Eurostar to Charleroi

Charleroi may not be your first thought when it comes to holiday destinations, but this overlooked city is the home of many hidden gems. It’s only one hundred kilometres from Lille, and even less from Brussels, only fifty kilometres. Located in the Hainaut province, it is Belgium’s third biggest city, and has a fascinating industrial past. It used to be the main home of Belgium’s steel, glass and coal manufacturing. These days, however, it’s a much more sophisticated city, home to lots of Art Nouveau architecture. Charleroi is one of the destinations available on the Eurostar connection service, so it’s never been easier to reach.

About Charleroi

If it’s the architecture you’re travelling for, head right into the city to the Hotel de Ville and Belfry. The building’s exterior is a classic example of Charleroi’s Art Nouveau and Classicism mix. It’s an imposing building, measuring two-hundred and thirty feet at its tallest, as is on the UNESCO world heritage list. But don’t rush your visit; the forty-seven bells toll on the hour, and ring out the song ‘Pays de Charleroi, c'est toi que je préfère’ across the town. And while you’re in the area, take a wander inside the Hotel de Ville. Not only is the interior massively decadent, it’s also home to the Charleroi Museum of Fine Arts and the Jules Desrée Museum.

Only a short walk from here is another big tourist attraction that is definitely worth a visit: the Museum of Photography. It is considered by many to be one of the most revered in all of Europe, and houses a number of fascinating exhibitions and displays.

To really immerse yourself in Charleroi’s history, you shouldn’t miss trips to the Museum of Industry and the Museum of Glass. They both go into great detail about the fascinating industrial heritage.

Another interesting note about Charleroi is its notoriety in the world of graphic novels. Some of Belgium’s most renowned characters were launched from here, including the Smurfs, Kid Paddle, Cédric, and Spirou. These bande dessinée (or as we know them, comic strip) characters are deeply ingrained in Charleroi’s culture, and you’ll see many of them depicted around the city. A great afternoon activity for the family would be to try and find them all! And if you happen to get lost on your hunt, just look out for the Marsupilami statue in the centre of town; it’s a great meeting point and all the locals know where it is!

Charleroi by Eurostar Trains

If you're convinced, you can get to Charleroi on one of the Eurostar’s connection services. Eurostar trains depart from St Pancras International, a very easy-to-get-to destination in London. Your simplest option of connection services is to change Brussels. The main train station is Gare de Bruxelles Midi. All you need to do once you arrive here is get onto a different platform and await the next SNCB train which will take you all the way to Charleroi. All in all, if you travel from London, you can expect the journey time to be about three and a half hours.

Visit the official Eurostar web site to book your train tickets to Charleroi.