La Louvière

La Louvière is an industrial city of 80,000 inhabitants in Wallonia, Belgium. It is centrally located between Charleroi and Mons.

By plane
The nearest airports are in Brussels and Charleroi.

By train
Trains run to La Louvière from many destinations. The train ride from Brussels takes approximately 30 minutes. The is located closest to the centre, while the  is located on the southern edge of the city.

By car
La Louvière is easily accessible by car, situated just off the E19 Road.

Get around
La Louvière has a local bus service.

See
La Louvière is an industrial city with little to attract tourists. However one aspect of this industrial heritage is particularly interesting, the Hydraulic Boat Lifts along the Canal du Centre are regarded as one of the finest industrial achievements in Europe and as such have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The four lifts are along the canal between La Louvière and Mons they are well signposted from the main road as les ascenseurs hydrauliques. Les Cantine des Italiens near lift 1 has a small museum and offers boat trips along the canal. The pump house at lift 3 has a small exhibition and welcome center.



Hydraulic boat lifts
Listed according to distance from the city centre starting from the closest. The four oldest ones were built around 1900 and are listed as a.

Guided tours in French, Dutch, and English. Advance booking is necessary.

Reservation and information: "Voies d'Eau du Hainaut", Rue des Clercs 31, 7000 Mons - tel: +32 65 36-04-64 - fax: +32 65 33-57-32.
 * Italian Canteen, E19/E42, exit 21 "Le Roeulx", follow the signs "Ascenseur n°1 Cantine des Italiens"
 * For Bracquegnies, E19/E42, exit 21 "Le Roeulx", follow the signs "Ascenseur n°3 Salle des Machines".

Do
There are several possibilities to hire boats to travel along the canal.

Go next

 * Brussels — the national capital is a major transport hub but also boasts a number of interesting sights.
 * Mons — the regional capital of the Hainaut province is nearby.