The southern part of the province of Hainaut is called the Boot of Hainaut, because of its shape. In the east of it, right on the border with the province of Namur, a large complex of dams was built at the place where, among other things, the river l'Eau d'Heure flows. This created a series of reservoirs, very irregular in shape due to the undulating relief of the ground. This solved a number of water management problems, but people also took advantage of it to make that place a recreational paradise, also for hikers.

Your tour starts in Chimay, famous for its Trappist beers and cheeses. Its castle, ramparts, old staircases, paved streets and cramped houses all point to the history of this thousand-year-old city nestled in the foot of the Hainaut boot. It is unthinkable that anyone who comes to Chimay would not visit the magnificent castle that stands on a rocky promontory in the valley of the Eau Blanche river. The castle of Chimay, which is said to have originated in the tenth century, became the core of a county in the 15th century, which was shortly afterwards elevated to a principality by Maximilian of Austria. The collegiate church with its 13th-century choir is also worth a visit. The largest work of art is a 16th-century crucifix, but the old mausoleums are also worth a visit.

The next stop is Lompret, just outside Chimay and one of the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia. There will be two more in this tour!
It is attractive not only for the beauty of its landscape, but also for the remains of a feudal castle, a bridge with three arches and a small religious heritage. In addition, there is the Eau Blanche, which reminds us that the region enjoyed its heyday until the 20th century thanks to the activities of the forges. Behind it rise the slopes of the Franc Bois. Here grow native yew trees, according to tradition planted by Roman soldiers. Climb up to the viewpoint and the village lies at your feet. Down by the river, the restaurant L'Eau Blanche serves the local speciality escavèche, eel pickled with lemon, onion and herbs. The waitress does not want to say more, because "the exact way in which the fish is prepared is a secret". In the evening, only a few lamps light up the streets.

You now follow a route along the border with France. At the Trappist village of Scourmont you will find the Espace Chimay where you can buy the products of the monastery or in the local inn and taste them.

On the beautiful paved back roads, always along the French border, you reach Beaumont. The old part of the city is situated high on a hill above the valley of the Hantes. Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut had the city surrounded by a city wall, along which a walk now runs that offers wide panoramas of the surroundings. Then you also pass the Tour Salamandre, a 14th century military building that currently houses a museum of history and folklore. Beaumont is a very romantic town, with beautiful old houses. According to tradition, Napoleon spent the night in the house to the right of the town hall the day before the battle of Waterloo.

The village of Raignies, also one of the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia, is located in the middle of green landscapes with lovely names: Blanchamps, Cocriamont, Gravelotte, Champ du Marais and Champ d'Hymnée. In the village centre along the Marais stream, the (partly) Romanesque church of Saint-Martin is worth a visit. Here you can see special oak choir stalls, half of which are in a similar church in Cockayne in England! Be sure to take a look at the “Spanish House” and the large farms that adorn the green landscape, the pride of the “ragnicoles”, as the inhabitants call themselves. These lime and brick farms were once owned by the abbey of Lobbes and bear the names “Farm of the Court” (Ferme de la Cour), “Farm Rose” (Ferme Rose), “Oak Farm” (Ferme du Chêne),… . They are, as it were, mini-villages with houses, barns, stables, workshops. The Ferme de la Cour now houses the Biercée distillery, which of course has a tasting room. The village is a good place for a dressed-up coffee.

In Lobbes, a small town that has been adjacent to the abbey there since time immemorial, this is still clearly noticeable in the majestic and colossal St. Ursmarus church. The original church was consecrated in 843 and is therefore one of the very rare remains of Carolingian architecture in Belgium. So you really can't avoid walking in and enjoying the sober, strict architectural style. The Romanesque, vaulted crypt in hall style contains the sarcophagi of Saints Ursmarus and Erminus and remarkable tombstones of abbots between the 15th and 18th centuries.

Near Lobbes lies Thuin. Also an ancient city, which has played an important strategic role since the 7th century. High and dry location is less important today and Thuin is a bit sleepy, but has preserved much from earlier times, especially in the old upper city that towers high above the Sambre.
The belfry of Thuin is, like the other belfries in Belgium and France, on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In total, this registration consists of 56 belfries. The belfry was built here because Thuin used to be one of the good cities of the bishopric of Liège. The belfry of Thuin used to be the tower of the collegiate church.
Just outside the town of Thuin is the historic tram museum of Thuin. In the museum you can admire about twenty historic trams and a steam locomotive from the nineteenth. The highlight of the museum is the electric tram from 1901.
The hanging gardens of Thuin have been one of the most beautiful sights of the city for many years. They have even been described in poems several times. You can take a nice walk along the hanging gardens, where nowadays mainly vines can be found. During the walk you will come across eleven signs that tell you the story of the city, the region and the Sambre.