Autumn is Here: 7 Great Reasons to Take a Few Days to Visit Charleroi

Charleroi’s slag heaps are probably among the most surprising landscapes in Wallonia.

Long associated with the region’s industrial past, they have now been largely reclaimed by nature and offer fantastic walking trails. In autumn, the contrast becomes even more spectacular: the trees and plants covering their slopes gradually turn yellow, orange, and red.

Climbing a slag heap also means discovering Charleroi from a different perspective. Once at the summit, you can look out over the neighborhoods, former industrial structures, transport routes, and surrounding green spaces.

Just a few miles are enough to transition from an urban landscape to an almost wild atmosphere. It’s a great way to catch a breath of fresh air while exploring the region’s history in a whole new light.

For walking enthusiasts, the Boucle Noire (Black Loop) has become one of the most iconic hiking routes in the Charleroi region. Linked to the GR412 trail, this roughly 23-kilometer (14-mile) circuit crosses popular neighborhoods, former industrial areas, wooded paths, and several slag heaps. The appeal isn't just the distance, but above all the shifting sequence of landscapes.

In some places, traces of the mining past remain striking. Just a mile down the trail, nature has taken back over, completely transforming the scenery. Autumn is particularly well suited for this trek: temperatures are more comfortable for long walks, and the autumn colors bring out the contours of the hills.

Don't feel like tackling all 23 kilometers? You don't have to complete the entire loop. Specific sections can easily be explored individually so you can enjoy the experience at your own pace.

For a more urban stroll, head out to discover the street art that has popped up all across Charleroi. Monumental murals, sculptures, installations, and subtle artworks turn the streets into a true open-air gallery. The joy lies in wandering around without knowing what you’ll stumble upon around the next corner.

Autumn fits this kind of stroll perfectly: spend a couple of hours outside, stop for a cozy break in a café when it gets chilly, and then head back out to explore another district.

Street art also offers a fresh lens on Charleroi. Where some buildings still strongly evoke the city's industrial identity, artists bring color, humor, and contemporary creativity.

It’s impossible to understand Charleroi without learning about its mining history. Le Bois du Cazier, a former colliery located in Marcinelle, is now one of the region’s premier memorial sites. The site offers insight into miners’ working conditions, local industrial history, and the tragic 1956 disaster that deeply impacted Belgium.

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it combines historical buildings, machinery, museum spaces, and personal testimonies. It makes for an especially compelling visit in autumn, when sunny spells alternate with rain. You can easily spend several hours exploring the site and then extend your day with a walk through the surrounding grounds.

Are you a photography lover or looking for a great indoor activity? Head over to Mont-sur-Marchienne to visit the Museum of Photography (Musée de la Photographie). Set in a former neo-Gothic Carmelite convent, it retraces the history of photography from its early beginnings to contemporary creation.

Portraits, photojournalism, artistic experiments, and technical innovations make it easy to spend hours inside without noticing time pass.

The setting itself is well worth the detour. The historic architecture blends with contemporary spaces, and the park surrounding the museum allows you to extend your visit with a peaceful walk when the weather permits.

It’s the ideal activity to complement an autumn weekend: a day outdoors on the slag heaps, followed by a much quieter cultural visit the next day.

Charleroi also comes with a unique advantage: your weekend trip can easily become the first leg of a longer vacation. Van der Valk Hotel Charleroi Airport is located close to Brussels South Charleroi Airport and offers dedicated Sleep, Park & Fly packages.

The idea is simple: arrive the evening before departure, enjoy a relaxing dinner, sleep on site, and head to the airport the next morning without waking up in the middle of the night to drive. Depending on the package, several days of parking and an airport shuttle service can be included.

This might be the best reason to choose Charleroi: the city doesn't look like typical tourist destinations. There’s no perfectly preserved historic center on every corner. Here, industrial heritage sits alongside nature, former industrial lands meet street art, and slag heaps have become scenic walking spots.

This raw identity is precisely what makes the destination so fascinating. Charleroi is best discovered by taking the time to observe its contrasts, understand its history, and see how the city continues to transform. Autumn suits it particularly well—the colors, the softer light, and the atmosphere of the former industrial landscapes give its walks even more character.

Between slag heaps, street art, photography, and mining heritage, a few days are all you need to discover a very different side of Wallonia.

From Van der Valk Hotel Charleroi Airport, you can easily alternate between hiking, culture, urban exploration, and relaxing downtime.

And if you have a flight lined up afterward, this getaway can even serve as the first stop on your vacation—a great reason to start your trip a day early.