In 2023, over nine million passengers passed through the doors of Charleroi Airport. Unfortunately for the Charleroi tourist office, almost all of those travellers used their airport as a gateway to somewhere - anywhere - else. Whilst most booking sites will refer to (tellingly enough) "Brussels South" airport, the transfer coaches don't just whisk you to Belgium's capital - there are direct transfers to Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp, as well as to Luxembourg, to Lille in France, and to Tilburg and Breda in the Netherlands. That's not an exhaustive list.
Of course, direct transfers do come at a cost. If you've booked a budget flight, the shuttle bus is likely to cost you as much as the plane ticket - and sometimes even more. As that was the case when I booked a day trip with my friend Cat, we decided to hang around in Charleroi and find out if it was worth exploring. This is what we found.
The UNESCO-listed Bois du Cazier mine and museum
I love a World Heritage Site on the UNESCO list. Despite Charleroi’s post-industrial image, it actually coughs up two listed sites - one significantly more impressive than the other. Let’s start there.
Bois du Cazier pithead
In 2012, UNESCO recognised the "major mining sites of Wallonia" as a world heritage site. The listing comprises four sites across the Walloon region (Wallonia being the French-speaking south of Belgium), of which the most prominent is the former Bois du Cazier mine in the Charleroi suburb of Marcinelle, a short bus ride or a long (uphill) walk from the main railway and bus station.
The mine has been converted into a museum complex with the beautifully preserved pithead dominating the site. There's a small museum dedicated to the region's wider industrial history, as well as a gorgeous collection of historic glassware in the adjacent Glass Museum of Charleroi. I think it is a gem - and alone well worth the trip.
Charleroi is of course at the heart of the Belgian Pays Noir - black country - so it is only fitting that the city’s biggest and best tourist attraction reflects that proud but distant heritage.
Bois du Cazier mine and museum
It wouldn't be right to write about Bois du Cazier without mentioning the site's darkest day. On 8th August 1956, an underground fire killed 262 miners, and there are memorials throughout the site, including at least three separate sculptures and a mural. There is also an entire exhibition hall containing memories of the disaster, as well as commemorating those who passed away and sharing the lessons learned. Of the 262 victims, over half were Italian migrant workers, and the tragedy prompted wider questions far beyond industrial safety that still resonate in 2024.
I also want to pause in order to recognise whoever in the Bois du Cazier visitor team chose to hire two voice actors with broad Yorkshire accents to narrate the English version of the audio guide. It was a lovely touch and made such a positive and authentic change from received pronunciation.
Get your hiking shoes on and climb a terril
Top of the terril selfie!
Let's be clear before I continue with this paragraph - Charleroi's terrils are slag heaps. No point sugar-coating it. With the passing of time, though, they're slowly turning from industrial scar to rough beauty - as well as great places for a short or moderate hike. There are around 30 terrils scattered across the city, and it is possible to link a few of them together into a longer walk or hike. They'd also make a great sunset spot, although we didn't have time for this on a summer daytrip.
We opted for the terril adjacent to Bois du Cazier to enable us to pack a bit more into our day, and the climb had a little bit more of a bite - and a lot more greenery - than expected. The Terril du Bois du Cazier has a viewing platform at the top, with a fine 360 degree view over the city and the wider region. Was it worth a trip alone? No, clearly not. Is it going to give the Swiss Alps a run for their money? Also no. Was it a fun and authentic addition to a day out at the mine? Definitely.
Bois du Cazier pithead from the nearby terril
Grab a beer and explore the riverside
Joining team Charleroi
Team Charleroi have clearly invested in the riverfront and it is starting to pay off. The square in front of the railway station is clean and bright, the bus station has recently been rebuilt, and bars and restaurants are starting to crop up across the river. There’s also an urban art walking tour, although we didn’t have time to do this.
We chose the brasserie at La Manufacture Urbaine for a pre-flight beer before hopping on the bus back to the airport. They have a microbrewery on site and the beer was excellent.
Tasty beer
I would have loved to have taken some local beer home, but we had no checked luggage to transport it. I searched in vain at the airport for any sort of Walloon-brewed beer, but without luck. The airport duty-free was filled with beverages which - whilst undoubtedly great - were a) mostly from Flanders or Brussels and b) available in the UK at almost any supermarket or convenience store. Frustrating. I'm not sure whether to be frustrated with the Walloon government (who own the airport) for not having the confidence to showcase their own produce, or with the average traveller who fills their bag with drinks they could buy from their corner shop back home.
Catch the prints at the photography museum
Gathering my thoughts at the museum
To the south-west of the city is Charleroi's Musée de la Photographie - a phrase that even the most monolingual of British visitors should have no trouble translating. The museum is in a beautifully-converted former convent building and claims to be the largest photography museum in Europe.
Like the mining museum, the photography museum is a short bus ride out of the city centre, but unlike the mine, it is more of a niche experience. I found the exhibits to be portrait-heavy, which isn't to my taste - my art preference lives in landscapes and places. It was an enjoyable place to while away an hour, but unless you have a specialist interest in photography, it shouldn't make for the centrepiece of a trip.
Explore the city centre
Were you paying attention at the back when I said that Charleroi had two UNESCO world heritage sites?
In 1999, UNESCO listed the "belfries of Flanders and Wallonia" 32 in total as a world heritage site. The listing comprised 23 civic belfries across Belgium, including the one at the town hall in Charleroi. In 2005, the listing was extended to include 23 further belfries in north-eastern France, plus one additional site in Belgium.
L'hôtel de ville de Charleroi - belfry tower
Despite the art deco 1930s charm, I found the town hall and belfry a little underwhelming, and on a Saturday afternoon the place was deserted - no opportunity to explore inside the building or climb the tower. The Place Charles II square outside has been recently renovated, but it was almost entirely absent of the hustle and bustle you might expect from a main square on a summer weekend. I thought this was a shame - it is clearly a space worthy of a big artisan market or similar event.
Significantly more impressive than the town hall - at least to my eyes - is the nearby Église Saint-Christophe (Church of Saint Christopher), which also looks out onto the main square. The door was open and we really enjoyed having a nosy around. It isn't a Cathedral but in location and design it certainly looks and feels like one.
Église Saint-Christophe de Charleroi
The Charleroi Musée des Beaux Arts - fine art museum - is also nearby and looks like it is worth a look, but we did not have time to do this.
Five final thoughts
One day is enough - two at the most
It's not going to rival more established tourist destinations but it is an interesting alternative for an "extreme day trip" or if you are passing through
Other regional attractions are a short train ride away, including the battle site at Waterloo and the citadel and cable car at Namur
Not to labour a point but I really wanted to buy some Walloon beer in the airport!
The mining museum at Bois du Cazier is worth the trip alone.
Getting to Charleroi
Ryanair operate regular flights to Brussels South Charleroi from Manchester and Edinburgh. Charleroi Central station is well-connected on the Belgian rail network - Brussels is about an hour away by train (or by coach directly from the airport).
The bus from the airport into the city costs 6 Euro (2024 prices). There is a special daysaver ticket valid on all public transport in Charleroi including the airport bus, but you need a "MOBIB" smart card which isn't available to buy at the airport. Honestly it is probably more trouble than the money you'd save.
Further reading if you enjoyed this article