Herstal, half a century after the closures

With over 40,000 inhabitants, Herstal is one of the densely populated industrial cities of Liège. Since the Middle Ages, coal and blacksmithing have been the most important industries. In the 20th century, the arms industry and the production of motorcycles from FN, Sareola, and Gillet gained worldwide fame. Today, there is still limited activity from FN in the city center. After the closures in the 1970s, the city inherited the abandoned factory sites and the gray heaps. Today, these heaps are green nature reserves, but the repurposing of the factory sites has not been a resounding success.

During this noticeably green hike of about 9 kilometers, we discover, among other things, the wooded heaps and their uncertain future, the repurposing of the mines into an exclusive golf course, an abandoned modern train station, and the lively FN factory. But we also stop at witnesses of the past: working-class neighborhoods, the women’s strike of 1966, the community of Italian migrants, and the demolition of the cooperative “La Ruche” for the construction of a spectacular new town hall.

Accessibility by public transport

We consciously begin this hike at the Herstal train station. Herstal is easily reachable by train or bus from the Liège-Guillemins station. Normally, there are five connections per hour during the workweek.
From Ghent, it takes two hours, and less than an hour from Leuven.

During holiday months, there are always works on the railway line, and the train connection between Liège and Herstal is replaced by a bus. The train ticket is also valid for the bus.

The route

The hike starts and ends at the Herstal train station. The total circular route is about 9 kilometers. You can comfortably do it in half a day. However, it is better to make a day trip out of it and split the hike. This can conveniently take place in La Préalle, where for over a century you can enjoy the coziness of the miner's café “La Petite Bacnure” with a cold beer. You cannot get a meal there, but it is no problem to eat your own lunch package there.

If you want to shorten the route, that is possible by skipping the loop through the heaps. However, you will miss a beautiful piece of green experience.

Parking

Since our route begins at the train station, the nearest parking is at the station itself.

Degree of difficulty

The path is well accessible along the footpaths. However, we walk a bit through the heaps, and in wet weather, it can be slippery in some places.

Catering

The first half of the hike to Préalle offers no catering. However, there is the authentic miner's café “La Petite Bacnure” there. The second part leads completely through the city, and here and there, there is a café or a small restaurant. About a kilometer before the end, we pass the Place Jean Jaurès, the central marketplace of the city. Here you can find all kinds of catering options.