January 2024. Since December 2023, there’s a new intercity train service between Leuven (Louvain) and Charleroi-Central, with stops at Heverlee, Wavre (Waver), Ottignies, Court-Saint-Étienne (Sint-Stefaanshof) and Fleurus. Wanting to try this new link, we decided to first travel to Charleroi via Brussels, a classic itinerary. There we explored railway line 132 to Mariembourg and then railway line 134 to Couvin. We walked around Couvain and returned to Antwerp via Charleroi and Leuven. At least that was the plan.

Line 132 and 134 are not electrified so a DMU type 41 (AM41 in French, MW41 in Dutch) brought us to Couvin. From Charleroi, the journey takes an hour through fairly scenic landscapes. You really can tell you’re in Wallonia and not in Flanders. Danny could now tick off these lines on his map. 

Mariembourg Railway Station is the starting point of the Chemin de fer à vapeur des Trois Vallées (CFV3V) or Three Valleys Steal Railway. So we’ll probably return to Mariembourg. Perhaps with Dennis, but we haven’t told him yet. 

The CFV3V is a heritage railway company and railway line, spanning 14 km towards Treignes. 

Couvin

Couvin is a city and municipality in the province of Namur. It has some 14,000 inhabitants but with 206.93 km² it is the is the second largest municipality of Belgium by surface area, after Tournai (Doornik) in Hainaut. 

The municipality consists of the following villages: Aublain, Boussu-en-Fagne, Brûly, Brûly-de-Pesche, Couvin proper, Cul-des-Sarts, Dailly, Frasnes-lez-Couvin, Gonrieux, Mariembourg, Pesche, Petigny, Petite-Chapelle and Presgaux.

Tourism

Couvin has a tourism office which offers insights on his walking and hiking trails, cycling routes and its sleeping options. 

Besides the heritage railway, Couvin hosts the Brasserie des Fagnes brewery. With the Trou de l’Abîme and the Neptune Caves there are two caves.

Wolfsschlucht I, known locally as ‘Hitler’s Bunker‘, is located at Brûly-de-Pesche. It was used as one of Adolf Hitler‘s military headquarters during the Battle of France in 1940. 

Walking around Couvin

We kept it to Couvin proper. There’s a newer part, wit the old rail sidings, depot or yard being redeveloped into a shopping area, and there’s the old town, centered around the Eau Noire (which looked more khaki than black).

After a few uninspiring, lackluster streets – also not helped by the grey January weather – we encountered an actually quaint and photogenic area around the hill where there used to be a castle. Cobblestone streets, a cave, bridges. The tourism office even showcases a little 2.3 km trail. 

We had lunch at Brasserie Jeanne, a cosy enough restaurant with regional staple dishes. It was open on a Monday, a popular closing day for restaurants in Belgium, and there were quite a few patrons.

The food was honest. 

After some two hours, we returned to the station.

The journey home

I wrote we wanted to try out the Charleroi – Leuven intercity. Well, Danny saw our train was to be cancelled due to bus being stuck at a level crossing in Fleurus. So we took the Charleroi – Brussels – Antwerp intercity back home.

That’s nothing special o us, as we have often worked on this route. Luckily the rolling stock for this particular train was unusual, so we got to sit in a refurbished I6m 1st class coach. Lovely!

So?

Don’t put Couvin on your to-do list. But as the area is popular for hikes and cycling and other outdoorsy activities, then Couvain is a good base or stop along your way.