Roadbook, Mons region by bike by visitMons

MONS REGION BY BIKE

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IN 2016, PEDAL AND DISCOVER... Your can rent your bike in the following places: VisitMons Grand-Place, 27 - 7000 Mons Conventional and electric bikes Tel : +32(0)65/33.55.80 www.visitmons.be

In the Walloon tourism sector, 2016 runs under the theme of WalIonia Cycling. In this context, a Bikes Welcome label has been created. This label is synonymous with hospitality, facilities and services adapted to bicycle tourists’ expectations, a guarantee of quality! As you ride, discover labelled places across the Mons territory and the region. You will recognise them easily using this pictogram. List dated 5 April 2016, see the updated list on

www.visitmons.be

VisitMons (27, Grand-Place at 7000 Mons) Youth Hostel (2, Rampe du château at 7000 Mons)

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Provélo Mons Boulevard Charles-Quint, 35 7000 Mons Tel. +32 (0)65/84.95.81 www.provelo.org Saint-Ghislain visitor centre Place des Combattants, 27 7330 Saint-Ghislain Tel : +32 (0)65/78.41.41 www.sisg.be

Infotel (32, Rue d’Havré at 7000 Mons) Dream (17, Rue de la Grande Triperie at 7000 Mons) Compagnons guest house (11, Rue des Compagnons at 7000 Mons) La Chrysalide guest house (231, Rue de l'Espinette at 7033 Cuesmes) Au Petit Dragon guest house (49, Rue de la Genièvrerie at 7022 Hyon) Les Coquelicots farm gîte (1, Rue de l'Eglise at 7382 Audregnies) Mundaneum (76, Rue de Nimy à 7000 Mons) “L’ air pur” rural gîte (50, Rue Bourdon at 7387 Roisin) “Aux charmes de la Campagne” rural gîte (4, Rue Malenroye at 7334 Hautrage) “A la Malogne” guest house (224, Rue de l’Espinette at 7033 Cuesmes)

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EDITORIAL Hello to you all, In this year dominated by the bike, what could be more natural than to discover our cycling routes for the whole family! Ride around the area and enjoy our 15 rides that take you on unusual paths suitable for cycling.

You are therefore being made a unique offer complementing the numerous establishments labelled Bikes Welcome, the mobile app on which you will find these 15 rides as well as all the other ways of discovering the Mons region by bike.

In the form of a road book, this guide covers the bulk of our routes and gives you a real feel for the region: from Mons to the Hauts-Pays through Hensies, QuiĂŠvrain, Saint-Ghislain, QuĂŠvy, Lens, Jurbise, Hornu and Frameries. In total there are 15 rides lasting 1 to 3 hours and for all levels, allowing you to see the Mons area in a different way.

I hope you all enjoy your discoveries!

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MONS

All these rides have been created for the year of the bike by Pierre Pauquay, a specialised journalist and author of several publications on bikes.

Nicolas MARTIN President of the Mons Regional Tourist Office.

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CONTENTS

Guide to the Mons region by bike Responsible editor: Mons Regional Tourist Office / visitMons Formatting, design and texts: Pierre Pauquay - © SPRL Cernix Photo credits: Pierre Pauquay (unless otherwise stated). Printing: IPM Printing. Coordination: Mons Regional Tourist Office team. Tamara Marinkovic, Natacha Vandenberghe and Quentin Dardenne. Legal deposit: D/2016/11810/1 ISBN: 978-2-9601577-1-0

The information provided in this guide when it was published such as road books, maps or levels of difficulty is only indicative. It is only designed to allow cyclists to better find their way round. It shall in no way hold the author, the publisher or the Mons Tourist Office liable. Cyclists travel the route described under their own responsibility and remain solely responsible not only for accidents they might have en route but also any damage they might cause to others (forest fires, degradation, etc.). Caution is required in city traffic. If you go the wrong way down a street which is not authorised for cyclists, you are required to push. .

The Mons region The Great West.........................................6 Practical guide How to use this guide..............................8 Mons Historical heart........................................ 11 Green routes........................................... 15 .21 Journey into the future............................. Van Gogh at Cuesmes...........................25 unesco route...................................... 29 Van Gogh route......................................35 Hommage to 1914-1918........................ 41 SILEX’S route............................................47 Honnelles In the footsteps of a poet........................51 Honnelles Moneuse the robber............................. 55 Jurbise Beautiful countryside......................... 59 Lens The land of Corentin.............................. 63 Saint-Ghislain Green country.........................................67 Hensies & Quiévrain Wetlands..................................................71 Quévy A misunderstood land.............................75

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LE GRAND The Mons OUEST Region 12 LENS

11 JURBISE

SAINT-GHISLAIN

1 4

HENSIES

BOUSSU

COLFONTAINE

DOUR FRAMERIES

HONNELLES

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15

QUÉVY

10 Communes de Mons-Borinage 2km

Mons. The historical heart Mons - Quaregnon - Boussu. Green routes Mons - Frameries. Journey into the future Mons. Van Gogh at Cuesmes Mons - Quaregnon - Boussu. The UNESCO route Mons - Quaregnon - Boussu. The Van Gogh route Mons. A hommage to 1914-1918 Mons. The SILEX'S route Honnelles. In the footsteps of a poet Honnelles. Moneuse the robber Jurbise. Beautiful countryside Lens. The land of Corentin Saint-Ghislain. Green country Hensies & Quiévrain. Wetland Quévy. A misunderstood land

MONS

QUIÉVRAIN

MONS

QUAREGNON

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THE MONS REGION Rich in its history and heritage, the Mons region can be discovered in the most beautiful way possible: by bike!

he city is worth exploring by bike. The alleys and no-entry routes accessible to cyclists (the famous two-way cycle streets) mean you can explore their privacy and ride around at will. And after a ride between walls, enjoying a drink on the Grand Place is an absolute joy. Mons is a city near the countryside and the Jurbise, Lens and Saint-Ghislain communes. The re-portioned routes through fields crisscross a rich and fertile land which you’ll enjoy riding through peacefully.

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While the north side, including Hensies and Quiévrain with their fields of flax, rapeseed and wetland grasslands, allow you to soak up open landscapes, in the south, the Hauts-Pays Natural Park offers rolling hills. Delightful small roads and paths lead to remote villages in the heart of a human-scale area. The area offers a relaxed lifestyle you will encounter as you ride along the routes in this guidebook. In Quévy, meanwhile, cycle into a secret land consisting of little-known villages where isolated farms testify to the rural character of this region.

MONS

To the west of the city, the Industrial Revolution leaves a strong mark which is still present: the Borinage landscape would be disrupted by it. By bike, RAVeL 98 and 98c take you to the heart of the mining sites. The Grand Hornu and the PASS – exceptional assets – testify to an industry that forced men to go down a mine in risk of their lives. In this world of poverty, a certain Van Gogh sought his vocation. He would find it by becoming a humanist artist. By bike, it is very moving to follow the traces of history of the Great Master.

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Practical guide Ride

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km : 28km Duration: 3h Difficulty: a route which covers two RAVeLs. Pay attention to traffic, however, at the entrance to Cuesmes and on the approach to Mons.

Mons

GREEN ROUTES Join the MAC'S by taking the former railway lines, which have become green routes at the heart of the former collieries. Follow the steep fall from the Grand Place to join the suburbs surrounding the ancient city. Your wheels will lead you to the heart of the Borinage. The old railway lines which once transported coal have become wonderful escape routes in an urban landscape marked by its industrial past. From Cuesmes ride along line 98 as far as Flénu where a signal box leading to Quiévrain was once located. Ride alongside the Pâturages station where a young man put down his bag in 1878. Van Gogh stayed in the Borinage almost

two years to find artistic expression. Continue along this line, which at the time was full of noise and smoke from the continued cartage of trains carrying coal from the mining sites. You are finally in the Grand-Hornu, testifying to the start of the Industrial Revolution. It is an exceptional structure designated as a UnEsCo World Heritage site which includes the MAC Musée des Arts Contemporains and the CID Centre d’Innovation et de Design, one of the poles of artistic creation in Belgium.

MONS

Short easy ride on roads and RAVeLs. Suitable for young children. Average-length easy ride with gentle inclines. On roads, tracks and RAVeLs. More strenuous ride with steeper inclines. You will encounter slopes. Difficult ride for experienced cyclists used to cycling more than 50 km per day.

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ride

Map

E-42

15 0,30km

Start

Mons . N 554

. Jemappes

Turn rright towards RAVeL L98.

N 51

16 0,34km

La Trouille . Cuesmes

. Flénu

Take the road which goes up along visit¬Mons (Grand Place, 27).

17 22

raVeL raVeL

N6 2 0,10km

N 544

. Giply

10 0,12km

4 0,08km

N 546

Go alongside Collégiale and Roosevelt Square.

Don’t miss

MONS

Turn left and follow rue le long de la Trouille.

12 0,94km Turn

Just after the bridge, join the RAVel.

21 4km Former Flénu station. Continue on the RAVeL.

right along Avenue du Général de Gaule.

22 2,89km On the

13 0,30km Turn right and go alongside Roosevelt Square.

7 0,09km

Turn right onto rue de Ciply.

20 0,61km

RAVeL, take the one that leads to Frameries.

Turn right towards the RAVeL.

23 1,62km

14 0,23km

Le PASS

Follow rue Emile Vandervelde.

Turn left onto rue Fétis.

Join the Pass. Return to Mons on the same route.

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The “don’t miss” boxed text relates to the theme of the ride. On the route, you will come across a rich heritage

26/04/16 11:36:40

or countryside oddities, which is just as interesting…

WHAT IS A ROAD BOOK? A road book is a detailed description of the route, in the form of a table. It is arranged in continuous boxes. Each one describes a highlight on the route: for example, a crossroad, a fork, a sight or a dangerous point (main-road crossing, etc.). The road book should be read from top to bottom. The boxes are numbered: this numbering can also be found on the map, in green.

5 0,40km At the bottom

of the descent, at the lights, continue straight on

The kilometres covered indicates the distance between each of the boxes.

The text next to the box provides information on the direction to follow.

