounding area.
This site owes its name to its magnificent location on the top of a hill overlooking Tournai on one side and the North of France on the other. It offers everything you may want for a fun day (or more!) with your family: a playground with high-quality equipment suitable for all ages and a minigolf. An outdoor terrace provides a perfect view of the playground. You can also take one of the signposted walks in the area. In addition, the Mont Saint-Aubert has several hotels, restaurants and bars that are all much-frequented in summer.
Vaste écrin de verdure situé au cœur d'Estaimbourg, le parc de Bourgogne représente une offre unique (et gratuite !) dans la région pour divertir petits et grands. Avec son étang, son arboretum, ses enclos animaliers, son aire de jeux, ses terrains de pétanque, son labyrinthe, son mini-golf, sa cafétéria, son kiosque à musique, le domaine de 14 ha accueille chaque été de nombreuses manifestations.
Vaste écrin de verdure situé au cœur d'Estaimbourg, le parc de Bourgogne représente une offre unique (et gratuite !) dans la région pour divertir petits et grands. Avec son étang, son arboretum, ses enclos animaliers, son aire de jeux, ses terrains de pétanque, son labyrinthe, son mini-golf, sa cafétéria, son kiosque à musique, le domaine de 14 ha accueille chaque été de nombreuses manifestations. Dans un cadre verdoyant et stylé, les arcades vitrées de l'Orangerie du Château de Bourgogne plongent sur un parc de 14ha. Cet espace d'exception permet d'accueillir un grand nombre de personnes pour des manifestations telles que conférences, congrès, séminaires. Tout est prévu ici pour favoriser les séances de travail en vue d'un résultat optimal.
Le Centre Marcel Marlier, dessine-moi Martine est un lieu consacré au talent et à l'univers de l'illustrateur mouscronnois. Installé dans les dépendances du Château des Comtes, le Centre d'interprétation rend hommage à un homme perfectionniste et passionné de nature en dévoilant son sens de l'observation unique et sa capacité à exprimer les sentiments. Le complexe met, bien sûr, l'accent sur la collection Martine qui a rendu le dessinateur célèbre dans le monde entier en devenant un véritable phénomène éditorial. Le Centre Marcel Marlier, dessine-moi Martine se veut participatif. Au fil du parcours, les visiteurs joueront, manipuleront des objets ou utiliseront les nouvelles technologies. Une grande place est accordée au numérique, à l'audiovisuel et au multimédia.Le parcours du Centre Marcel Marlier, dessine-moi Martine a, avant tout, été conçu pour plaire aux enfants mais il va sans dire que les adultes nostalgiques apprécieront ce retour en enfance! Le Centre se partage sur deux étages. La visite commence au rez-de-chaussée par une présentation de la vie et de l'œuvre du dessinateur. Différentes vidéos révèlent la méthode de dessin et la technique de l'artiste. Les visiteurs à la recherche d’authenticité découvriront différents croquis et esquisses de Marcel Marlier. À l'étage, les albums de Martine sont revisités à travers des thèmes chers à l'illustrateur: la nature, les animaux, les activités domestiques ou les loisirs. Le parcours se termine par un petit salon de lecture et une bibliothèque.
Le château des Comtes, fleuron du patrimoine civil mouscronnois, a connu au fil des siècles grandeur et décadence. Dès le xve siècle, le fief des Ramées se distingue par sa belle forteresse où logent les Seigneurs de Mouscron. Au temps de sa magnificence, le domaine se composait du château (donjon et corps de logis de la haute cour) et des bâtiments de ferme de la basse cour.