Hike of the 2 castles in Ecaussinnes

The loop starts from the Grand Place where you can easily park. Then we head towards the Ecaussinnes-Lalaing Castle Fortress. Erected in the 12th century, it is now classified as part of the Exceptional Heritage of Wallonia. It is open to the public from April to October only on Sundays from 2 PM to 6 PM. You can discover the various collections of daily life in the castle as well as its beautiful 1-hectare vegetable garden.

After this historical break, we continue our journey towards Marche-les-Ecaussinnes. A small paved path between fields stretching as far as the eye can see. We cross a few curious animals in captivity.

We follow the train tracks for a long time and arrive in a much more residential area. A less interesting part, we still take our midday break in the sun in front of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Ecaussinnes.

We gently leave the residential areas and rediscover nature thanks to the Ravel which passes through here. Some landscaping work is being done; it is the only muddy passage which requires good walking shoes.

After a glimpse of the gate of the Château de la Follie from the Ravel, we enter the Val de la Sennette. This tributary of the Senne, as its name indicates, offers us a bucolic setting as it flows through the pastures.

We find some houses and take a long tunnel: the lovers' tunnel. Renamed by Marcel Tricot, it was created to replace the initial path that crossed the Château property. Emerging from the tunnel, we can observe, through the branches, the Château de la Follie. The building that can be seen today was built in the 16th century on the foundations of an ancient fortress. This private property hosts a Classical Music Festival every July.

Always accompanied by the Senette, we discover the center of Ecaussinnes-Lalaing which brings us back to our starting point.

We hope this hike around Ecaussines has pleased you and inspired you to new adventures in the Hainaut Province. You can find all our hikes in Belgium here.