MONS

11:35:28

6 0,08km

1 Héribus slag heap This has become a natural reserve: you can get to the top by foot. 2 The Pass This museum invites you to understand and explore new technologies and sciences: a great redevelopment! www.pass.be 3 agrappe coal mine The place no longer blights the landscape but Vincent Van Gogh referred to it when corresponding with his brother, Théo. The coal mine, destroyed in 1962 was the first thing to blight the Borinage.

19 0,35km

11 0,39km

5 0,28km

After going along the slag heap, turn right.

Traffic lights. Join Avenue J.Wauters.

Turn left on rue des Telliers.

. FraMeries

18 1,02km Continue straight on.

Continue straight onto rue de la Tour Auberon.

Do not cross the bridge. Continue straight on.

Follow rue de l'Athénée.

9 0,12km

3 0,11km

N 543

17 0,28km

8 0,11km

Continue straight onto rue d'Enghien

N 544

Follow the RAVeL.

1 0,00km

Faubourg de Bertainmont

Line 98, which has become the coal mine raVeL.

12 14

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ÂŠ Pierre.Pau

The 15 rides...

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 7km Duration: 1h30m, depending on what you visit. Difficulty: pay attention to roads with no-entry sections open to cyclists. © Pierre.Pauquay

Mons

HISTORICAL HEART When you go by bike through the large archway to enter the town hall courtyard, you feel immediately that this ride will be marked by a beautiful discovery. At every street corner, at every turn, Mons the city of art and history will unfold before you. The path joins the Grand Place and goes down rue de Nimy; by bike, you soon realise that the city was built on a promontory. Along the route, the streets seem to flit around its lighthouse (belfry). A little after having followed the Théâtre le

Manège, you enter the intimacy of the city as you ride across Jardin Gustave Jacobs. At the exit alongside ruelle Rachot there is a completely different atmosphere: this is Mons. And seeing the children playing in the street immerses you in the photographic imagery of a certain Doisneau. From Place de la Grande Pêcherie to Place du Parc to Square Rossevelt, Mons is also clearly green. By cycling, the city will have bewitched you…

MONS

Beautiful Mons is at its most beautiful when you tackle it by bike!

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Map

27 35

2 5

Start

10 12 19

Don’t miss 1

BAM: rue Neuve, 8. Maison Losseau: Rue de Nimy, 37. 3 Mundaneum: rue de Nimy, 76. 4 Arsonic: rue de Nimy, 138. 5 Théâtre le Manège: rue des Passages, 1. 6 Manège de Sury: rue des Droits de l'Homme, 4. 2

Maison Folie: rue des Arbalestriers, 8. Mons Memorial Museum: Boulevard Dolez, 51. 9 Centre du Design: rue des Sœurs Noires, 4. 10 Former slaughter house: rue de la Trouille, 17. 11 Musée François Duesberg: Square François Roosevelt. 8

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Ride

1 0,08km

10 0,15km Enter the court yard of town hall, via the archway.

2 0,22km

Take the street ruelle de l'Atre.

11 0,17km Go through

the archway and enter into the garden.

Turn right onto rue d'Enghien.

3 0,03km

12 0,22km At the exit of

the garden, take an immediate left onto rue Rachot.

Follow rue du 11 Novembre, to the right. 7

4 0,09km Turn

13 0,4km

5 0,15km

14 0,09km

right onto rue Neuve: join the Grand Place.

5 9

6 10

At the end of the Grand Place turn left onto rue de Nimy.

6 0,52km

Join rue des Arquebusiers.

15 0,09km At the bottom of the descent, turn right.

7 0,10km

Artothèque: rue Claude de Bettignies,1. 13 Museum régional des sciences naturelles: rue des Gaillers, 7. 14 Musée du Doudou: Jardin du Mayeur 15 Collégiale Sainte-Waudru: rue du Chapitre. 16 Belfry: Parc du château.

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Tun left onto avenue Frère Orban.

Then take the 0,06km street rue des Trois Boudins, towards Arsonic.

8 0,20km Then

Théâtre

Place Spira. Take the street rue Chasse de Montignies.

17 0,30km Traffic lights: turn right towards avenue d'Hyon.

continue straight onto Rue des Trois Boudins.

9 0,10km

Go long the path between the two boulevards.

MONS

18 0,10km Follow rue du Gouverneur M. Damoiseaux.

Take the street rue des Ar quebusiers.

13 17/05/16 17:39:05

19 0,06km

26 0,07km Hill. Follow rue de la Houssière.

Take the street rue de La Trouille.

20 0,19km Former Slaughter house

Place de la Grande Pêcherie. Head towards the church.

21 0,06km Head

27 0,11km Turn left onto Rue Claude de Bettignies.

28 0,22km

Continue straight onto rue des Kiévrois.

30 0,19km Place Warocqué. Follow the hill onto rue du Parc.

square.

Square

37 0,18km Follow rue des Clercs.

Pedestrianised

39 0,14km

32 0,15km

25 0,54km

Continue straight onto rue des Clercs.

Head alongside the park

Follow rue des Capucins.

Hill: take the street rue du Chapitre.

38 0,14km

31 0,10km

24 0,12km

Square Join the

36 0,09km

29 0,28km

Continue straight on.

Turn left onto rue des Telliers.

35 0,28km Roundabout. Follow Rampe Borgnagache.

neath the archway and join the street rue de Bertaimont.

23 0,20km

Follow rue d'Enghien.

34 0,07km

Square

alongside the church NotreDame de Messines.

22 0,09km Head under-

33 0,22km

Station

At the end of the road, turn right.

Take the street rue des Echelles.

Then join Grand Place.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 28km Duration: 3h Difficulty: a route which covers two RAVeLs. Pay attention to traffic, however, at the entrance to Cuesmes and on the approach to Mons.

Mons

GREEN ROUTES Follow the steep fall from the Grand Place to join the suburbs surrounding the ancient city. Your wheels will lead you to the heart of the Borinage. The old railway lines which once transported coal have become wonderful escape routes in an urban landscape marked by its industrial past. From Cuesmes ride along line 98 as far as Flénu where a signal box leading to Quiévrain was once located. Ride alongside the Pâturages station where a young man put down his bag in 1878. Van Gogh stayed in the Borinage almost

two years to find artistic expression. Continue along this line, which at the time was full of noise and smoke from the continued cartage of trains carrying coal from the mining sites. You are finally in the Grand-Hornu, testifying to the start of the Industrial Revolution. It is an exceptional structure designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes the MAC Musée des Arts Contemporains and the CID Centre d’Innovation et de Design, one of the poles of artistic creation in Belgium.

MONS

Join the MAC'S by taking the former railway lines, which have become green routes at the heart of the former collieries.

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Map

E-42

. Jemappes

N 51

Grand-Hornu . 4 21

. QUAREGNON

N 51 23 22

31 29

24 28

. Hornu

RAVeL 19

N 550

Wasmes . 18 17

RAVeL

26 14

N 550

N 544

RAVeL

. Colfontaine

N 545 N 544

Petit-Wasmes . P창turages . Warquignies

. La Bouverie

N 546

. Frameries

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Ride

Le Grand Large

E-42

Start

Don’t miss

N 554

pes

N 51

6 36

La Trouille

. Cuesmes

6 8

Faubourg de Bertainmont

9 10

RAVeL

1 13

N6 11

N 544

. Giply

N 543 N6

rameries

Mont de l’Héribu slag heap Symbolic of the Borinage’s mining landscapes, the slag heaps are now losing their starkness by attaining an unusual level of biodiversity. The Héribu slag heap has become a light green mountain. The grasshopper and the swallowtail (see photo) love tanning their wings on these suitably exposed black slopes. 2 Line 98 The green route continues beyond Colfontaine towards Dour and stops at Quiévrain. 3 The former Pâturages station Located on the RAVeL, it housed Vincent Van Gogh for a few weeks before he took refuge at Wasmes. 4 The MAC'S This prestigious heritage site was created on the Grand-Hornu site, a former mining site classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. 5 Line 98c Magnificent RAVeL where, just after the Grand-Hornu, artistic works created by Blanc Murmure for Tomber Volontiers dans le Panneau are presented, a winning Mons 2015 project. 6 Van Gogh’s house Short detour to visit the house where Vincent Van Gogh lived, at Cuesmes.

MONS

Mons .

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1 0,00km

19 0,99km

10 0,28km Do not cross the bridge. Continue straight on.

Head towards rue de la Chaussée.

2 0,10km Fountain. Go down Rue de la Chaussée (pedestrian).

3 0,30km

20 0,51km

11 1,02km After riding alongside the slag heap, turn right.

Continue straight on and go onto Grand'Rue.

Turn right onto rue de Ciply.

5 0,40km At the bottom of

Just after the bridge join the RAVel.

7 0,45km Continue

15 0,30km

24 0,24km

Roundabout. Follow the RAVeL.

Continue straight on.

26 0,34km

RAVeL and turn right onto the Wasnes path.

Turn left towards RAVeL L98.

18 0,46km Follow the RAVeL.

Join the RAVeL.

25 3,21km

16 1,15km

17 4,06km Leave the

9 0,34km

Take the street Allée Verte.

Follow RAVeL L98, towards Quiévrain.

straight on towards the RAVeL. Continue straight on.

8 0,55km

Turn left onto rue des Arts.

Former Flénu station. Continue on the RAVeL.

traffic lights. Continue straight onto boulevard.

Grand Hornu, follow rue Henri Degorge.

23 0,10km

14 4km

the descent, at the crossroads, continue straight on.

6 0,25km Second

GrandHornu

22 0,37km

13 0,61km Continue straight on and go onto Grand'Rue.

Turn right towards Grand¬Hornu.

21 0,50km

12 0,35km

4 0,17km

Roundabout. Follow rue des Boraines.

Former Flénu station. Leave the RAVeL.

27 0,21km Turn left onto rue Alphonse Brenez.

Texaco station.Turn right.

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Ride 28 0,42km

34 0,08km Turn right onto rue du Sergent.

Van Gogh’s house

After visiting, join the main road.

41 0,10km

36 0,19km

30 0,79km Roundabout. Turn left to join rue de l'Etang Derbaix.

31 0,58km

Turn off towards petite rue des Ferronniers.

Go under the bridge.

