Fun and entertainment Tournai

While brewing at Deca's Woeste facility until 2005, Nino Bacelle and Guido Devos then crossed the language border to establish their facilities in Dottignies, near Mouscron. At De Ranke, the importance of hops is not negligible. Hop extracts are out of the question. Here, we use real hop cones from Poperinge and Warneton. Their reputation is well established, and in their tap room you can try out their XX Bitter, Noir de Dottignies or Guldenberg, a typical abbey beer.

Located in the Imagix cinema complex, Brasse-Temps is more than just a tavern-restaurant, it's also a microbrewery. The beers are brewed on site by Brasserie Dubuisson, the owner of the premises and "inventor" of the concept, which is also available in Froyennes (Tournai) and Charleroi. The catering, a "Parisian brasserie" style with local accents, is prepared by Moresto catering and adapted to the various house beers.....

A real festive institution in Tournai, Le Bouchon is a cult for the passion it puts into beer more than for the number of labels on the menu. Local or artisanal breweries are honored, from Hainaut or elsewhere: Cazeau, Dupont, Dubuisson, de la Senne, Boon, Cantillon... A beer is more specifically highlighted each week. A small stage allows various musical groups to perform in an indescribable good mood.

A few steps from the Grand-Place, this café seems to have remained intact since the 1900s. One meets here a flock of regulars. At noon, you can pick from the small menu to have a quick lunch (sandwiches, salads, daily specials...), and the rest of the time you can enjoy the good Belgian beers. As its name indicates, the atmosphere of this small establishment is warm, friendly, so much so that this nice café is sometimes overwhelmed with customers looking for an authentic setting that represents so well the conviviality of the Tournaisiens!

Tam-Tam is a tiki bar with a tropical atmosphere, and with exotic, caliente or sexotic cocktails some would say. Because in this long list, most of the cocktails on the menu are forbidden to under 18s: the Maousse Costo (very loaded!) or the Erotiques for example. There are also the Déjantés du Tam-Tam and in those, we like the Nana (rum and pineapple juice, served in a fresh pineapple). As a good tiki, the Tam-Tam serves a lot of compositions based on good rum and offers a neat bamboo decoration with tropical plants, to warm up in winter.

The Maison des Huit Heures is one of the last monuments of socialism, and the source of many workers' demands, notably the fight for the 3-8 system: 8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure, 8 hours of rest. It's a must to go there at market time on Sunday mornings, when a colourful population rubs shoulders. You'll be happy to sit down with strangers and chat. CTS scotch is invariably drunk by the cask. Curious non-union members will also find something to their liking here, with the attractive XXL-format photos of Charleroi.

Founded in the Middle Ages, it is now a place of worship and a historic site. Surrounded by magnificent gardens, the abbey offers a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Visitors can admire the church's Gothic architecture and explore the abbey's various rooms. Visitors can also take advantage of the souvenir store, where they can buy local products and religious objects. Bonne-Espérance Abbey is a must-see for lovers of history and spirituality.

The atmosphere is festive and sometimes a little crazy, with an old-fashioned café decor, wooden tables and stools, and enamel plates that evoke beer. One of the 70 beers on the menu is highlighted every month. A must-visit establishment in the upper town for a good froth, alone or to share, as the "social" beers (75 cl) are well represented. Local cuisine on Thursday lunchtimes and themed evenings once a month, including some small acoustic concerts. Nice terrace in summer.

This small rustic house stands in front of a quiet pond bordered by tall trees, in the middle of the woods surrounding the old abbey of Saint-Denis. The owner has composed a nice list of special beers: Moinette, Chimay and Orval are present and of course, the St-Feuillien, including the Triple on the barrel. Very busy, especially on weekends, there are also fishermen, who have renamed the place "Les Joyeux Asticots", after their company. Table on a beautiful outdoor terrace to enjoy the sun.

Imagipark is a leisure center located in Mons. It offers a variety of activities for children and adults. Attractions include an obstacle course, ball pools, a bouncy castle, climbing walls, slides, a small car circuit, foam games and a psychomotor zone. Parents can watch their children from the panoramic indoor tavern while enjoying a drink. Birthday parties and multi-activity activities such as paintball, go-karting and bubble soccer can also be organized.

Set in a motley brocante of bric-a-brac, but where everything is for sale, Chez ta mère is a troquet of a kind never before seen in Charleroi, brimming with family souvenirs and kitsch knick-knacks. On Friday evenings, the whole town gathers here for an aperitif that often goes on for a long time. Themed evenings follow one another with as much originality as good humor. Discoveries too, like Brune du Pays Noir on the barrel. In short, Chez Ta Mère is your guarantee of a different, unformatted experience.

It's a bit ofEnglish Touch that has settled in the City of Doudou with Paddington. As soon as you see the sign (in the shape of a London subway sign), you are immediately drawn into the bath of this charming tea room: flowery wallpaper, big carpet, comfortable armchairs and kitschy porcelain and cushions: all the codes of the tea room are there. You can stop there to drink one, because it would be a shame to miss theAfternoon tea served in the right way: with sandwiches, pastries and delicious scones, all home-made.

Do you love cats? Then you'll be delighted to get your dose of purrs at Carolo Cat, a pretty cat bar in the lower town. The interior is as cozy as you could wish and, of course, fully equipped for their boarders, with plenty of overhead access and a real catwalk from which the furry creatures can observe customers before deciding whether or not they'll come to them (it's up to the cats to approach, we don't solicit them). Snacks and hot and cold drinks are prepared by Carole and her team. Cats for adoption, except her own.

Blandine Grandchamps is following in the footsteps of her illustrious father, while revisiting the genre and bringing a new dynamism to it. Fafouille's daughter, the young lady has taken over the second family space dedicated to used books, in the recently refurbished Passage de la Bourse. Here, you can sit down for a drink and browse through a book from one of the many themes on offer. You then choose whether to buy the book or come back and continue reading a little later. Blandine also organizes intimate concerts and events in her stylish boutique.

Here's a typically Thudinian bistro... l'Estaminet showcases the city's two spearheads, folklore and inland waterway transport. As you gaze out over the nearby Sambre, you can sample the various specialities on offer, including a wide selection of Belgian beers, especially local ones. It's also a place to revisit the world, and in particular the world of Thudin, as the regulars sit by the bar and go over it with a fine-tooth comb. L'Estaminet has been awarded the "Bistrot de Terroir" label, and has a pleasant floating terrace throughout the summer months.