The canals in the centre, the old and the new, via Strépy-Bracquegnies

Starting from the Strépy-Thieu funicular lift, the walk takes you on a discovery of the infrastructure of both canals, the historic and the recent.
Four lifts, two drawbridges, two swing bridges and a few other remains, documented on four-language information panels, enhance the walk along the historic canal to its junction with the new canal at its eastern end.

Details

n°80539565

Creation:
28 Jul 2025

Last update:
02 Sep 2025

Last review:
–

Activity: Walking
Distance: 10.82 mi
Average duration: 5h 15
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 331 ft
Descent: - 328 ft
Highest point: 427 ft
Lowest point: 154 ft

Country: Belgium
City: Wallonie
Start/End: N 50.477054° / E 4.106305°
Hour-by-hour weather

Avalanche risk assessment bulletin

Discover Visorando Premium

Downloads

Open in the mobile app

Download GPX GPX

Download PDF PDF

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the canal and follow it downstream to the Pont de Thieu bridge

(1) Cross the bridge and go to the base of lift no. 4

(2) Climb the stairs and follow the canal upstream, passing lifts no. 3 (4), no. 2 (5) and no. 1 (7) until you reach the junction of the two canals

(8) Continue along the towpath beside the new canal, passing the Sart canal bridge (9) until you reach the artistic and humorous decorations

(10). Turn left and follow the small road to the path that leads under the infrastructure of the two canal bridges just before the funicular lift itself.

Enjoy your discovery!

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 197 ft - Parking at the - Ascenseur funiculaire de Strépy-Thieu
1 : mi 0.87 - alt. 164 ft - Pont de Thieu
2 : mi 0.95 - alt. 200 ft - Lift no. 4
3 : mi 2.22 - alt. 233 ft - Drawbridge
4 : mi 3.02 - alt. 243 ft - Lift no. 3
5 : mi 3.29 - alt. 312 ft - Lift no. 2
6 : mi 4.06 - alt. 351 ft - Bridge
7 : mi 5.08 - alt. 344 ft - Lift no. 1
8 : mi 6.16 - alt. 397 ft - Eastern junction of the two canals
9 : mi 8.47 - alt. 348 ft - Sart Canal Bridge
10 : mi 9.7 - alt. 374 ft - Artistic and humorous decorations
S/E : mi 10.82 - alt. 197 ft - Car park at the Strépy-Thieu funicular lift

Notes

Route exclusively on covered ground.

There is quite a lot of noise along the new canal between points (8) and (10) due to the nearby motorway. Especially when the wind is blowing from the north. Of course, it is possible to avoid this section by turning back wherever you like along the historic canal.

Worth a visit

The Cantine des Italiens: barracks built in 1946-1947 to welcome and house Italian immigrants who came to work in the Gustave Boël steelworks located just opposite the canal, slightly downstream from lift no. 1. Today, the Cantine des Italiens is the place to be for food and drink along the historic canal.