Turn right onto rue Van Gogh.

43 0,13km Join the main road.

38 0,73km

Y.H.

Turn right onto des Clercs.

44 0,15km Continue straight on.

Turn right.

33 0,15km

Follow rue de la Réunion.

42 0,19km

37 0,23km

32 0,75km

Turn right.

Roundabout, towards Mons.

Turn right and go under the bridge..

Quinquet

40 0,16km

35 1,30km

29 1,66km

Join GrandPlace.

39 0,12km Join Van Gogh’s house.

Slope. Continue straight onto rue A. Masquelier.

RAVeL 98c, tree-lined with artistic works (Blanc Murmure).

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On the slag heap route The UNESCO, Van Gogh or MAC'S route head towards the former collieries and slag heaps, testifying to the Industrial Revolution which left an indelible mark on the Borinage. In this way, these routes are stirring.

ÂŠ GrĂŠgory M

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 28km (there and back) Duration: 3h Difficulty: you can go there and back without much difficulty. Be careful while leaving Mons.

Mons

JOURNEY INTO THE FUTURE On the green route, discover the remains of a mining operation, a heap scarring the landscape. The Borinage would experience a tremendous economic boost from the start of the 19th century. But in the mines, living conditions were dangerous. The Agrappe Mining Disaster of 17 April 1879 is the unfortunate proof of this. One Vincent Van Gogh would help the victims. It is not without some emotion that a pit-head frame comes into view, towering at a height of 100 metres. This is

the PASS. This steel monster encapsulates the history of mining extraction in the Borinage. In addition, a tunnel connecting to the Grand Trait existed, its well working at over 1,200 metres underground. Closed in 1960, the Crachet-Picquery would die hard as it was reborn in the late 20th century, becoming the Pass (Parc d’Aventures Scientifiques) which exposed new technologies.

MONS

With the PASS, rediscover the future by riding across the Borinage; from the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century, it was a mining land.

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Map E-42

Start

Mons . N 554

. Jemappes

N 51

La Trouille . Cuesmes

. Flénu

12 14

Faubourg de Bertainmont

17 22

RAVeL RAVeL

N 544

. Giply

3 N 544

N 543 N6

N 546

. Frameries

Don’t miss 1

Héribus slag heap This has become a natural reserve: you can get to the top by foot. 2 The Pass This museum invites you to understand and explore new technologies and sciences: a great redevelopment! www.pass.be 3 Agrappe coal mine The place no longer blights the landscape but Vincent Van Gogh referred to it when corresponding with his brother, Théo. The coal mine, destroyed in 1962 was the first thing to blight the Borinage. 22 MONS 2016 GB.indd 22

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Ride

15 0,30km Turn left towards RAVeL L98.

16 0,34km Line 98, which has become the coal mine RAVeL.

1 0,00km Take the road which goes up along visit¬Mons (Grand Place, 27).

2 0,10km

Follow the RAVeL.

17 0,28km

8 0,11km Follow rue de l'Athénée.

18 1,02km

9 0,12km Continue straight onto rue d'Enghien

3 0,11km Continue straight onto rue de la Tour Auberon.

19 0,35km Traffic lights. Join Avenue J.Wauters.

11 0,39km

Go alongside Collégiale and Roosevelt Square.

6 0,08km

20 0,61km

12 0,94km Turn

Just after the bridge, join the RAVel.

21 4km Former Flénu station. Continue on the RAVeL.

right along Avenue du Général de Gaulle.

22 2,89km On the

13 0,30km Turn right and go alongside Roosevelt Square.

7 0,09km

Turn right onto rue de Ciply.

Turn left and follow the road along the Trouille.

Turn left on rue des Telliers.

5 0,28km

After going along the slag heap, turn right.

Continue straight on.

10 0,12km

4 0,08km

Do not cross the bridge. Continue straight on.

RAVeL, take the one that leads to Frameries.

Turn right towards the RAVeL.

23 1,62km

14 0,23km

Le PASS

Turn left onto rue Fétis.

Follow rue Emile Vandervelde.

Join the Pass. Return to Mons on the same route.

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The life of Vincent van Gogh in the Borinage The restoration of two houses where Vincent van Gogh lived in the Borinage, from 1879 to 1880, offers you access into the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world. Here the vocation of one of the greatest painters was born.

ÂŠ VisitMons

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 16km Duration: 1h40m Difficulty: a pleasant route which goes along heavily trafficked roads from start to finish (but cycle paths are present).

Mons

VAN GOGH AT CUESMES The road is not very long but it takes you through the environment where Vincent Van Gogh lived. In 1880, the Borinage experienced the Industrial Revolution with the poverty the artist found so moving. With the RAVeL, you can reach the old Flénu station; by bike, you will go through the places he probably drew or sketched, around Cuesmes. Unfortunately, few of these works have survived. Heading towards Flénu, it is possible to see his drawing The Coke Factory in the Borinage. Follow the road, riding past the

oil lamp at the Cuesmes roundabout, the symbolic lamp of the miners. Following the route, you will arrive in front of the Van Gogh house. In this building of mine foreman Decrucq Charles, Vincent would live in a small room for over a year. In August 1880, before moving to Brussels he wrote to his brother whom he wanted to become a painter. The Cuesmes environment probably gave him his vocation...

MONS

It’s at the heart of the Borinage miners that Vincent van Gogh’s vocation would awaken.

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Map

Le Grand La

E-42

Start E-42 N 554

. Jemappes

N 51 22

N 51

. QUAREGNON 17

. Flénu 16

RAVeL

N 550 RAVeL

1 13

N 544

Don’t miss 1

Héribus slag heap This has become a natural reserve. 2 Line 98 Vincent Van Gogh took this line to reach Pâturages. 3 Oil lamp This giant miners’ lamp takes centre stage at the Cuesmes roundabout. 4 Van Gogh’s house Abandoned for around a century, it was entirely renovated in 2015 and is an unmissable remembrance place.

26 MONS 2016 GB.indd 26

RAVeL

N 550

Cuesmes .

La Trouille

17/05/16 17:39:47

Ride

Mons .

Start 11

2 0,10km

11 1,02km After cyling alongside the slag heap, turn right.

12 0,35km

Continue straight on and go down Grand'Rue.

5 0,40km At the bottom

Just after the bridge, join the RAVel.

14 4km

of the descent, at the traffic lights, continue straight on.

. Giply

Turn right onto rue de Ciply.

13 0,61km

4 0,17km

Faubourg de Bertainmont

Do not cross the bridge. Continue straight on.

Continue straight on and go down Grand'Rue. 6

Fountain. Go down Go down rue de la Chaussée (pedestrianised).

3 0,30km

La Trouille

visitMons (Grand Place 27). Head towards rue de la Chaussée.

uesmes .

10 0,28km

6 0,25km Second traffic

Former Flénu station. Turn right.

15 0,21km

lights. Continue straight on towards the boulevard.

7 0,30km Turn right

Texaco station. Turn right.

16 0,42km

towards the RAVeL. Continue straight on.

Turn right onto rue du Sergent.

17 1,66km

8 0,55km Turn left towards RAVeL L98.

Turn right and go under the bridge.

MONS

Le Grand Large

1 0,00km

18 0,79km

9 0,34km

Quinquet Roundabout.

Follow the RAVeL.

Turn left to reach rue de l'Etang Derbaix.

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29 0,10km

24 0,19km

19 0,58km Turn right onto rue Van Gogh.

20 0,75km

30 0,19km

25 0,23km

31 0,13km

26 0,73km

Turn right onto rue des Clercs.

Y.H.

Go to Van Gogh’s house.

22 0,08km

Turn off towards petite rue des Ferronniers.

Join the main road.

Turn right.

21 0,15km

Follow rue de la Réunion.

Go under the bridge.

Continue straight on.

27 0,12km

After visiting, join the Van Gogh’s main road. house. Nationale.

Slope. Continue straight onto rue A. Masquelier.

32 0,15km Join the Grand Place.

28 0,16km

23 1,30km Roundabout towards Mons.

Turn right.

Heribus slag heap

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 26km Duration: 2h45m Difficulty: undemanding route which includes the RAVeL towards the GrandHornu. Return through Cuesmes: cars as far as Mons.

Mons

UNESCO ROUTE Cycling is a wonderful machine for going back in time! It allows you to reach and gently discover places steeped in a moving history, at your own pace. This mild morning in Mons, there’s a great atmosphere. You’re far from the Borinage stereotypes: the city has changed and it shows in its urban development and its plethora of museums. From the Grand Place, your bike will take you to the belfry and Mundaneum in a few pedal strokes. Continue to discover this heritage along the RAVeL towards the Grand Hornu. On

approach to the site, you will enter another world, as if you’d opened some scenery doors built for the glory of capitalism. The Grand Hornu is isolated from the world on purpose. Everything has been thought up and designed for productivity. You can feel the historical significance of these places, as if cycling allowed you to immerse yourself, to take the time to observe and feel these places ...

MONS

Leave Mons to discover remarkable sites marked as UNESCO world heritage sites.

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Map

E-42

N 51

. Wasmuel Grand-Hornu . N 51

. QUAREGNON

RAVeL

. Hornu

RAVeL

N 550

Wasmes .

RAVeL

. Colfontaine

Don’t miss 1

Mundaneum Within these walls a precious legacy of books, newspapers and documents are conserved, making up the Répertoire Bibliographique Universel recognised by l’UNESCO. Reach the Mundaneum by bike from the Tourist Office

www.mundaneum.org 2

The former machine construction studio in Grand-Hornu.

The belfry A proud symbol of Montoise identity, El catiau was erected in the 17th century. Standing at 87 metres, it is the only Baroque style belfry in Belgium. 3 Grand-Hornu Representative of 19th century industry, this former coal mine arose from a

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N 545

Ride

E-42

Start

Mons .

