Bois du Cazier
Fodor's choice
On the outskirts of Charleroi are the old mining villages that were the heartbeat of the region from the early 1800s until the 1960s. Around them, the pointy hills of the old spoil heaps, now overgrown with forest, rise into the distance, and in the town of Marcinelle, its old works have been preserved as a superb day out. The site has a few museums but most interesting are the outdoor workings, where an audio guide leads you through a tragedy that saw hundreds lose their lives. A memorial pays tribute to the 262 victims.
