Haulchin, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais

The gîte, L'Air Pur, sleeps between 2 and 4 people and welcomes you to the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. The gîte is the barn belonging to a former farmhouse, with a sofabed in the living room, a dining room that seats 6 people, a kitchen with a freezer, a woodburner, a bathroom with a separate WC and a bedroom. It also has a television and Wi-Fi. Outside, you can enjoy the terrace with an orchard, outdoor games, a barbecue and a ping-pong table. This lovely gîte is the prefect base from which to explore the colours and the flavours of the Haut-Pays. Lounge/dining r. (TV/antenna, sofa-bed 1x2 p., wood stove), kitchen (ceramic hobs, multifunctional oven), 1 bedr. (2x1 p., child's cot), bathr. (bathtub), sep. WC. Boxr. Landlord's washing machine available.Cradle and baby gear available on demand. Charges included.

The gîte, Les Coquelicots, sleeps between 6 and 8 people and welcomes you to the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. The gîte boasts every modern convenience you could need on two floors. On the first floor there is a kitchen fitted with everything you might want, a bathroom, a sauna, a large reception area with a dining room and a double bedroom. On the second floor there are 2 double bedrooms as well as a second bathroom with a separate WC and a relaxation area with tourist information and books. If you fancy relaxing a bit, you can enjoy the terrace in the stunning garden, filled with flowers. A ping-pong table, bikes and kids’ games are also available. Jeanne and Benoît De Bisschop, the owners, look forward to welcoming you in their gîte on this farm in Audregnies. It’s in the centre of this picturesque village with very old roots that you will find their family-run farm, which grows all the main crops. Based in the Parc Naturel des Hauts-Pays, the gîte is the perfect base for all sorts of activities. If you’re interested in culture, history, fine food or folklore, the gîte is just under 30 kilometres from Mons and all of its rich heritage. If you’re into nature there’s plenty to do around here. Nestled in a lush green setting with enchanting valleys, meadows and fields with woodland bathed in a rainbow of seasonal colours, the region invites you to enjoy all of the beauty of untouched nature. The owners are delighted for you to explore their garden with its plants, vegetables and fruit trees grown naturally, as well as the local heritage, with a guided walk of the village and the surrounding area. Plus there are lots of local activities in the lovely country setting. The owners would be more than happy to tell you all about their work on the farm through the seasons. In the fields and woods, you can discover the natural riches of our region. There are also plenty of walking maps and information about local heritage, crafts food and drink for you to browse.

In Péruwelz between the cities of Mons and Tournai, the Saint-Daniel Hotel was opened in 2013. It is located in the peace and quiet, in the immediate vicinity of the station (±150m) and just a few minutes from the downtown area. Converted from a former seed trade establishment, the hotel offers warrm, contemporary and comfortable rooms. For relaxation, a private recreation area is envisaged as well as the reception’s bar.

Mons Card Partner: €3 discountClassified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since July 2012, Grand-Hornu a jewel of the European industrial heritage of the 19th century. Property of the Province of Hainaut since 1989, this historical landmark is today one of the most significant windows of contemporary art in Belgium. In addition to promoting the architectural riches of this unique site, the MACS and the CID teams focus their activities on contemporary art, offering large, high-quality international exhibitions of contemporary art and design. Guided tour available by reservation and audio guide rentals available. Free on the first Sunday and first Wednesday of each month for schools.

The Centre de la Tapisserie, des Arts Muraux et des Arts du Tissu (Centre for Tapestry, Mural Arts and Textile Arts) is one of the five contemporary centres established by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in the field of textile art. The fact that it is established in Tournai is not insignificant, as the “capital” of Wallonie picarde was one of the country’s main centres of tapestry production in the 15th and 16th centuries. The TAMAT is housed in a beautiful mansion in neo-classicist style, the Museum of Tapestry of the City of Tournai.The collections of the TAMAT are an accurate reflection of the diversity of textile art. More than 250 items from 6 centuries of textile production are exhibited, from old 15th-century tapestries – remarkable heritage of the City of Tournai - over items from the post-war movement “Forces Murales” to contemporary works.The TAMAT also houses research workshops. Every year scholarship holders come here to work in total artistic freedom. A documentation and study centre welcomes researchers, students, teachers and the general public within the context of historical or biographical studies. Moreover, a conservation and restoration workshop, open to the public, enables visitors to gain an insight into the painstakingly slow and meticulous work done by the restorers, who will gladly answer any and all questions.