E-42

. Jemappes

N 554

N 51

EGNON

La Trouille

36 35 33

. Flénu RAVeL

13 14

. Cuesmes

Faubourg de Bertainmont

17 32

Toward Spiennes

RAVeL

N 550

N 544

N 545

R5 N 544

. Giply

N 543 N6

landmark project dedicated to productivity.The historical visit is completed by temporary expositions on design and applied and contemporary arts at the MAC’S. In this place there is therefore a synthesis between memory and a contemporary approach.

www.grand-hornu.eu 4

MONS

SILEX’S Located outside of the route, you can still reach it by doing ride 10. SILEX’S is a mecca of prehistory in Europe. In the Neolithic age, between 8,000 – 3,300 BC, numerous flint mines were dug there. The new facilities allow you to descend into this mine where large slabs of flint used to be extracted. The Mundaneum brings together universal knowledge

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1 0,00km

10 0,21km Take the road which goes up along the Tourist Office.

2 0,10km

19 1,25km Continue straight on.

11 0,12km Continue straight onto rue d'Enghien.

3 0,11km

20 2,89km On the RAVeL,

21 3,21km Turn left and follow the road along the Trouille.

Continue straight on.

13 0,94km

22 0,24km

14 0,30km Ride alongside the church and the square.

6 0,08km Continue

15 0,23km Follow rue Emile Vandervelde.

Continue straight onto rue André Masquelier.

GrandHornu

the same route: follow rue Henri Degorge.

26 0,37km

17 0,34km

9 0,10km

GrandHornu.

25 0,00km Return via Turn left towards RAVeL L98.

Turn left.

Then go right onto rue de l'Athénée.

Turn left and go alongside Grand-Hornu.

24 0,37km

16 0,30m

8 0,04km

Turn left.

23 0,10km Turn right towards the RAVeL.

straight onto rue de la Grosse Pomme.

7 0,10

Turn left and follow the Allée Verte.

Turn right along Avenue Général de Gaulle.

Turn left onto rue des Telliers.

5 0,28km

take the one that leads to Grand-Hornu (L98c).

Traffic lights. Join the boulevard.

12 0,33km

4 0,08km

On the RAVeL, continue straight on.

Turn left onto rue des Arts.

Follow the RAVeL.

18 0,90km To the left

is rue de Ciply; join the RAVeL on the right.

27 0,10km Go onto Allée Verte.

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Ride 28 0,24km

37 0,15km

29 3,21km

43 0,12km

38 0,08km Continue straight on.

Van Gogh’s house

44 0,16km After visiting, join the main road.

39 1,30km

30 0,34km

40 0,19km Texaco station. Turn right.

32 0,42km

Turn off towards petite rue des Ferronniers.

Go under the bridge.

Turn right onto rue du Sergent.

47 0,13km Join the main road.

42 0,73km Turn right and go under the bridge.

Follow rue de la Réunion.

46 0,19km

41 0,23km

33 1,66km

Turn right

45 0,10km Roundabout towards Mons.

Former Flénu station. Leave the RAVeL.

31 0,21km

Slope. Continue straight onto rue A. Masquelier.

Go to Van Gogh’s house.

Join the RAVeL.

Y.H.

Turn right onto rue des Clercs.

48 0,15km Continue straight on.

Join the Grand Place.

34 0,79km Quinquet

Roundabout on the left to join rue de l'Etang Derbaix.

35 0,58km Turn right onto rue Van Gogh.

36 0,75km

Turn right.

The Belfry.

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In the artist’s footsteps 1

Agrappe Coal Mine In Frameries, the pretty square you cycle alongside at Agrappe must not distract you from the tragedies that occurred there. The colliery, which has now disappeared, was an ogre to minors as in April 1879 more than 120 died in a gas explosion. Vincent van Gogh would try to help the survivors. 2 Former Pâturages station He arrived here in December 1878 to come and preach in Borinage, to give of himself until he suffered... The station is accessible by bike via RAVel 98 (see ride 2). 3 Salon du Bébé Vincent preached in the Salon de Bébé, a former dance room. It is located on rue du Bois, at Wasmes. You go alongside it by bike, just after the roundabout where Van Gogh’s bust is found (box 50 of the road book, ride 6) 4 Van Gogh’s (Denis) house, Wasmes The artist lived right among the miners. At Wasmes, he gave body and soul to his evangelical mission. The window of his bedroom looked out onto the coal mine of Marcasse, which he would visit. The magnificently restored house has facsimilies of letters he sent to Wasmes for his brother Théo. Reading them is to touch on the painter’s profound humanity.. 5 Marcasse site Near his house in Wasmes, Van Gogh went right down into the bottom. “We’ve gone down together, this time 700 metres deep. (...) When you lift up your eyes, you can make out the daylight on around the same scale as a star in the sky” (box 59 of the road book, ride 6).

Wagneaux coal mine At Wasmes, ride along the former coal mine of Wagneaux which was at the root of the entire Industrial Revolution, since the skilled workforce was created here for the extraction industry. It is located on rue Pont d’Arcole (box 63 of the road book). 7 Grand-Hornu Even if Van Gogh didn’t live here, director Vincente Minelli and his team shot a few scenes for the film Lust for Life in 1955. 8 Gagane slap heap On the route, just after leaving the RAVeL at Flénu station the route takes you towards the slag heap which Vincent drew (box 76 of the road book, ride 6). 9 Le Quinquet For miners, a lamp is life. At the start of mining operations, miners lit their way with rudimentary means to say the least. Little by little, there was progress in the mines. The Englishman Davy designed a lamp with a very fine metallic mesh, preventing the flame from contacting gas. 10 Van Gogh’s house at Cuesmes Just after passing through Wasmes, where to his disappointment he could no longer officiate, Vincent Van Gogh put down his bag at Cuesmes in the house of a mine foreman, Charles Decrucq. He would stay there for over a year. His schedule remains unknown but he was sure to express his art in the region. The scenery revived the artist’s daily life in the Borinage. The points correspond to those placed on the map: see the boxed text “don’t miss”.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 49km Duration: 5h10m Difficulty: a long, demanding route including numerous slopes with several changes of direction. Want to know more about the artist? Pick up the free brochure at visitMons. © VisitMons. Grégory Mathelot

Mons

VAN GOGH ROUTE Shortly after Mons, you’ll ride through mining landscapes which have become green and very pleasant today despite being scarred by slag heaps and blasting holes in Van Gogh’s day. With the RAVeL you’ll quickly reach the PASS, the former coal mine of Crachet-Piquery. Shortly after Frameries you have Pâturages and Wasmes, interweaving villages where crossroads constantly change direction. By bike, the route goes up and down towards another valley. Here, a folding stool under his arm and a box on his

back, Van Gogh left to draw portraits of the Borinage miners which he gave them later. Later, you’ll ride along the Marcasse: the ruins of the colliery are still standing. Vincent went right down to -700m to witness the living conditions, and these life experiences in the Borinage would influence his personal creation. The Van Gogh house at Cuesmes recalls this artistic enlightenment.

MONS

A beautiful route that sets out to discover places imbued with the influence of one of humanity’s greatest painters.

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Map E-42

E-42

. Jemappes

N 51

. QUAREGNON

. Grand-Hornu 7 73

RAVeL

N 550

Wasmes . 67

. Colfontaine

N 545

5 53

N 544

49 47

. Warquignies

N 544

2 61

RAVeL

N 550

RAVeL

. Pâturages

24 25

. La Bouverie

N 546

. Frameries

Don’t miss 1

Agrappe coal mine Former Pâturages station 3 Le « Salon du Bébé » 4 Van Gogh’s (Denis) house, Wasmes 5 Marcasse Site 6 Wagneaux coal mine 7 Grand-Hornu 8 Gagane slag heap 9 Oil lamp 10 Van Gogh’s house at Cuesmes 2

Van Gogh’s house, Wasmes.

Marcas

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Ride

1 0,00km Take the road

pes N 554 85

La Trouille

2 0,10km

11 0,12km

3 0,11km

. Cuesmes

Continue straight on.

Continue straight onto rue d'Enghien.

9 80

which goes up alongside the Tourist Office.

10 0,21km

Traffic lights. Join the boulevard.

12 0,39km Turn left and follow the road along the Trouille.

Continue straight on. 19

. Giply

4 0,08km

13 0,94km Turn left onto rue des Telliers.

N 543

5 0,28km

Turn right along the boulevard.

14 0,30km Ride alongside the church and the square.

6 0,08km

Turn right towards the RAVeL.

15 0,23km Continue onto rue de la Grosse Pomme.

7 0,10km

Follow rue Emile Vandervelde.

16 0,30km Turn left towards RAVeL L98.

Turn left.

8 0,04km

17 0,34km Then go right onto rue de l'Athénée.

9 0,10km

Marcasse coal mine.

Continue straight onto rue André Masquelier.

Follow in the direction of the RAVeL.

18 0,90km To the left is

MONS

Start

Mons .

rue de Ciply; join the RAVeL on the right.

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20 2,89km On the RA-

At the roundabout, ride along the square.

Ride alongside the car parks towards the roundabout.

31 0,12km Continue straight onto rue Lambrechies.

32 0,19km

Main road. Immediately take the road to the left.

34 0,50km

Turn right onto rue Maïeur Haniquelle.

Turn left to follow the rue de la Maladrie.

36 0,22km

Agrappe

Turn right onto cour de l'Agrappe.

42 0,17km Place de Pâturage. Push bike (no entry) onto rue de la Clef.

43 0,19km

35 0,09km

27 0,16km

Roundabout. Continue straight on.

Bottom of the square. Follow rue J-J Rousseau.

Continue straight onto rue Jacob.

Follow rue de la Liberté.

26 0,26km

front of you onto rue Louis Pépin. Côte.

Turn left onto rue Achille Degrâce.

Leave the RAVeL and follow the direction of rue de la Station.

25 0,15km

40 0,37km Continue in

41 0,43km

33 0,36km

24 1,01km

Follow the lane: steep descent!

Continue straight on.

At the roundabout, follow the RAVeL. Just before the bridge, take the road leading to RAVeL 98c.

Turn off towards little rue des Ferronniers.

39 0,15km

30 0,10km

22 0,26km

23 0,51km

38 0,13km

29 0,39km

VeL, take the one which leads to Frameries.

21 1,62km

Turn left onto rue de la Limite.

Follow rue Désiré Maroille.

On the RAVeL, continue straight on.

The PASS

37 0,58km

28 0,12km

19 1,25km

Take rue Ovide Dieu. Continue straight on.

