10 Best Sights in Charleroi, Western Wallonia

On the outskirts of Charleroi are the old mining villages that were the heartbeat of the region from the early 1800s until the 1960s. Around them, the pointy hills of the old spoil heaps, now overgrown with forest, rise into the distance, and in the town of Marcinelle, its old works have been preserved as a superb day out. The site has a few museums but most interesting are the outdoor workings, where an audio guide leads you through a tragedy that saw hundreds lose their lives. A memorial pays tribute to the 262 victims. 

The largest and most impressive photography museum in Belgium (and perhaps Europe) lies in the inauspicious fringes of Charleroi, in Mont-sur-Marchienne. It resides in a neo-Gothic former Carmelite convent, though a new wing was built to extend it farther. The permanent exhibition extends across some 800 photographs, tracing the history of photography in Belgium and beyond, while another section delves into optical illusions and tricks of the trade. Temporary exhibitions take up the rest of the space. Buses to Mont-sur-Marchienne go from outside Charleroi Sud. 

The landscape gets much prettier as you slip southwest of the city toward an area known as the Vallée de la Paix (Valley of Peace). The main reason to go is for the ruins of Aulne Abbey, which lie just 10 km (6 miles) from Charleroi. Its history dates back to the 7th century. In In its heyday, it was run by Cistercian monks. By the mid-1800s the last monk had moved on and the site became a hospice before being left to ruin. But with the demise of the abbey, so too vanished its beer-making roots, until they were resurrected in 1950 by a local brewer who followed the old methods of the monks. These beers can be tried at the nearby Brasserie de l’Abbaye d’Aulne, which also does good food. 

Where else would you find an indoor skydiving center but out near the airport? If you want to experience the joys of skydiving without the effort of ascending to 14,000 feet, this is a good option. Basic packages include two "flights" on the freefall simulator.   

For a city famed for its ugliness, you can find some rather pretty examples of turn-of-the-century architecture. These date back to when Charleroi first expanded, as the fortress walls were torn down in 1870 and avenues were built atop the old ramparts. By the early 20th century, a thriving middle class arose from the smog and dirt of industry. They built pretty Art Nouveau mansions, mostly clustered northeast of the old town center, off avenue de Waterloo. You can pick up a map for free at the tourism office which offers a nice guide to the area. 

Chareloi was never a great beauty, but all its money has gone into polishing the Lower Town, leaving its former heart looking a bit shabby. It's a shame because the buildings surrounding it are quite beautiful. The Art Deco City Hall, clad in blue and white stone, dates from 1936 and makes a fine impression. Adjacent is the UNESCO-listed, 70-meter-high (230-foot) belfry, which offers fine views across to the river. 

This 26-km (16-mile) Grand Randonnée walking route traces a path through the old mining villages east of the city. The "Black Loop," as it's known, traverses canal towpaths, former railways, and the area's main slag, or spoil, heaps—the excavated soil and waste from the mines—which have been left to rewild since the last pits closed here in the early 1980s. These, in particular, afford fine views across an area that, while not always pretty, is still dramatic. Maps with directions in English can be picked up at the tourism information office. You can pick up the route at Charleroi Sud station.  

One of the largest art museums in Wallonia takes over a pair of buildings north of the center. The old industrial hall exhibition space is particularly dramatic. Exhibitions change regularly and tend to focus on contemporary Belgian artists. 

When the French took over Charleroi in 1667, Louis XIV ordered the construction of a chapel, which eventually became the parish church. Inside, a star-covered dome is particularly elaborate, with guided group tours (only) able to climb up to its covered walkways. But most eye-catching of all is the beautiful nave created in 1957, which takes up an entire wall of the church. This has been smothered in gold leaf and color-glass mosaics depicting dramatic scenes including the sacrificial lamb, dragons, the Antichrist, and the Virgin Mary. There's nothing else quite like it in Belgium.   

At this writing, the Museum of Fine Arts was in the process of moving from its old location in the Palais des Beaux-Arts and Town Hall to a tailor-made space in the renovated, late-19th-century Defeld Barracks Stables, on boulevard Mayence. It is due to reopen by the end of 2022, though its collection remains the same. Expect to see 19th- and 20th-century art from the surrounding area, with a lot of works depicting the old mining communities of the Hainaut basin. Featured artists include François-Joseph Navez, Paul Delvaux, and a small collection of works by famous Belgian surrealist René Magritte, who grew up on the outskirts of the city, in Chatelet.