The Emile Verhaeren centre, opened in March 2010, provides a 60m² home for a large number of extracts of the poet’s work, along with explanatory texts (Fr-Nl and Braille), a series of reproductions of 25 historic documents and 13 canvases illustrating the close ties Verhaeren had with the representatives of avant-garde art and literature of his generation, with the neo-impressionist painters and great writers of the 19th and 20th centuries. From the museum, visitors can walk in the poet’s footsteps along the Circuit des Pierres: a 4km walk that goes through the famous Caillou-qui-bique. Guides are available on request for the museum and the walk. They are passionate members of the not-for-profit organisation Mémoire d’Emile Verhaeren in Roisin. The museum invites you to meet or get to know better one of Belgium’s most important writers. Between 1899 and 1914, the poet, Emile Verhaeren, stayed in Roisin in the Hauts-Pays. He came to stay at a farmhouse near Caillou-qui-bique looking for peace and inspiration. Today, these buildings are still standing on the provincial site of Caillou and house the Emile Verhaeren Museum. The exhibition was designed by the not-for-profit organisation Fédération du Tourisme de la Province de Hainaut, with documents contributed by the not-for-profit organisation Archives & Musée de la Littérature.

Gourmet workshops organise original culinary workshops around the theme of the local cuisine for you. Various packages are available: The sweet workshop: Brussels waffles, cramique (fruit bread) and speculoos (gingerbread) The savoury workshop: grey shrimp croquettes, waterzooi You will get to cook and taste delicious food. The chef will guide you throughout this culinary journey. A culinary workshop? Taste, learn and test in a nice atmosphere.

In Wallonia, the expression "natural park" refers to "a rural area of great biological and geographical interest, subject to measures designed to protect its environment, in harmony with the aspirations of the populace and the economic and social development of the area in question." Officially recognised on July 20, 2000, the Haut-Pays Natural Park is one of nine natural parks in Wallonia. The Haut-Pays natural Park spans land belonging to six villages: Colfontaine (the forest of Colfontaine); Dour (the rural former districts of Blaugies, Petit Dour, Wihéries and South Elouges); Frameries (Sars-la-Bruyère, South Eugies and Noirchain); Honnelles; Quévy; and Quiévrain (the former districts of Baisieux and Audregnies). The park is about 38 795 acres big, with 20 000 inhabitants. It includes the water divide of Belgium's two main river basins: the Scheldt River and its tributary the Haine and the Meuse River and its tributary the Sambre, in its French course.

What if you discovered the farm Pype-Lievens with Ingrid and Patrick? : They will be happy to immerse you in the core of their family farm. On the programme: -Guided tour of the farm and its facilities -Discover the animals and various types of breeding -Explanation of the product lines made with the milk from the farm -Explanation of the conservation of the silo and feeding the animals (very different in winter and summer) -Explanation of the standards and regulations updates -Tasting ice cream and yoghurt Only by appointment on Tuesday and Friday afternoon! From minimum 7 to maximum 25 persons Duration: 2 hours Price: € 2/person

The catholic hurch at Bléharies is perhaps one of the major works of modern church architecture in Belgium. Built to a rectangular design without transepts, it has a lower, narrower, virtually square chancel and an octagonal tower 45 metres high. The nave has no side aisles and is covered by a concrete roof structure resting on reinforced concrete arches 18 metres high and 16 metres wide, set 5 metres apart. The roof, with its three rows of windows, comes down very low. Several stained-glass windows are set into the walls. The materials have been arranged to make full use of their range of colours (yellow stone and bluestone, brick on the outside, concrete and granite inside). Listed building (19-05-1993)