44 0,15km Turn left and then take the road rue du Puisard.

45 0,38km Go through the tunnel and then follow the main road.

38 MONS 2016 GB.indd 38

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Ride 46 0,29km

55 0,39km

56 0,22km Just after Maison du Peuple, turn right.

48 0,37km

50 0,80km Salon Bébé

58 0,26km

Marcasse

Roundabout, Follow rue du Bois.

At the top turn right. Follow onto rue du Roi Albert.

53 0,96km Turn left onto

Turn right before the former coal mines.

69 0,51km

61 0,60km At the

bottom of the descent, turn left onto rue Monleville.

62 0,41km

At the roundabout, follow the main road: rue du GrandHornu.

63 0,37km On the right is Van Gogh’s house.

Roundabout. Follow rue des Boraines.

Turn right onto rue Barbet, towards le Grand-Hornu.

Rue Wilson, go down.

rue Petit-Wasmes and ride alongside the church.

54 0,56km

Turn left onto rue Alphonse Brenez.

68 0,99km

60 0,66km

52 0,58km

Wagneaux

Leave the RAVeL and turn right onto sentier de Wasmes.

67 0,46km Turn left onto rue Marcasse.

Stay on the main road. Slope, rue de la Louise.

House

66 1km

59 0,40km

51 1,06km

Join the RAVeL towards Boussu.

Join rue Wilson.

onto rue J.B Clément. Stay on the main road.

Buste

65 0,38km

57 0,52km

49 Continue in 0,25km front of you

Turn left onto Chaussée de la Cour.

Follow the path.

Follow rue du Temple.

Temple

64 0,39km Take the road rue Rosse Nesse.

Turn left.

47 0,34 km

70 0,50km GrandHornu

GrandHornu, follow rue Henri Degorge.

71 0,37km Turn left onto rue des Arts.

72 0,10km Turn left onto rue du Pont d'Arcole.

Take the lane Allée Verte.

39 MONS 2016 GB.indd 39

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73 0,24km

80 0,79km

87 0,23km

Le Quinquet Roundabout

Turn left towards rue de l'Etang Derbaix.

Join the RAVeL.

81 0,58km

74 3,21km

82 0,75km Former Flénu station. Leave the RAVeL.

76 0,98km

77 0,55km

78 0,40km

90 0,16km Go to Van Gogh’s house.

Maison

Take the street rue du Sergent. Continue straight on.

After visiting, join the main road.

Join rue de la Réunion.

92 0,19km Turn off towards little rue des Ferronniers.

Roundabout, towards Mons.

93 0,13km

86 0,19km Turn right and go under the bridge.

Turn right.

91 0,10km

85 1,30km

79 1,66km

Slope. Continue straight on.

Turn right.

84 0,08km Turn right onto rue à charettes.

Continue straight on.

89 0,12km

83 0,15km Traffic lights. Turn right.

La Gagane

88 0,73km Turn right onto rue Van Gogh.

Continue straight on

75 0,34km

Join the main road.

Turn right onto rue des Clercs.

Go under the bridge.

94 0,15km Join Grand Place.

A road in Grand-Hornu where the film Lust for Life was shot.

40 MONS 2016 GB.indd 40

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 31km Duration: 3h Difficulty: pay attention to main road crossings. Slopes. Muddy track in Bois-là-Haut: a trekking bike or moutain bike will be necessary.

Mons

HOMMAGE TO 1914-1918 On 23 and 24 August, outnumbered British troops resisted against the Kaiser’s soldiers. Here in the Saint-Symphorien countryside, you are in front of the military cemetery. It testifies to the violence of fighting, mostly in the woods of Mons which you’ll ride through via a muddy path. Below, at the crossroads of Bascule, 45 Irishmen held the day in the face of 500 Germans. Other acts of bravery marked the day of 23 August. Soldiers Maurice Dease and Sidney Godley defended the rail bridge of Nimy with their

lives. This is where the German soldier Oskar Niemeyer, who activated the turntable mechanism, allowed troops to cross the canal. You’ll enter the enclosure of Mons; during the Occupation, the population suffered and resistors were born – and the repression was fierce. For the English, the War stopped where it began, in Mons. On Armistice Day, the last man fell at 10.58am, two minutes from the cease-fire: George Lawrence Price brutally represented the absurdity of this war.

MONS

August 1914: the German army swept across the country. In the west, Commonwealth soldiers came and blocked their path and the Battle of Mons commenced.

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Map 11

. Nimy

Le Grand Large 55

La Masur 51 50

E-42

Start 13

. Jemappes

N 51

. Mons

1 3

N 554

42 41 39 40

38 37

La Trouille

Faubourg de Bertainmont Bois de Mons 17

. Cuesmes

. Hyon

N 40

Path

La Trouille 20

. Giply

. Mesvin

24 22 21

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss 1

Commemorative plaques. Under the archway of the town hall. 2 Place Charles Simonet. 3 Commemorative plaque of Place des Martyrs. 4 Mons Memorial Museum. 5 Cemetery of Saint-Symphorien. 6 Battle field of Mont Panisel and Bois-lĂ -Haut.

British and Irish memorial of both Battles of Mons. Carrefour de la Bascule. 8 Communal cemetery of Mons. 9 Nimy rail bridge. 10 Memorial of Obourg station. 11 Place de Nimy plaque. 12 Monument 14-18. 13 Commemorative plaques 1914-1918. In the south-east transcept of Saint-Waudru.

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Ride

1 0,00km Head towards rue de la Chaussée.

Hameau 45 de Saint-Antoine

La Masure 49 43

N 539

2 0,10km

N 538

La Bruyère

N 40

Rue des Arquebusiers. Push bike (no-entry).

12 0,23km

4 0,17km

N 90 31 30

SaintSymphorien .

Path

28 27

La Trouille 24

. Spiennes

6 0,06km

de l'Epargne. Continue straight onto l'Avenue.

15 0,50km Avenue d'Hyon. Turn left.

Turn left onto rue de Bouzanton.

Mons Memorial Museum. Continue Straight on.

14 0,08km Follow rue Take the steet rue de Cantimpret.

13 0,11km

5 0,19km

Turn right into avenue Frère Orban.

Turn right onto rue des Capucins.

Then ride alongside the former slaughter houses,rue de la Trouille.

11 0,24km

Continue straight on and go down Grand'Rue.

Fountain. Go down rue de la Chaussée (pedestrianised).

3 0,30km

Bois de Mons

10 0,10km

7 0,20km Push bike

16 0,56km

(no-entry) on rue des Blancs Mouchons.

8 0,08km

Take the road rue Louis Piérard.

17 0,32km Turn right onto Grand'Rue.

9 0,03m

Théâtre

Turn right.

18 0,17km Then take a left onto Place des Martyrs.

MONS

Roundabout. Follow rue de la Cascade.

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19 0,20km

28 0,12km Take the street rue des Canadiens.

20 1,21km

Enter into Saint-Symphorien, via rue Hennebert.

29 0,22km Take the street rue Albert Clerfaye.

Mesvin. Turn left.

21 1,79km

30 0,15km

On the right is the entrance to the SILEXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S site.

23 0,88km At the

Ride alongside the cemetery, Chemin du ChĂŞne aux Haies.

Continue straight on.

42 0,64km Continue towards the right.

Turn left and take the cycle path.

43 0,35km Take the road Vieux Chemin de Binche.

Take the road Chemin de Bethleem.

At the end of the road, turn left.

44 0,98km

35 1,01km

straight on towards SaintSymphorien.

Main road. Turn left, descent.

Take the dirt track, chemin d'Adresse.

45 0,66km

36 0,71km On the right, note the cemetery.

Turn right onto Chemin de la Procession.

41 0,12km

32 0,17km

34 0,70km

27 1,30km

Turn left.

Roundabout. Turn left onto rue St Pierre.

Ride alongside the church.

26 0,60km Continue

crossroads. Continue straight on, descent.

40 0,10km

33 0,79km

25 0,34km

38 0,64km Bascule

39 0,53km

31 0,62km

entrance to Spiennes, follow the road to the left.

24 0,38km

Join the main road.

Continue along the square.

Turn left.

22 0,51km

37 0,95km

Continue straight on.

Turn right, towards the station.

44 MONS 2016 GB.indd 44

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Ride 52 1,15km

46 0,32km Walkway. Note the Nimy rail bridge.

58 0,15km

Return via the same route Go back up.

59 0,11km

54 0,23km Place de

49 1,00km

55 1,68km Follow the road Drêve du Prophète.

End of the RAVeL and Grand Large. To the left, along the railway line.

Push bike (no-entry) and go up rue du Parc.

61 0,10km End of no-entry. Continue on rue du Parc.

62 0,11km

56 0,81km

Turn right onto rue du 11 Novembre.

Join the bridge.

Nimy. Turn right.

63 0,19km

57 0,35km Just before the traffic lights, follow the road rue du Pourcelet.

60 0,14km

Nimy. Cross the road and join the RAVeL.

on the right, is Vieux Chemin de binche.

51 0,48km

Turn left towards the traffic lights.

Join the main road.

48 0,66km Once again,

50 0,80km

Turn right onto rue Warocqué.

Follow rue Franche.

53 0,21km

47 0,32km

Take the new walkway spanning the freeways.

Take the road rue d'Enghien and join Grand Place.

The military cemetery of Saint-Symphorien.

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Universal heritage Few regions can pride themselves on having so many UNESCO World Heritage sites! In Mons you have the belfry, SILEX’S and Doudou, listed as an oral and intangible heritage of humanity. Likewise the Mundaneum, in the category of “Memory of the World”, provides the city with a global focus. The Grand-Hornu completes the Hainaut mining sites of Bois du Cazier and Boisdu-Luc. The hydraulic lifts of the Canal du Centre, at Louvière, add to this wealth at Hainaut.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: visitMons Grand-Place, 27. Km: 19km Duration: 3h Difficulty: a pleasant route without any particular difficulties. Pay attention to main road crossings. © WBT. J. Remy.

