Visiting Mons and Namur

Let's have an early start from Lille to enjoy a full and intense journey to Belgium!

You have arrived at Mons, a very charming historic town, crowned European capital of Culture in 2015. This car park is convenient for visiting the city center.

Named in honor of Saint Waltrude of Mons, this 15th-century church is a spectacular example of gothic architecture. Inside, the treasury is one of the most beautiful collections of religious jewelry in Belgium. You can have a look at the Golden Car, a Louis XVI style wooden carriage, used each year for the annual festival of "Le Doudou".
If you are interested, you can visit the church with an audio-guide on your smartphone: you can download it on this website.
Open Hours: Monday – Saturday: 09:00 - 18:00 Sunday: 09:30 - 18:00

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 87 m-high Mons Belfry is the landmark of the town. It is housing a modern visitor center dedicated to history, using very innovative multimedia displaying such as "the windows of time", which can show the current views of Mons including reconstructed virtual elements from the past.
Open Hours: Closed on Monday Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 18:00

Surrounded by beautiful buildings dating from the 15th century to nowadays, Mon's main square is the true heart of the city. You will enjoy getting there, walking around narrow cobbled streets. Don't miss the splendid city hall. Touching with your left hand the little monkey on the left entrance might bring you good luck!

You can have lunch in this nice local restaurant. Try the "Business lunch menu", which offers great value for money, with fresh and local products. You can book a table on their website.
Open Hours Closed on Wednesday Monday to Friday: 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 22:30 Saturday: 12:00 - 14:30, 18:30 - 23:00 Sunday: 12:00 - 14:30

It's time to leave Mons and drive towards another charming town of Wallonia, Namur.

On the road between Mons and Namur, you can stop briefly at this impressive boat lift on the Center Canal. Outside viewing is free and you can park easily. Allowing vessels to cross a 73 meters difference in height between the two parts of the canal, it is the largest boat lift in Europe. The center Canal links the waterways of the Scheldt and Meuse rivers.

Start your visit of Namur with its mighty fortress, dominating the town at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. Originally dating from the Roman era, it has been rebuilt several times. Nowadays, much of the citadel is from the 19th and 20th centuries. It offers spectacular views over Namur.
Most parts of the citadel, including the rampart footpath, are on free access. Start your visit at the visitor center Terra Nova, where you can gather all the information you need. You can book a guided tour to visit the underground passages, showing WWII gas-proof bunkers and some Vauban architectural tricks. You can check the website for open hours and guided tours.
Furthermore, you can easily park your car at the citadel. But if you prefer, you can also park in the center and reach the citadel from there thanks to the cable car inaugurated in 2021. Fares and timetable on this website.

In order to visit Namur old-town, you can park there, nearby the main square and the belfry.

The belfry of Namur is a good starting point to wander around Namur's picturesque old-town. Take your time to walk in the pedestrian streets. Head first towards the Brasseurs street, and then pass in front of the Catholic Church Saint-Loup and Namur's Cathedral. On the main shopping streets of Namur, "rue de l'Ange" and "rue du Fer" you will see nice Art Nouveau buildings.

At the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers, the Grognon is the best place to wander at the end of the day. Named from its appearance like a pig's snout (known as a "grognon" in French), it offers a magnificent view of the Citadel. You can cross the pedestrian bridge "l'Enjambée" to enjoy a beautiful sunset on Namur.

After this rich and exciting day, it's time to have a proper Belgium dinner in this restaurant. They have a very good beer pairing for each course of the menu. Don't forget to book ahead on the website because it is a popular place in Namur.
Open Hours: Closed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Wednesday - Saturday: 18:00 - 21:30
If it's closed during your stay or fully booked, you can try "La Cuisine du Belrive", a restaurant on a boat, at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers. Check open hours and booking facilities on the website.

You can rest in this nice hotel, well located in Namur old-town. There is a free parking but you can't book it in advance, so it might be full when you arrive.