Hainaut
The province of Hainaut lies in the southwestern part of Belgium, on the border with France. It's surrounded by the domestic provinces of West Flanders, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Namur and Walloon Brabant. The landscape is slightly more varied than in the north, with separate hills and river valleys occuring. Hainaut belongs to the French-speaking half of the country. Its main city is Mons, famous for its splendid historical centre and numerous festivities. Much more important and interesting from a tourist point of view is Charleroi. This large, industrial city looks back on 1,200 years of history and offers plenty of tourist attractions. Its copious museums and art galleries, bars and nightclubs, markets and shopping centres are a magnet for visitors. The belfry of Charleroi is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.