Discover Écaussinnes, Hainaut, Hainaut: hidden gem

This tour, marked out with signposts, promises an enjoyable discovery of the surroundings of Mignault. A visit to the village, to the open countryside, to the surrounding farms or just to the forest – the diversity of the walking routes promises a pleasant tour. This tour is offered by www.leroeulxtourisme.be.

The Château de Seneffe invites you to explore its permanent collection of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s gold, appealing to all of your senses and triggering all of your emotions. “Splendour and intimacy” immerses you in a particular view of the 18th century. More than 500 of the Museum’s gold collection are displayed to showcase their function. They become the actors and witnesses of the 18th century in their own right. “Les Saveurs des Lumières”: Discover the drinks that were all the rage in the Age of Enlightenment. Hot chocolate, tea and coffee will be served to you in a stunning Chinese salon. If you prefer to explore the estate on your own, with friends or family, you can do so completely independently with your Smartphone or tablet. The Voyage, Faste et Intimité app is available to help you explore the Museum and permanent collection for yourself.

Built on a rocky spur, most likely in the 13th-century, the château d’Écaussinnes-Lalaing still has a few original buildings, in particular the north-east corner tower and the west wing. The latter includes the pentagonal tower in which the lord and his family lived, the main hall, with two 16th-century fireplaces and windowseats, and the former kitchens. The lower courtyard still has part of its original enclosing wall and porch-tower. The square west tower and the semicircular tower date from the 14th century, the chapel from the end of the 15th century, the south wing and the porch-tower from the 17th-18th century and the fine vegetable garden is from the 18th century. Listed building (05-04-1972) Listed garden (08-09-1983) Listed site (08-09-1983) Listed as an exceptional heritage site of Wallonia

It was his desire to remedy the lack of marriages in Ecaussinnes that encouraged Marcel Tricot to come up with the idea of organising the first wedding tea as a bit of a joke in 1903, in honour of youth. So on Pentecost Monday, all the single young ladies in the village would lay on a fantastic tea for the bachelors, to meet each other and forge new relationships. Ever since, every Pentecost, the whole population gets together to relive the traditional tea by organising a series of events throughout the village, including a parade, an exhibition, a craft market, a second-hand sale and concerts.

The Castle of Ecaussinnes-Lalaing was built in the 12th century by Count Baudouin V of Hainaut and is a magnificent example of medieval architecture, passed down to us over the centuries. The castle is still inhabited, but a large part of it is open to visitors as a museum. Here you can explore the furnished rooms (the great drawing-room, the sick room and the oratory); the medieval section (the armoury, the dungeon and the old kitchen); the fine gothic chapel with its masterpieces of religious art; and a wide variety of collections of interesting artefacts, including porcelain, ceramics, glassware, paintings, coins and seals.

Raymond Maucq collects for 30 years all the objects he can find from both World Wars. In this museum, you will find an impressive collection with a lot of different types of objects: vehicles, aircraft engines of light and heavy weapons, German and allies’ uniforms, various papers...

The Château de la Follie takes its name from its wooded setting, follie being a synonym of feuillée, meaning “leafy”. A 16th-century house built in the style of a mediaeval fortress, the château was restored in the early 19th century. The octagonal Gothic chapel, dedicated to St Christopher, has a vaulted ceiling with painted ribs. Four windows contain 16th-century stained glass, the only complete set of windows of this kind in a chateau chapel in Wallonia. Each is divided horizontally into three sections: the first depicts a scene from the Passion, the second shows members of the family who commissioned the window, and the third shows their respective coats of arms. Listed building (07-07-1976) Chapel listed as an exceptional heritage site of Wallonia

www.labarchetta.me/

A 2-hour «NAUTICAL» trip on the ‘Canal du Center ‘with a delicious made-to-measure picnic basket. www.labarchetta.me

www.lodesamme.be/

www.resto-augreduvent.be/

Built in 1946 by the Boël factories for its Italian immigrant workers, its buildings have been rehabilitated into a café / restaurant and an information centre on immigration. From the ‘Cantine des Italiens’, rent electric boats without a license to explore the historic Canal du Centre. It’s fun and informative all at the same time.

bistrot-jules.be/accueil.html

www.belle-escapade.be/fr