Not only is an authentic iguanodon skeleton, 5 m high and 130 million years old, discovered by miners in a Bernissart mine in 1878, on display in this museum, visitors will also discover a menosaur (first marine reptile), hundreds of other fossils and an impressive mineral collection. The guides are at the entire disposal of the children, who get to be palaeontologists for the day. Be sure to spend some time at the open-air playground after visiting the museum.The audiovisual panels along the circuit represent the 29 complete dinosaur skeletons found during the exploitation of the Bernissart coal mine (Fosse Sainte-Barbe). A good way to end the day is to visit the “Marais d’Harchies.” Situated at 2 km from the Iguanodon museum, this nature reserve listed as a Natura 2000 reserve and featuring numerous observation posts will certainly appeal to (budding !) ornithologists.

The Rampemont Castle-Farm is a piece of heritage situated in the Haut-Pays Nature Park. This enormous four-sided medieval-looking building has a unique pastoral charm thanks to the presence of farm animals and an exceptional medicinal plants garden. Rampemont is now the property of Mr. & Mrs. Schneider, who have been maintaining and restoring it for almost twenty years. Since then, it has been open to the public by appointment.

Nestling near the border with France, L'Estaminet is a friendly establishment which above all wants to make sure that its customers have a good time, whether that be by having a drink or by having something to eat. Indeed, there is something for all tastes here – if you are going through Quiévrain, they will be able to serve you a beer from the Dubuisson abbey, every day from Monday to Friday in the morning, and also on the traditional market day. But you can also peruse their menu, where it will be impossible to not find something that takes your fancy. From starters to dessert, there is bound to be something you will thoroughly enjoy. Grilled food, small stewed dishes, mussels when they are in season and fish will thrill your taste buds, at lunchtime and in the evening.

"Freshness, simplicity and diversity" have been the values behind their cuisine for almost seven years now. Located in the largest tree-filled square in Belgium, you will easily find space to enable you to stop off there and to come and enjoy our Greek culinary specialities. In a warm and cosy atmosphere, in a setting in which the decoration has been freshened up, thanks to professional hosting, you will be able to discover freshly-prepared dishes straight made to order at the foot of the Acropolis or sip an ouzo while biting into feta with that lovely taste of Kolymbari olive oil with an uninterrupted view of the town of Oia in Santorini. Place 31 specialises in grilled dishes, and all dishes are carefully home-made. Dolmades, soutzoukakia, keftedes, kokalakia giouvetsi, to mention but a few: names that will surely remind you of pleasant evenings spent on holidays in Greece. Place 31: an opportunity to go back to Greece, without even having to get on a plane! Take advantage of this chance to visit the Haut Pays area, which is less than 20 minutes from Mons. Place 31 has two outdoor seating areas and a private garden.

Our good old Belgian potatoes have finally been honoured! The brasserie restaurant PATATE HOUSE does your potatoes differently! It’s a new concept likely to appeal to a large number of gourmets! Guests can enjoy a wide variety of baked potatoes with the fillings of their preference. They have the tantalizing names “fromagère” (cheese maker), “chevrière” (shepherdess), “chicorée” (chicory), “marseillaise” (Marseillaise) and “nordique” (Nordic). There’s the full works! For those who don’t like potatoes, delicious salads are also available in various formats with each more original than the next. Grilled fish and meat complete this menu which can still vary with the seasons! All this in a welcoming environment where you can also have a delicious glass of beer or a bottle of wine selected by the manager, along with some home-made snacks that are also at attractive prices! Testing PATATE HOUSE... Is to adopt it!

A small-scale restaurant, which specialises in creative cuisine which employs local ingredients, and mainly serves pizzas and pasta. Always on the look-out for authentic tastes, “Pizza Maison” has chosen to provide its customers with high-quality food in a family setting and also with friendly and professional service. Cutting-edge technologies and equipment in the sector are employed here, in order to make life easier for its staff. Now the challenges facing “Pizza Maison” are to host more customers and to provide the latter with an additional purchasing service, thus giving them the opportunity to choose a product which is different in terms of quality. Special “pasta festival” offer, all you can eat pizza, accompanied by three drinks, dessert and coffee.