Mons

SILEX’S ROUTE From Mons, you can quickly cycle into the countryside. At Hyon, you’re already at the heart of a region where slag heaps and mines seems very distant. It’s nice to cycle on these country roads, which are free of traffic. Shortly after Mesvin you enter a laughing country where some typical farms defy time. Then the route continues to play with the terrain. You’ll cycle unhindered and cross only agricultural tractors on these farm routes. With the approach of Spiennes, on the right, the all new SILEX’S centre opened

its doors last year. This vast network of galleries, connected to the ground by vertical wells, was dug by Neolithic populations. The centre lets you discover this remarkable extraction technique. At the end of the ride, a long road leads to Saint-Symphorien, an incredibly charming village with a beautiful little square which impels you to take a break. It heralds the descent to Nimy where you can see the snaking blue canal all the way down.

MONS

Here in the Mons countryside excavations have uncovered cut stones dating from the Neolithic age, when humanity entered a new era.

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Map 38

La Masure

Start 1 N 554

. Mons

. Jemappes

N 51

E-42

La Trouille

. Hyon

Faubourg de Bertainmont

Bois de Mons

15 16

. Cuesmes

N 40

17 19 19

La Trouille 20

. Mesvin

. Giply

22 21

Don’t miss 1

Neolotic mine of Spiennes, SILEX's UNESCO site 3 Cemetery of 4 Saint-Symphorien 5 Place du Parc 6 BAM, fin arts museum of Mons 2

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Ride

1 0,00km Take the road

N 539 N 538

10 0,21km

which goes alongside the Maison du Tourisme.

La Bruyère

2 0,10km

Continue straight on.

11 0,12km Traffic lights. Join Avenue J. Wauters.

Continue straight on.

ois de Mons

N 40

3 0,11km

N 90 31 30 SaintSymphorien .

Continue straight onto rue d'Enghien.

32 28 27

4 0,08km

26 25

. Spiennes 3

Turn left and follow the road along the Trouille.

13 0,94km Turn

right along Avenue du Général de Gaulle.

Turn left onto rue des Telliers.

a Trouille 24

12 0,33km

5 0,28km

14 0,26km Ride alongside the church and the square.

6 0,08km Continue

Turn left onto chemin de la Valière.

15 0,23km

straight onto rue de la Grosse Pomme.

7 0,10km

Follow the street rue J. Hubert.

16 0,17km Turn left onto rue des Brasseurs.

Turn left.

8 0,04km

17 0,07km Then immediatly go right onto rue de l'Athénée.

9 0,10km

Take the street rue Houzeau.

18 0,32km Continue straight onto rue André Masquelier.

MONS

Masure

Continue straight on.

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19 0,49km

28 0,12km Enter into St-Symphorien, via the road rue Hennebert.

Take the road Chemin de Mesvin.

20 0,43km

29 0,22km

21 1,79km

38 0,05km

30 0,15km

23 0,88km At the

Continue straight onto rue de Rossignol.

41 0,25km Cycle alongside the square to rue des Echelles and then 11 Nov.

Turn left onto rue Jules Antheunis.

33 2,45km Main road.

42 0,2km

34 0,62km Cross the

44 0,20km

Follow the road on the right, Vieux Chemin de Binche.

main road and straight on is Vieux Chemin de Binche.

take the road rue d'Enghien and go down to the Grand Place.

Go to the Tourist Office.

35 1,00km

straight on towards Saint- Symphorien.

27 1,30km

40 0,31km

32 0,11km

At the end of the road, turn left.

26 0,60km Continue

Take the passage under the boulevard.

Continue straight on.

Cycle alongside the church.

25 0,34km

39 0,70km

31 0,28km

entrance to Spiennes, follow the road to the left.

24 0,38km

Follow the road to the left and the schools.

Turn right.

Turn left. On the right is the entrance to the SILEX'S site.

Traffic lights. Continue straight on.

Take the road rue Albert Clerfaye.

Mesvin; turn left

22 0,51km

37 0,48km

Follow Drêve du Prophète.

36 0,80km On the right, note the cemetery..

Nimy. Turn right.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: place d'Audregnies. Km: 21km Duration: 2h20m Difficulty: very nice ride deep in countryside. Muddy track on approach to the river La Honnelle. ÂŠ Pierre.Pauquay

HONNELLEs

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A POET To the southwest of Mons is a rural area that opens its heart to whoever cycles across it: welcome to the Hauts-Pays! The gentle terrain and peacefulness of this sparsely populated region bring serenity. Departure in Audregnies and its beautiful square where the road joins the RAVeL, which is interrupted shortly after Onnezies. Here a more forested track begins, towards Caillou-qui-Bique. In summer, the path causes little problems but in winter the often muddy roads is a challenge to cyclists. Just after the Emile

Verhaeren space, beautiful villages dot the route. Roisin, Meaurain and Autreppe are all names that sing of the Hauts-Pays, a little-known region but one with some magnificent romantic landscapes. From MontigniesÂŹsur-Roc, the narrow road joins the castle and the pond which are in harmony with the landscape. You will comb through groves and meadows, an idyllic picture of a country landscape where all is harmony and tranquility: an atmosphere that Verhaeren has so well described.

MONS

The poet Emile Verhaeren liked relaxing in the Hauts-Pays, a bucolic land which is very pleasant for walking or cycling.

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Map Start

. Wihéries . Audregnies

RAVeL

. MontigniesSur-Roc

. Angre

24 23

4 . Onnezies

La Petite Honnelle

N 553

Chemin

. Angreau 9

HONNELLES

5 6 7

. Autreppe

N 555

8 11

20 19 12

Roisin .

N 555

La Honnelle 13 16

17 18

. Meaurain

Don’t miss 1

Audregnies And its pretty square which is the most wooded in Belgium. 2 Caillou-qui-Bique A legendary rock where Emile Verhaeren liked walking. 3 L' Espace Muséal d'Emile Verhaeren The museum provides an insight into this leading figure in the Symbolist movement. The poet was surrounded by artists and writers of the time; the space presents works by Signac and Seurat and the writings of Rodenbach or Verlaine. 4 The beautiful village of Montignies-Sur-Roc A beautiful architectural complex with Château de la Motte, situated on the edge of Petite Honnelle. 52 MONS 2016 GB.indd 52

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Ride

10 0,57km Ride alongside the square and head towards rue Descamps.

2 0,47km Just before the

Espace E. Verhaeren. Continue straight on.

11 0,44km

nursing home, turn left towards the RAVeL.

3 0,19km

19 1,95km

20 0,15km

21 0,94km Follow the right-hand route leading to Roisin.

Join the RAVeL, towards Onnezies.

13 0,82km End of the RAVeL. Continue on the path.

5 0,39km

22 2,46km

23 0,10km

15 0,25km

24 1,10km

petite place de Roisin, towards the castle.

Caillou qui Bique: head towards the left.

bridge and go towards the museum.

Turn right.

25 0,30km Continue straight on, towards Meaurain.

Take the paved road: descent.

17 0,51km Level with the

26 0,50km

18 0,61km

27 1,52km

cemetery, follow the left-hand road.

Steps to reach the hostel. At the bottom, turn right.

9 0,78km Cross the

Head in the direction of MontigniesSur-Roc.

Follow rue du ch창teau de Roisin.

16 0,30km

8 0,24km

Onnezies. Turn right.

14 0,27km Cycle round

Cycle alongside Honnelle, looking over it.

7 0,36km

Turn left and join Autreppe.

Main road, turn right.

In the wood, turn right: track muddy in winter.

6 0,19km

Follow the main road on the right.

On the ridge, turn left.

12 0,70km

4 3,28km

Bottom of the descent. Turn left.

Meurain. Cycle alongside the church and turn left.

Place de Montigniessur-Roc. Turn left.

MONS

1 0,00km

Audregnies. Join the square at 900m.

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ÂŠ VisitMon

Think! Put on a helmet which will protect your head in case of a fall or collision. Have enough food and water, avoiding heavy foods, and allow yourself a break at noon for a snack. Take a spare inner tube and a repair kit in case of punctures, which are always possible. Take your mobile

phone. The regions are generally well covered by the networks but switch off your device during the ride. When the weather is wet or cold, consider dressing appropriately (waterproof clothing, thermals, etc.).

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: place de Montignies-sur-Roc. Km: 29km Duration: 3h Difficulty: very nice ride deep in the countryside. Muddy track just after Elouges and as you reach Angreau.

HONNELLEs

MONEUSE THE ROBBER And his memory is still present in the region. Start the ride in the footsteps of his alleged crimes by following these routes, which are still so enjoyable. Montigniessur-Roc is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful villages in the Grand Ouest. Paved roads contrast with the smooth bitumen RAVel you’ll take a little further on. On the road to Elouges, Moneuse allegedly attacked the colliery collector of Belle-vue to seize his wealth. The RAVeL of the Hauts-Pays gives way to the one in Quiévrain. At the summit, large wind tur-

bines tower over the horizon. 200 years ago, other mills beat the wind with their wings. At the entrance of Audregnies you can see the ruins. Incidentally, did you know Moneuse was himself a miller? You can follow his steps by crossing below Grande Honnelle. It was at that Roisin that popular rumour accused Moneuse of his greatest crime: the massacre at Houlette inn. He was however acquitted by the justice system and the mystery remains unsolved.

MONS

At the end of the 18th century, the region was ravaged by gangs of robbers. A legendary name was born: Antoine-Joseph Moneuse.

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Map

. QUIévrain

RAVeL

Chemin

. Elouges 6

RAVeL

. DOUR

3 7

. Wihéries

. Audregnies

RAVeL 9

Start

. Angre RAVeL 10

Path

28 27

. MontigniesSur-Roc 1

. Onnezies

La Petite Honnelle

N 553

HONNELLES

. Angreau

. Autreppe

N 555

25 14

Path

N 555 17

Roisin .

La Honnelle

19 20

22 23

. Meaurain

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Ride

DOUR

Don’t miss 1

Montignies-sur-Roc The pretty square at Montignies-surRoc. In season, you’ll find all kinds of touristic information there through the Tourist Office. 2 Abbaye des Rocs brewery The brewery is developing a pure malt beer, with no added sugar. All shades of taste are directly related to the phenomenon of double fermentation and the type of hops selected. It’s a deep, mystic and extremely mature beer which ranks among vintage produce in the Hauts region.

www.abbaye-des-rocs.com 3

The windmill ruins Chocolaterie Druart The artisan chocolatier Druart produces pralines which are characterised by a search for new flavours, a crunchy lightness and subtle flavours. 4

1 0,00km From the tourist

2 0,69km

office, cycle alongside the square and go down the main road. Just after the bottom of the paved road, turn right.

