Mons

 Mons (Dutch: Bergen, not to be confused with the namesake city in Norway) is the capital of the Belgian province of Hainaut, in the region of Wallonia. The town is a worthy place to base yourself for a multi-day exploration of the Hainaut region.

Understand
Mons was the European Capital of Culture in 2015, together with Plzeň in the Czech Republic.
 * Mons city government website

Airports

 * Brussels Airport
 * Brussels South Charleroi Airport

By car
Take the Mons exit from the E19/E42

Get around
A free shuttle service runs between 07:00 and 21:00. The shuttles run along three circuits, all of which terminate at the train station Gare B. All run past Sainte Waudru and the Grand Place.

Events

 * The Ducasse de Mons or Doudou is the name of a week-long series of festivities or Ducasse, which originates from the 14th century and takes place every year on Trinity Sunday. Highlights include:
 * The entrusting of the reliquary of Saint Waltrude to the mayor of the city on the eve of the procession.
 * The placement of the reliquary on the Car d’Or (golden carriage), before it is carried in the city streets in a colourful procession that counts more than a thousand costumed participants.
 * The lifting of the Car d’Or on a paved area near the church of Saint Waltrude; tradition holds that this operation must be successful for the city to prosper.
 * The Lumeçon fight, where Saint George confronts the dragon. The fight lasts for about half an hour, accompanied by the rhythmic "Doudou" music.  The tradition of the processional dragon is listed among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Go next

 * The historic town of Nimy is a few kilometers to the north up the N6.
 * The Grand-Large Marina is close to the Imagipark amusement park, and is a good place to start a canal tour of the local waterways.
 * The MAC's in Grand-Hornu (via TEC Bus lines 7 and 9) is a beautiful museum in a superb historic industrial coal site. Visit also the places near Grand-Hornu where Vincent Van Gogh lived.
 * Cambron-Casteau — home to Pairi Daiza, a popular animal park north of Mons on the way to Ath.