La Louvière

Welcome to Wallonitalia

La Louvière is a charming Walloon town 50 km from Brussels, in the province of Hainaut. It has a rich heritage resulting from its industrial past (earthenware, coal and river transport). The result of this is two UNESCO world heritage sites: the historic Canal du Centre with its boat lifts and the mining site of Bois-du-Luc.

As these industries needed a large labour force, the town took in a large Italian immigrant community. The result: a delicious dialect, a mix of Walloon and Sicilian slang. If you hear “Minga tè”, don’t take offence. It is an interjection used in all kinds of circumstances to express astonishment or consternation. However, if you hear “mets tes scarpes, on va faire un djîre!” that means you are being invited to put your shoes on to go for a walk.

All roads lead to…

…The town of the Wolves! Yes, that is indeed the La Louvière emblem. Legend has it that the animal suckled a child in the region. This legend – and its statue at the centre of a little roundabout, is a perfect replica of the Capitoline Wolf (only without Romulus and Remus).

And just like Rome, La Louvière is also situated at the centre of an international crossroads, in particular thanks to the E19 (Amsterdam-Antwerp-Brussels-Paris) and the E42 (Lille-Charleroi-Liège-Frankfurt-am-Main). Easy for local travel, trips away, in short for life.

The dolce Louvierta

Beneath its slightly austere appearance, the town has everything you need to prosper in your daily life. Organic food, parks, cute little boutiques, department stores, museums, Cowork Factory, bars and restaurants… But above all it owes its reputation to its brilliant folklore.

At Mid-Lent, you will daydream to the sound of beating drums and the pounding of Gilles clogs. This is the Laetare carnival, three days of intense fun celebrated by a warm population who will be only too glad to bring you into the dance.

La Louvière – the unmissable experiences:

• Head to Keramis, and the Ceramics Centre, to discover its collection of Boch earthenware and take part in the workshops. It might be the perfect time for a spin-off of the cult scene from Ghost.
• Do your shopping at Delsamme farm, where the grocer specialises in organic food and you can also find good local groceries.
• Ride the artificial waves of the Point d’Eau, Belgium's only indoor surfing centre.
• Taste a “Swiss ball”, a ball of sugary bread dough served with a butter and brown sugar sauce. Accompany it with a Loufoque, the local Louvière craft beer, and you will be a true local.
• Act the intellectual at Brock’n’Roll, which is at one and the same time a workshop, boutique and gallery in micropublishing, illustrating and everything connected with printed imagery.
• Land in Italy by popping in to Chez Gusti, a fine food store on Place Mattéotti offering a wide range of Italian produce that will be the death of you: delicatessen, cheese, wine and house special dishes. Buon appetito!