I am not writing about the Hotel de Ville, but about the city in general. We wanted to rent an eBike to cycle the Maas river nearby, so we went to the central train station which was completely torn up by construction. We tried to find the bike shop, but when we finally located it, they were sold out. At the tourist information in the station, they said that I could rent one at such and such an address a few blocks away. We walked to the address, but when we got there, the storefront was empty! We wasted most of the day in a drab and uninteresting city with nothing to show for it. I personally will not set foot in Namur again; try Dinant only 30 minutes away, it's wonderful and highly recommended!

Probably because we visited Charleroi with the idea that it was a dull and grim place where there wasn’t much to see, we were pleasantly surprised by the general ambiance, the cheerfulness and friendliness of the people and the number of interesting spots. The huge 1930s Town Hall (‘Hôtel de Ville’ in French), for instance, is well worth a visit. From the outside, we didn’t find it that impressive, despite its 70 m (229.7 ft) high UNESCO-listed belfry, but once inside we were wowed by the Art Deco interior. It must be said though that the rainy weather was a bad time to study the statues decorating the façade. As the monumental entrance on Place Charles II was closed, we entered under the Belfry at place du Manège. A friendly lady provided us with a free illustrated leaflet (in French) and left us to roam freely. Of course, not all the rooms were open, but we were able to see the Council Chamber, the grand entrance hall, the monumental staircase and the many lovely long corridors. The Town Hall clearly dates from a time when Charleroi was a rich and powerful town. There is marble everywhere. We loved the gilded allegorical statue by Alphonse Darville and the stupendous view from the first floor. Apart from four white statues of worker’s by Georges Wasterlein (we didn’t particularly care for) the entrance hall houses the funny effigies of the eight giants of Charleroi. We didn’t visit the belfry. To do so (for free) visitors have to be at the Maison du Tourisme du Pays de Charleroi on Place Charles II on Wednesday or Saturday at 2.30 p.m. It is also possible to make an appointment for a guided tour.