This brewery has been producing artisanal beers for 20 years (4 passionate generations!) already, using local ingredients: Blanche des Sources, La Vieille de Bon Secours (blonde, amber, dark, fruity), Blonde de Noël.

The gîte, L'Air Pur, sleeps between 2 and 4 people and welcomes you to the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. The gîte is the barn belonging to a former farmhouse, with a sofabed in the living room, a dining room that seats 6 people, a kitchen with a freezer, a woodburner, a bathroom with a separate WC and a bedroom. It also has a television and Wi-Fi. Outside, you can enjoy the terrace with an orchard, outdoor games, a barbecue and a ping-pong table. This lovely gîte is the prefect base from which to explore the colours and the flavours of the Haut-Pays. Lounge/dining r. (TV/antenna, sofa-bed 1x2 p., wood stove), kitchen (ceramic hobs, multifunctional oven), 1 bedr. (2x1 p., child's cot), bathr. (bathtub), sep. WC. Boxr. Landlord's washing machine available.Cradle and baby gear available on demand. Charges included.

The "L'Air Pur" holiday cottage, with a capacity of two to four people, enables you to stay right in the heart of the Hauts Pays Nature Park. The holiday cottage, which is located in the former barn of a small former farmhouse, has a sitting room with a sofa bed, a dining room which accommodates six people, a kitchen with a freezer, a wood-burning fireplace, a bathroom with a separate toilet and a bedroom. It is also equipped with television and WiFi. Outside, you can enjoy a terrace with an orchard, outdoor games, a barbecue and a table tennis table. This charming holiday cottage is the perfect base for discovering the colours and flavours of Haut Pays.

The campsite is located in the Hauts-Pays Nature Park, about 7.5 miles from the French border and close to the motorway. It is a green and peaceful family place, and yet it is close to the centre of Roisin. The site is surrounded by three fishing ponds, two restaurants, a banquet hall - “Les Tourelles” - as well as the ponds' chalet.

The gîte, Les Coquelicots, sleeps between 6 and 8 people and welcomes you to the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. The gîte boasts every modern convenience you could need on two floors. On the first floor there is a kitchen fitted with everything you might want, a bathroom, a sauna, a large reception area with a dining room and a double bedroom. On the second floor there are 2 double bedrooms as well as a second bathroom with a separate WC and a relaxation area with tourist information and books. If you fancy relaxing a bit, you can enjoy the terrace in the stunning garden, filled with flowers. A ping-pong table, bikes and kids’ games are also available. Jeanne and Benoît De Bisschop, the owners, look forward to welcoming you in their gîte on this farm in Audregnies. It’s in the centre of this picturesque village with very old roots that you will find their family-run farm, which grows all the main crops. Based in the Parc Naturel des Hauts-Pays, the gîte is the perfect base for all sorts of activities. If you’re interested in culture, history, fine food or folklore, the gîte is just under 30 kilometres from Mons and all of its rich heritage. If you’re into nature there’s plenty to do around here. Nestled in a lush green setting with enchanting valleys, meadows and fields with woodland bathed in a rainbow of seasonal colours, the region invites you to enjoy all of the beauty of untouched nature. The owners are delighted for you to explore their garden with its plants, vegetables and fruit trees grown naturally, as well as the local heritage, with a guided walk of the village and the surrounding area. Plus there are lots of local activities in the lovely country setting. The owners would be more than happy to tell you all about their work on the farm through the seasons. In the fields and woods, you can discover the natural riches of our region. There are also plenty of walking maps and information about local heritage, crafts food and drink for you to browse.

The gîte, Le Montagnard, sleeps between 6 and 8 people and welcomes you to the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. Lovingly decorated, the gîte has a living/dining room, a kitchen equipped with everything you need, a bathroom and a shower room with 2 separate WCs, 3 bedrooms, a utility room and a garage. You can also enjoy the garden and terrace with a barbecue and games for the kids. In an enchanting setting, the gîte is the perfect starting point for lots of activities in the great outdoors. Whether you’re into mountain biking or hiking, you can explore this lush green setting in the heart of the Parc Naturel des Hauts Pays. Check out the RaVEL routes and soak up the well-protected diversity of nature.