Mons - Chateau de Beloeil - Tournai

Route: Charleroi - Mons - Chateau de Beloeil - Tournai - Charleroi
Duration: 7 h
The first stop of ou tour will be at city Mons. Mons, European Capital of Culture in 2015, has a number of museums that make the most of current or historic artistic trends. “Mons is perhaps worth talking about, because it is a charming town.”  That was how Victor Hugo described it. If you will visit to Mons, take his word for it and you will be charmed. As you explore the town you’ll notice that it’s both anchored in the past and thoroughly modern. Its architectural heritage and ancient alleyways give it an historic atmosphere. This heritage is The Belfry, classified by UNESCO, the Collegiate church which was built from 1450 to 1621. It will amaze you with its splendid alabaster statues by Jacques Du Broeucq, its magnificent 16th-century stained-glass windows and even its treasury, one of the most beautiful collections of religious jewellery in Belgium. St Waltrude’s Collegiate Church conceals other gems that are well-rooted in the folklore of Mons. , the Grand Place, the Garden of Mayeur, Havré castle ... Also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Doudou festival captures the essential spirit of the town. Also worth visiting are the Mundaneum – popularly known as the ‘Google of paper’, the Grand-Hornu. In the Grand Place, don’t forget to caress the head of the ‘Monkey of the Grand Garde’ with your left hand, which according to local folklore is sure to bring you good luck. The next stop will be at Chateau de Beloeil which is considered to be the Belgian Versailles and on our visit we discovered that there is a reason for this. Belgium is home to over 3000 castles and chateaus and the Château de Beloeil is one of the most famous.  The park is very large and forms with the castle a very interesting place to visit away from the crowds.The castle has beautiful antique furniture, some unique pieces as well as beautiful tapestries from a once glorious past. It used to be the residence of the Princes de Ligne.The French garden in the castle grounds offers a harmonious blend of water and nature, shadow and light. It is still maintained to its original design from 1664. The next stop in our tour will be at Tournai , although it is in Belgium, Tournai can almost be considered the heart of France because it was here that Clovis, the fifth-century Frankish king, was born. And it was from here that he set out to conquer many small kingdoms and unite them into what is now known as France. In its 2,000-year history, the city, has seen plenty of conquerors and kings. Founded by the Romans, it went on to be ruled by the Franks, France, Flanders, England under Henry VIII, Spain, the Habsburgs and the United Netherlands. Finally in 1830, Tournai was incorporated into Belgium. Tournai — known as Doornik in Flemish — will show to you its massive cathedral, its belfry, its 13th-century Pont des Trous spanning the Scheldt and its wonderful main square, the Grand Place. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, a mix of romanesque and Gothic styles, was consecrated in 1175. It is rather unusual with its five bell towers. The north and south doorways are adorned with 12th-century sculptures. Inside, the nave is romanesque and the choir is pure Gothic. In the Chapelle de St.Louis there is a painting by Jordaens called “Crucifixion” and “Purgatory” by Rubens hangs in the Chapelle du St.-Sacrement. The Treasury has an excellent collection of religious art including beautiful medieval tapestries. Tournai’s 236-foot high belfry was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and is Belgium’s oldest. Across the river, off busy Rue de Pont, is Rue Barre St. Brice. On this narrow street stand two romanesque houses from the 12th century. The two, numbers 12 and 14, are possibly the oldest private houses in Europe. Closer to the station in what is known as the Quartier du Chateau, or castle district, stands the massive Tour Henri VIII, the last remnant of a citadel built here by Henry VIII in the early 16th century. After we will return to Charleroi.
Price: per person