The GR 412 takes its number from the date of Saint Barbara's Day (every 4th of December), the votive feast of miners. From the steam engine of Bernissart to Blegny-Mine, over more than 300 kilometres of hiking, the GR 412 takes you along the chain of Walloon slag heaps. A hiking trail drawn across the old coalfields is bound to leave its mark! For the landscapes of the slag heap chain are today among the most remarkable in Wallonia.
These artificial hills, erected by the mining industry in the 19th and 20th centuries, are today considered monuments of natural and historical heritage.
We speak of 330 major slag heaps out of the 900 that make up the landscape of the Haine-Sambre-Meuse valley. At the foot of these slag heaps, discover or rediscover iconic sites such as GrandHornu, Bois-du-Luc, Bois du Cazier and Blegny-Mine, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as other places tied to the memory of the men, women and children of the mines who drove Belgium's growth during the industrial revolution.
Take a moment to explore the waterways, locks, boat lifts, paths and trails that were once railway lines, and the industrial cathedrals — markers of their time, resonating with technical progress.
Along the slag heaps and pathways, the GR 412 passes through sites of great biological interest, whether listed or not, yet inhabited by all those wandering species that bring us back to nature in places where we least expect it.
The GR 412 will delight even the most demanding hikers. Along the way, you may chance upon naturalists, artists and photographers, historians and passionate local residents.
This is the story lived since the first edition in 2006, which we are once again sharing with you.
Main features
- Distance: 307 km
- Route: From Bernissart to Blegny-Mine, completed by three loops and a GR® 412 link
- route description
- distances and elevation changes
- tourist information
- train stations and bus stops, with line numbers
- supplies, cafés
- accommodations
- photos
- general map at 1:250,000
- maps at 1:50,000 with the route
For many publications, the publisher completes its offering by providing downloadable GPX tracks on its website www.grsentiers.be.
22.95 €
22.95 €