← Marathon de Charleroi·2 nights

Tournai: A Five-Towered Cathedral After Charleroi

One of the oldest towns in Belgium, with a Romanesque cathedral, the country's oldest belfry and a quiet river quarter.

Duration2 nights
TransitSNCB train from Charleroi-Central to Tournai, about 1 hour 15 minutes, with a change
DepartsCharleroi-Central

After the Marathon de Charleroi: Tournai

The Route: Charleroi → Tournai → Brussels Airport Logistics: SNCB train, about 1 hour 15 minutes, usually with a change. Check the timetable, since services vary. Tournai station is a 10-minute walk from the cathedral. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Charleroi-Central ──(about 1h15, SNCB)──> Tournai
                                              │
Brussels Airport (BRU) <──(about 1h30, SNCB)──┘

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Tournai has five towers, and the oldest are Romanesque, built in the twelfth century. It stands in a level square at the heart of a town that predates Brussels by centuries. Clovis, the first king of the Franks, was born in the area, and the town was once the capital of his kingdom. A cathedral of this size in a town of 70,000 is a sign of how much older it is than anything else you will see after the race.

Buy a ticket in the SNCB app or at the station, and check the planner.

April in Tournai: highs of 12°C to 15°C, with sun and showers. The town is flat, which suits tired legs. Check opening days, because Monday closures are common.

Night One: The Cathedral

The cathedral interior is level and free to enter, with a treasury that has a small fee. Check the current opening hours. The Grand-Place, with its cafés and the Belfry, is a short flat walk away. The Belfry, at about 72 metres, is the oldest in Belgium and has 257 steps, so skip the climb.

The Museum of Fine Arts, designed by Victor Horta, holds a good collection of Flemish paintings and has lifts. Entry is around €8 and prices vary, so use the figure as a guide only. Check the current opening days.

Hotels cluster around the Grand-Place and the station. Confirm lifts and breakfast times when you book.

Dinner is easy in the streets off the square, where brasseries serve Belgian dishes such as stew, rabbit and the local speciality of leeks. Reserve on weekends.

Night Two: The River

The Pont des Trous, a medieval bridge over the Scheldt, is a short level walk from the Grand-Place. The river path on the quay is flat and gives a quiet hour. A riverside café is the easiest place to sit.

Getting to Brussels Airport (BRU)

Tournai to Brussels Airport takes about 1 hour 30 minutes by train with a change at Brussels. Check the SNCB planner. The airport station is below the terminal, with lifts.