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City in Hainaut Province, Wallonia, Belgium
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Ath is a French-speaking town of about 30,000 inhabitants (2024) in the centre of western Hainaut, mid-way between Brussels and Lille in France. Famous for the annual Ducasse festival, this typically Belgian small town with architecture from different eras can make a nice daytrip from Brussels or Lille.
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Tour Burbant
The Burbant Tower is an imposing Anglo-Normand dungeon, built around 1166 by the Count of Hainaut, Baudouin IV, called "The Builder." It also served as a base for defending the northern frontier of Hainaut against Flanders and for surveying his realm.
L'église Saint Julien
The church was constructed starting in 1394 and consecrated in 1415. The left-hand tower was finished in 1462 and crowned with a high steeple in 1465. The church was hit by lightning and burned in 1817. The apse of the choir, the tower, and the western portal escaped destruction. The carillon has 41 bells with a range of 3 octaves.
L'église Saint Martin
Built in 1585 and consecrated in 1603 as a replacement of an old parish church that was destroyed in 1578. On the outside you can see a 16th century oak calvary. On the inside is a 16th century Gothic and Renaissance stone tomb.
The main square is surrounded by buildings from many eras and architectonical styles. The oldest is the Maison espagnole, dating from 1564 that has been restored (however clumsily) and is used by a bank. There are many 18th century houses built during French rule in different styles, and they host different businesses. At the corner of the square and rue aux Gades is the Grand-garde, a butcher's hall that was built by the Dutch in 1821 to replace an older hall. Le Palace, also known as salle des fêtes is a beautiful Art Nouveau building from 1919.
L'hôtel de ville
Built between 1614 and 1624 in Baroque style, the city hall was modified several times over the centuries before being completely restored between 1980 and 1983.
The highlight of the "Gallo-Roman space" are three restored 2nd century Celtic riverboats excavated from an archaeological site. They are the only ones of their kind on display in Belgium and are encased in a huge display box. The other floors display life during antiquity, from the viewpoint of different professions: fishermen, potters, shoemakers etc.
Opened in 2000, this interpretional centre presents real and fictional giants throughout history.
Le musée national des jeux de paume
Museum presenting real tennis and related games such as fives and pelota from historical, sociological, ethnographical and economical points of view. It has a great collection of items and documents and a cinema with educational films.
Le musée de la pierre à Maffle
The museum is all about the stone industry, once a large employer in the region. You can learn about mining and extraction as well as transportation and processing of minerals. There are tools and documents, and the daily life of quarry workers is also presented.
Le moulin de Moulbaix, Moulin de la Marquise
Built in 1747 and still grinding grain by wind power.
Le moulin d’Ostiches
A windmill with a movable upper part built in 1789, and renovated in the 2000s. On the first Tuesday in July, the Fête au moulin, the fest of the mill is celebrated. On that day bread is made the traditional way, you can ride a horse-drawn carriage, watch a horse pulling competition and see blacksmiths at work.
Second site of the Mahy Collection, after Auto World in Brussels. Wide collection of vehicles, some restored some preserved as found. Also sells books, antique parts and models.
Cinema.
Performance hall with performances of theatres (classic and modern), variety shows, operettas.
Pool and snooker room.
Piscine Communale
Indoor swimming pool, here you can swim around the year.
Gym with weightlifting and cardiovascular training.
Route 4 of the Wallonian light traffic route network passes through Ath, following the Ath-Blaton canal and Dendre river.
The "circuit of lights" is a night walk of 2 km (45 min) in the central part of town, along the Dendre river which is lined by blue LEDs lighting up the night.
A 3.5 km long walk (1 h 30 min), this walk follows the "footsteps of the stonemasons" on the site of the former quarry and the stone museum on Maffle. In addition to these, you can see a Baroque chapel, workers' houses and an old brewery.
Starting from the Ostiches windmill, it's a walk of 6.5 km (1h 45 min). It's a circular route around the windmill among hills and valleys, and you can see it from different angles during the walk.
A walk of 2 km (45 min), starting from the Calvaire du Mont de Mainvault. It's a nature walk, part of the long-distance walking trail GR129.
Starting from Place de Meslin-l'Evêque, going towards Brussels for a distance of 11 km (2 h 45 min). On this trip you will see several chapels built in different styles as well as the villages of Meslin-l’Evêque, Isières and Lanquesaint.
Friterie kiosk with different types of fast food. Large servings.
Italian cuisine - pizza and pasta.
Italian restaurant.
Chinese restaurant.
BBQ meat, paella, salads, pastas.
Belgian and French cuisine. There's outdoor seating. On the menu there's among other things red meat, mussels during season and payelles (tartiflettes in a pan).
Italian restaurant.
Italian restaurant with pizzas out of a wood-fired oven as well as steaks.
Tunisian restaurant.
Mainly Chinese but also Malaysian and Thai dishes.
Chinese cuisine.
Italian trattoria.
French cuisine.
Greek and French cuisine.
former Le Relais de la Diligence
French cuisine. On the menu there are dishes with meat, mussels, shrimp, fish.
Classic cuisine with a modern twist. They use ingredients from local farms, from poultry to foie gras, and the desserts and bread are made in-house.
Greek and Mediterranean cuisine; grilled meat and meze.
Hotel with 23 rooms, free Wi-Fi. All rooms have private bathroom, tv and minibar.
Rooms are equipped as one would expect from a mid range hotel. Free Wi-Fi. There's a bar and restaurant.
M. André Gillet Beeclmans
House with two guestrooms, sleeping four and six guests. Kitchen facilities and shared bathrooms.
Gîte à la ferme M. Vercruysse
Bed and breakfast.
Two four bed rooms and six double rooms. Shared bathrooms and kitchen. Free Wi-Fi.
There's a market every Thursday with traditions going back to Medieval times. It takes place at the square in the front of Saint-Julien church.
By bus
Regional buses operated by TEC connect from nearby towns.
By car
The nearby motorway A8-E429 between Lille and Brussels passes next to Ath, take exit 30 and drive the N56 to get to Ath.
By boat
The Ath-Blaton canal is navigable by small boats, and the Dendre and Scheldt rivers connect to the sea.
By bike
Biking route RAVeL 4 follows the Ath-Blaton canal from the south, passes through Ath and continues along the Dendre from the north.
By foot
Long distance walking path GR 1218 between Brussels and Boulogne-sur-Mer on the English channel passes through Ath.
By car
The rural part of the municipality is better explored by car. Parking is free at the outskirts of town, payable in the central parts.
By bus
As mentioned in the Get in section, local buses go to nearby cities and towns with stops along the roads.
By taxi
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Lesquin · International · LIL
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