A perfectly refined balance which often wins awards…

www.chocolat.be 5

Roisin and the Houlette massacre The country at that time was troubled, the boundaries between a French revolutionary state and an Austrian empire being blurry. Thieves took advantage of the chaos. A gang made a name for itself, Chauffeurs du Nord. They burnt the feet of their victims to make them confess where they hid their wealth. The massacre of the Houlette inn in Roisin would kill nine people. Rumour has it that one Moneuse would be at the head of this gang but the justice system did not indict him in this matter.

3 1,55km

5 2,21km Join the RAVeL, towards Onnezies.

4 4,42km On the

RAVeL, follow the Quiévrain one.

On the ridge, level with the wind turbines, follow the lefthand path.

6 0,20km Follow the lefthand path.

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7 1,92km

Just after the windmill ruins, follow the main route to the right.

8 0,50km At the bottom

15 0,58km Cross the

23 0,61km

16 1,04km

24 2,10km Bottom of the

main road and take the path opposite.

of the descent, head in the direction of Montignies-la-Roc.

9 0,76km Go back

Route d'Onnezies, leave the RAVeL and immediately follow the path.

11 0,91km Take the small

25 0,94km Turn right onto rue Eugène Prévost.

onto the RAVeL, this time to the right.

10 1,57km

18 0,20km Centre of

19 0,18km

Cross the village square and follow rue du Château de Roisin.

20 0,25km Path slope. At the summit, follow the route opposite.

13 0,66km Just

before the main road, take rue de Bargette.

Turn right.

26 2,46km Onnezies. Turn right.

27 0,10km Go in the direction of Montignies -Sur-Roc.

29 1,10km Follow rue du château de Roisin.

Turn right.

30 0,30km

21 0,30km

Take the paved road: descent.

Continue straight on towards Meaurain.

22 0,51km Level with the

14 0,84km

Turn left and go to Autreppe.

Roisin. Continue straight on towards Autreppes.

route opposite which goes down towards the stream (bridge).

12 0,88km

descent. Go left and then follow the main road on the right.

Turn left onto rue du Marais.

17 0,29km

Meurain. Ride alongside the church and then turn left.

cemetery, follow the road on the left.

31 0,50km Place of Montigniessur-Roc.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: town hall rue du Moustier. Km: 18km Duration: 1h50m Difficulty: not a particularly difficult route, covering scenic roads. Pay attention to main road crossings. ÂŠ GrĂŠgory Mathelot

Jurbise

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE 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.

MONS

Jurbise, a few kilometres to the north of Mons, is not short on charm with Moustier castle, the starting point of this ride.

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Map

N 56

Herchies . 11

N 524

Ruisseau de Jurbise

Hamby

. Jurbis

9 7

Start

. Erbaut

3 8

24 5

6 12 13

. Petite Vacresse

14 15

. Erbisoeul

Les Garennes

. Grande Vacresse

Brûlette

N 524

Bois de Baudour

Don’t miss 1

The old castle of Egmont: with a long history which dates from the Middle Ages. 2 Herchies: the tree of nails, rue des Chats. 3 Le Royal Golf Club du Hainaut: one of the oldest golf clubs in Belgium. © Grégory Mathelot

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Ride

1 0,00km

Start . Jurbise

10 0,12km Departure from rue du Moustier, where the town hall is.

2 0,43km

In the village, continue straight on.

11 0,16km Follow the

second route to the left, onto rue Gernante.

Continue straight on.

3 1,72km

12 1,42km Follow the route to the left.

Stay on the main road.

4 0,15km

eul

N 56

13 0,20km Turn left onto place d'Erbaut.

3 5 0,12km

Level with a farm, turn left.

14 0,54km Pay attention as you cross the main road.

Turn right onto rue du Plouys.

6 1,43km

15 0,52km Continue straight on, to FC Vacresse.

Stay on rue du Plouys.

7 0,63km

16 0,10km Turn right onto rue d'Erbiseul.

8 0,42km Herchies.

Ride alongside the main road for 110 m.

9 0,11km

Continue towards rue ValĂ¨re Letot.

17 1,30km Continue straight on.

18 0,28km Continue Turn left onto rue des Ecoles.

MONS

Ecole

towards the right onto rue du Chat Sauvage.

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27 0,09km

23 0,38km

19 0,35km Continue straight onto rue de la Minière.

20 0,63km Continue

Take the route to the left.

21 1,20km

28 0,16km

24 1,18km

straight onto chemin de la Ferme.

29 0,41km Follow the route to the right.

Turn to the right.

railway line and follow Voie des Curés.

Continue straight on.

Turn left towards the bridge.

25 0,21km

22 0,49km Cross the

Take the main road.

Return to the town hall.

26 0,25km Take the road rue Moulin à Eau.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: Place du Marché in Lens. Km: 22 km Duration: 2h10m Difficulty : not a particularly difficult route, covering scenic roads. Pay attention to main road crossings. © Pierre.Pauquay

LENs

THE LAND OF CORENTIN With the last houses of Lens behind you, you’re immediately immersed in countryside. The rearranged routes offer beautiful view of the landscape. You come across isolated farms and niches here and there; the countryside is well and truly alive. Producers, grouped in associations, offer local products: Le Panier Lensois (a mutually supportive buying group) thus brings together around fourteen producers in the municipality. Shortly after crossing a vast field, you have Bauffe. The square, which has become

deserted, has emptied itself of the shops which were the village life of yesteryear. With a short trip to Picardy alongside the beautiful park Pairi Daiza, you have a choice stop! The return passes through landscapes that aren’t foreign to us as the life in this countryside has already been captured! It is found in the boxes of comic strips by the talented designer Paul Cuvelier, native of the area. Thanks to this artist, the landscapes of Lens have become immortal.

MONS

To the north of Mons, Lens is surrounded by beautiful peaceful countryside which you can cycle through.

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Map N 523

. BRUGELETTE . Cambron-Casteau

. Camb

Anc. Abb. 18

Aérodrome

Dendre Orientale

N 56

Bauffe .

Dendre Orientale

Bailles à Bauffe

Lens .

N 524

N 524 26

Grand Hameau 10

Start

Oeillies

N 56

Don’t miss 1

Bauffe: the village square. Pairi Daiza: Domaine de Cambron, 7940 Brugelette. 2

www.pairidaiza.eu 3

The old mill: at CambronSaint-Vincent. 64 MONS 2016 GB.indd 64

La Platte

17/05/16 17:42:00

Oeillies

Ride

1 0,00km

10 1,94km Departure from Lens, place du MarchĂŠ.

Follow the main road towards Ath.

Hembise

11 0,85km

3 0,21km

Continue on the right and enter village.

12 1,62km Cycle along-

side place de Bauffe, onto rue Ferdinand Leroy.

Continue straight onto rue du Thy.

entale

La Platte

4 0,70km 22

Turn left and take the little rue du Rivage.

. Montignies-lez-Lens 25 26

23 24

5 0,77km

Oeillies

ies

13 0,22km Opposite the cemetery, turn left.

14 1,10km Pay attention while crossing the main road.

Turn right onto chemin de l'Usine.

6 0,19km

15 1,91km

Auberge

Take the road rue d'Erbaut.

7 0,24km

16 0,48km Level with a farm, follow rue Hardy.

8 0,57km Farm

On the

Pairi right is the Daiza

entrance to Pari-Daiza.

17 0,64km Farm: turn right onto rue de la Ramonerie.

9 0,46km

Chap.

In CambronCasteau, stay on the main road.

On the descent, turn towards the left.

18 1,97km Follow the countryside route opposite.

MONS

. Cambron Saint-Vincent

2 0,17km

Join the road leading to Bauffe.

In CambronSt-Vincent, head in the direction of Lens.

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23 0,39km

19 0,71km Join the main road and take the cycle route.

20 0,52km

27 0,11km Take the little rue Le Gay.

24 0,40km Turn right towards Montignieslez-Lens.

21 2,26km

22 0,13km

28 0,57km

Ferme

Then take an immediate left onto rue des Oreilles.

26 1,23km Turn left onto rue du Chene.

Cross the level crossing and continue straight on.

Turn right.

25 0,18km Main road. Turn right towards the church.

Turn right onto rue du Pont Gigot.

29 0,35km Warning: main road. Take the cycle path.

30 0,86km Continue on the right towards rue des Oreilles.

Join Place du Marché.

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Ride

Practical guide Departure: Place de Sirault. Km: 22km Duration: 2h10m Difficulty: not a particularly difficult route. The route crosses the woods at Stambruge so a trekking or mountain bike is necessary. Pay attention to main road crossings.

SAINT-GHISLAIN

GREEN COUNTRY Departure from Sirault, located on the ridges of Saint-Ghislain: this is one of the most pleasant routes for cycling. The rearranged routes run alongside castle farms and a golf course, and sit in a bucolic landscape. As you cycle towards Stambruges, the line formed by the large word appears on the horizon. From landscapes of fields, you enter a velvet ambiance: the stony path is just a preamble before the long road covered with hellish cobblestones. Level with the Blathon-Ath canal, you’ll start riding

on that ancient path which shakes and slides. Images come to mind of legendary cycling events The Tour of Flanders (close by) and Paris-Roubaix, where riders struggle to overcome the incessant paved sections. The rest of the route is very quiet, making a nice stop at Neufmaison. Shortly after crossing the Grand Champs, Sirault approaches. The church spire signals the end of this ride, marked by the sign of its diversity.

MONS

This pretty ride, which takes you to a canal and a magnificent wood, winds its way through unspoilt countryside, at a stone’s throw from Mons.

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Map Neufmaison .

