The best cycling routes around Le Rœulx

The path is once again passable along its entire length from Ronquières to Ecaussinnes with a beautiful tarmac strip.

The old boat lifts of the Canal du Centre are impressive metal structures that transport ships to the uppermost section of the canal in four lifts. While one of the lifts is raised hydraulically, the other descends to the lower section of the canal. Built between 1882 and 1917, they are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2002, cargo ships have been passing through the new Strépy-Thieu lift.

The Ronquières inclined plane is a unique boat lift. Built in 1968, it allows barges to overcome a drop of nearly 70 meters thanks to a system of sliding trays. The structure can be observed from the cycle path along the canal.

Here we find ourselves at a modern technical structure of almost unimaginable dimensions. This enormous facility – like probably every project of this magnitude – has two aspects: Some may be in awe of the engineering that made it possible to plan and build this gigantic structure at the end of the 20th century. Others may be more concerned with the enormous intervention in nature that was necessary to realize the project and may doubt its usefulness. However, such a conflict of interest is by no means only a sign of the times, for the monumental – some might prefer the term monstrous – structure is the modern descendant of a series of significantly smaller ship lifts that were built in earlier times – and have now even been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an industrial monument. Both the old facility and its modern successor are presented in a 15-minute feature (in German) in the series "Treasures of the World - Heritage of Humanity." If you are interested, see =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/canal-du-centre-die-vier-schiffshebewerke-des-canal-du-centre-belgien-folge-375/3sat/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS82NjEwNTUy

The Ronquières inclined plane is an exceptional work of art

Ronquières, elevator to see

The Ronquières inclined plane is a ship lift near the Belgian village of Ronquières. It is an inclined plane on the Charleroi-Brussels Canal. It bridges the height difference with the Hainaut Plateau. The inclined plane was completed on 1 April 1968 after a construction period of six years. The plane is 1400 metres long and bridges a drop of 68 metres, with a gradient of almost 5%. There are two ship barges, each 85.50 metres long and 11.60 metres wide. The barges run like wagons on rails and are moved by cables. Each barge has its own counterweight, which runs on rails under the barge. The barges can thus operate independently of each other, which is important for maintenance and in the event of any malfunctions. In such cases, the plane continues to operate, but with limited capacity. The total cost of the work was approximately 3.1 billion Belgian francs (approximately €77 million), about twice as much as was thought at the start of construction. The plane is self-sufficient in energy. Next to the slope is a pipe through which water flows that drives a turbine, which provides the electrical energy for the work of art.

Some other impressive testimonies to the artistic work of Jaume PLENSA (born 1955) can be found in the following places and are also documented here in the komoot system as hiking highlights: => “Laurelle” in Bonn (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/6685486 => “Seele?” in Erkrath (Mettmann district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/4183261 => “Love” in Leeuwarden (Friesland, Netherlands) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/3906357 => “Lou” in Caen (Normandy, France) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/5933145 => “Sanna” in Bordeaux (New Aquitaine, France) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/5784432 => “Julia” in Madrid (Spain) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/6131314 The following two groups of figures by the artist offer a different perspective: => “Air-Earth” in Bamberg (Bavaria, Germany) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/2559580 => “Seven Poets” in Andorra la Vella (Andorra) see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/4741064