La Louvière

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Guywets

Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

La Louvière is an industrial city of 80,000 inhabitants in Wallonia, Belgium. It is centrally located between Charleroi and Mons.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airports are in Brussels and Charleroi.

By train

Trains run to La Louvière from many destinations. The train ride from Brussels takes approximately 30 minutes. The is located closest to the centre, while the is located on the southern edge of the city.

By car

La Louvière is easily accessible by car, situated just off the E19 Road.

Get around

La Louvière has a local bus service.

See

LimoWreck

La Louvière is an industrial city with little to attract tourists. However one aspect of this industrial heritage is particularly interesting, the Hydraulic Boat Lifts along the Canal du Centre are regarded as one of the finest industrial achievements in Europe and as such have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The four lifts are along the canal between La Louvière and Mons they are well signposted from the main road as les ascenseurs hydrauliques. Les Cantine des Italiens near lift 1 has a small museum and offers boat trips along the canal. The pump house at lift 3 has a small exhibition and welcome center.

Worker's housing at Bois-du-Luc

address: Rue du Midi
Built between 1838 and 1853 to house the mine workers. One of the houses can be visited.

Hydraulic boat lifts

Listed according to distance from the city centre starting from the closest. The four oldest ones were built around 1900 and are listed as a .

Boat Lift of Houdeng-Gougnies
Boat Lift of Houdeng-Aimeries
Boat Lift of Strépy-Bracquegnies
Boat Lift of Thieu
Boat Lift of Strépy-ThieuThe newest one.

Guided tours in French, Dutch, and English. Advance booking is necessary.

Italian Canteen, E19/E42, exit 21 "Le Roeulx", follow the signs "Ascenseur n°1 Cantine des Italiens"
For Bracquegnies, E19/E42, exit 21 "Le Roeulx", follow the signs "Ascenseur n°3 Salle des Machines".

Reservation and information: "Voies d'Eau du Hainaut", Rue des Clercs 31, 7000 Mons - tel: +32 65 36-04-64 - fax: +32 65 33-57-32.

Do

There are several possibilities to hire boats to travel along the canal.

Go next

Brussels — the national capital is a major transport hub but also boasts a number of interesting sights.
Mons — the regional capital of the Hainaut province is nearby.