Canal Blaton-Ath

N 526 20

25 19

. Stambruges

Le Happart

Natural reserve Mer de Sable area

3 27

Start

Le Congo

N 526

Path

N 50

. Sirault

Moulin à Papier 13

Les Bruyères

Coron StPierre

10 9

Don’t miss 1

Mont Garni golf course: a very pretty green with its Anglo-Norman style Club House. The route leading there goes along a very pretty castle farm. 2 Stambruges wood: the natural reserve of Mer de Sable is a reminder that the region used to be a landscape covered with heather moors. The site is exceptional in terms of floral richness.

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Ride

1 0,00km Depar-

21 22

ture from Sirault,level with the church.

2 0,19km

24 6

3 27

Sirault

11 0,66km

3 0,52km

Continue straight on.

12 0,46km Follow rue du Trieu Maquette.

N 525 4 0,28km

Continue straight on.

13 0,26km Turn left onto rue Emile Lété.

10 7

Take the road rue des Maquisards.

Continue straight onto rue des Déportés.

10 0,37km

5 0,28km Cross the main

Continue left onto rue Simonis.

14 0,95km

road and take the road on the right-hand side.

N 525 6 1,5km

Continue straight on.

15 0,42km Turn right towards the golf course.

7 2,12km

Continue straight on.

16 1,23km Cross the main road. Continue straight on.

8 0,52km

Turn right and enter the wood (stone path).

17 0,76km Continue straight onto rue de la Croix Caillou.

9 0,62km

Leave the path and join the canal.

18 0,66km Turn right Continue straight on.

MONS

ison .

and follow the paved road onto rue R. Lestrade.

69 MONS 2016 GB.indd 69

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23 1,63km

19 1,93km Continue straight onto rue Romchamps.

20 1,35km

To the right on the main road. Take an immediate left.

21 2,74km

Turn right.

24 0,85km

Turn left and join the school on rue du Salon.

28 0,20km Turn right and join the main road.

Turn right and join the square in front of you.

25 0,10km Village of Neufoumin. Turn right.

22 0,15km

27 1,04km

Follow the small lefthand route, rue Gros Pierre.

Cross the main road.

26 0,38km Take the

left-hand road, rue Léopold Olivier.

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: roundabout at town hall Km: 28km Duration: 2h50m Difficulty : a pleasant ride over flat terrain. At Boussu, you join the RAVeL leading to Quiévrain, following the main road for 400m.

HENSIES & QUIéVRAIN

WETLANDS

Hensies is bathed in the sweetness of a budding spring. On this sun-bathed route, the first kilometres are an opportunity to stretch your legs since the path is not particularly difficult. In the plain of Quiévrain, paths and small roads travel between wetlands. On the map, the small roads weave a giant spider's web here as reparcelling has facilitated access to fields and helped create these unpaved roads, which are perfect for bike touring! The nearby marshes of Harchies have left a number of wetlands in the landscape.

The road is quiet, pleasant and free of any traffic as you approach the urbanized area of Boussu. Splendor and radiance characterise its castle, which was born in Charles V’s time. From the town centre, the RAVeL reaches into the past with the old coal mines of Dour and reaches into the future as it runs along a wind turbine field. In less than a century, a fossil fuel will have been replaced by wind fuel…

MONS

This ride crosses the countryside of Hensies and Quiévrain, characterised by swamps and wetlands.

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Map

Marais d'Harchies

N 552

Pommeroeul-CondĂŠ E-42

Montreuilsur-Haine .

Ponigue

3 5

N 552

Start

. Thulin 12

. HENSIES

N 51 26

N 552

. Quievrain

RAVeL

. Elouges

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Ride

Boussu castle

E-42

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss 1

Ponigue

Thulin

. BOUSSU

. Hainin 14

RAVeL

N 51 23

. DOUR N 552

RAVeL

Les Marais d'Harchies: this beautiful reed bed is originally a mining site which collapsed in the seventies. These marshes are nowadays the greatest ornithological reserve in Belgium. During migration it lays host to thousands of birds. 2 Boussu castle: built by the squire of the Emperor Charles V, in 1540, it would suffer bombardments in the Second World War. The recent restoration of its gatehouse reinforces it as an exceptional Walloon heritage site. Besides its exhibitions, the site has a twelve-hectare English-style estate where it is pleasant to stroll around.

MONS

Elouges

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1 0,0km

10 1,03km Town hall roundabout. Follow rue Haute.

2 0,66km

19 0,12km Hamlet of Poningue. Follow rue des Raulx.

11 0,47km Follow the right-hand road, rue Basse.

3 1,16km

20 0,24km Turn left towards the centre of Thulin.

12 0,50km

21 0,16km

13 0,20km

22 0,41km

14 1,83km

23 1,61km

15 2,39km Boussu, on the left just after the level crossing.

Follow the main road.

7 2,05km

16 0,11km

Turn left.

Cross the main road and continue on the RAVeL.

26 1,18km Go to the entrance of Boussu castle.

18 0,20km Go back over

Turn right.

road. Continue on the RAVeL, towards Quiévrain.

25 5,54km

17 0,20km

9 1,25km

Go round the roundabout. Continue on the RAVeL, towards Dour.

24 4,30km Go under the

Go to the station and cross the level crossing.

Main road. Continue straight on.

8 0,40km

Join the RAVeL.

Hainin. Continue straight on.

Turn left.

6 0,28km

Danger: main road. Turn left.

Turn left (florist), towards Hainin.

Take avenue des Droits de l'homme.

5 0,73km

Take the road rue des Arbalétriers.

Level with the church, turn left.

Turn left.

4 0,10km

Turn left into rue Jules Bonaventure.

the level crossing straight onto rue du Moulin.

Quiévrain station. End of the RAVeL. Head right towards Hensies.

27 2,86km Join the roundabout at Hensies.

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Ride

Practical guide

Departure: Place de Quévy-le-Petit. Km: 30 km Duration: 3h Difficulty: a route which crosses woods on muddy tracks. Paved roads at Genly and countryside path at Bougnies.

QUEVY

A MISUNDERSTOOD LAND The first few kilometres of this route snatch you into highly attractive countryside, with its long red brick farmhouses. Here they’re in harmony with the area’s soothing, calm side. You’ll be cycling with a smile on your lips as far as Aulnois. Hedges and groves still dot Quévy. The farms and streams you continuously cycle past will make you yearn after the next hamlet; you’ll be carried away by small roads that offer new scenery at each turn. It will change radically when you enter the Sars-la-

Bruyère woods. Luckily, you’re riding and yellow spots dot the ground. Daffodils herald nature awakening. From Genly to Bougnies, the sun is already warming the atmosphere. At which point you’ll want to drop your bike and give yourself a nap in the middle of the field. It will be a well-deserved rest after this 30km ride through a little-known but interesting region.

MONS

Despite Quévy being so close to Mons, time seems to have stood still in this eternally charming place.

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Map . Genly

. Eugies

N 548

Bois de Colfontaine N 544 N 543

. Sars-la-Bruyère

Bois de Sars-la-Bruyère Coron de l'Amour

N 544

Quévy. Blaregnies

Ruisseau du Thiau

N 543

Aulnois .

Don’t miss 1

The arrest of Moneuse: Moneuse the bandit (see ride 10) was arrested at Quévy-le-Petit. Tried and sentenced without overwhelming evidence after a botched investigation, Moneuse, who would always plead his innocence, was guillotined on the Place de Douai on 18 June 1798. Moneuse remains rooted in popular culture of the Hauts-Pays as evidenced by the festival at Beria in Quévy. The character still fascinates, between the image of a lawless robber and poor innocent sod. 2 Sars-la-Bruyère and Colfontaine woods: This is one of the green lungs of the region. The wide paths are wonderful for cycling. And in the spring, daffodils carpet the woods. Moneuse is believed to have committed the Cense Populaire attack on 3 December 1795 (in the village of Colfontaine). 76 MONS 2016 GB.indd 76

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Ride

. Bougnies N 548

Place de Quévyle-Petit. Continue towards Quévyle-Grand.

2 1,52km

10 0,60km Continue straight on.

11 1,15km Turn right towards Quévy-leGrand.

quévy

3 0,57km Just after the

Start

. Quévy-le-Petit

At the bend, turn left onto chaussée de Brunehaut.

12 0,87km

church is rue Georges Tondeur (narrow road).

1 4 1,98km

Quévy-le-Grand .

Turn right onto rue de Taisnières.

13 1,07km Turn right towards Aulnois.

N 548 5 1,26km

Just after the level crossing, continue straight onto rue du Stade.

6 0,58km

14 0,81km Entrance to wood. Take the road on the right.

15 0,89km Paths cross.

Follow the one opposite towards the right.

Turn left onto rue de l'Avenir.

7 0,36km

Bougnies: The native village of Louis Pierard a great writer and journalist. He wrote the biography of Vincent van Gogh. The outdoor theatre and the first Belgian youth hostel were erected on his initiative in his late 1930s.

16 1,00km Head to the right and stay on the main road.

Sars-laBruyères. Turn left towards the wood.

8 0,13km

Rejoin the road, on the right.

17 0,48km Turn left, at the

hunting lodge. Follow the road on the right.

Turn right onto rue de Blaregnies.

9 1,95km

18 1,55km Blaregnies, follow the road to the left.

MONS

1 0,0km

. Genly

In the wood, turn right.

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the wood, ride alongside Tour du Lait Buré.

Follow the paved road.

20 0,55km Continue

26 0,06km

21 0,23km

27 0,41km

28 1,22km

34 1,91km

29 0,20km

23 0,15km Turn left onto rue Haute.

Main road. Continue opposite.

Follow the path on the left.

Rejoin Quévyle-Petit, rue de Frameries.

Genly. Continue straight on.

Continue straight on.

30 0,49km

At the entrance to Bougnies, follow the path on the right, rue N-D de Lorette.

33 0,18km Turn left onto the paved path (poor state).

Roundabout, Continue straight on.

22 0,63km

Turn left.

32 1,43km On the right is a paved road (chemin de l'Etang).

straight on, and stay on the main road.

24 0,71km

31 0,19km

25 0,16km

35 0,53km Go under the railway. Then straight on.

Rejoin the square.

Place de Genly. Follow rue de l'Eglise.

19 0,98km At the exit of

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Boussu Colfontaine Frameries Hensies Honnelles Jurbise Lens Mons Quaregnon Quévy Quiévrain Saint-Ghislain

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