Bus Hire in Tournai

Tournai (Doornik in Dutch) is Belgium's oldest city, founded as the Roman municipium of Turnacum on the Scheldt (Escaut) river in the first century AD. The city was the first capital of the Frankish kingdom under Clovis I in the late 5th century and the seat of a bishop since the 5th century. The historic centre of Tournai is dominated by the Notre-Dame Cathedral (Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Tournai), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000 and the only cathedral in the world with five towers -- two flanking the Romanesque nave and three over the crossing.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) is 50 kilometres north-east via the A7 motorway (approximately 45 minutes). Lille Lesquin Airport (LIL), across the French border, is 30 kilometres south-east (approximately 30 minutes). The city is 85 kilometres south-west of Brussels via the A8/E429 (approximately 1 hour). The Grand Place (the central square) is pedestrianised; coach parking is in the quai des Salines riverfront area or the place Paul-Emile Janson.

Notre-Dame Cathedral: The Five-Towered UNESCO Monument

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Tournai (place de l'Eveche, adjacent to the Grand Place) is one of the most important Romanesque and Gothic buildings in Belgium. Construction began in the 12th century with the Romanesque nave (five bays, with rounded arches and a triple arcade, 1110-1171) -- one of the finest surviving Romanesque interiors in the Low Countries. The crossing tower was added in the 13th century, flanked by four subsidiary towers (the north and south transept towers); the five towers form the cathedral's distinctive silhouette, unique in the world. The Gothic choir (1243-1325) is one of the finest examples of Tournai Gothic, with a triforium of black Tournai marble and large rose windows. The Cathedral Treasury is one of the richest in Belgium, holding the Shrine of St Eleutherius (a 12th-century silver-gilt reliquary), the Shrine of the Virgin (1205, donated by the Countess of Constantinople), and a collection of medieval ivory carvings and vestments. Group guided tours of the cathedral and treasury require advance booking.

Grand Place and the Belfry of Tournai

The Grand Place of Tournai is a broad market square of 17th and 18th-century Baroque townhouses (rebuilt after a severe hailstorm in 1999 destroyed some of the Baroque facades). The Belfry (on the north-west edge of the Grand Place) is the oldest surviving belfry in Belgium: a round tower of Romanesque origin (rebuilt several times, current form 14th-18th century), 72 metres tall with a 54-bell carillon. The belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France listing. The Musee des Beaux-Arts (on the rue Saint-Martin, a 1928 building by Victor Horta, the Art Nouveau architect) holds a significant collection of Flemish and Walloon painting, including works by Roger van der Weyden and Jan Gossaert.

Roger van der Weyden and the Artistic Heritage

Tournai is the birthplace of Roger van der Weyden (Rogier de la Pasture, 1399/1400-1464), one of the greatest Flemish Primitive painters and among the most influential Northern Renaissance artists. Van der Weyden trained under Robert Campin (the Master of Flemalle) in Tournai before moving to Brussels as the city's official painter. The Musee des Beaux-Arts in Tournai holds works associated with Van der Weyden and examples of the Tournai school. The nearby Musee de la Tapisserie (Tapestry Museum, in a former concert hall, place Reine Astrid) covers the history of Tournai tapestry weaving, a major industry from the 14th to 16th centuries (Tournai tapestries rivalled those of Arras and Bruges). The city's archaeological museum covers the Roman and Merovingian periods.

What Bus Hire Costs in Tournai

As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Tournai runs around 235 to 460 EUR per day, a midi-coach (around 35 seats) around 390 to 755 EUR per day, and a full-size coach (49 to 55 seats) around 600 to 1,145 EUR per day. Tournai draws heritage and religious heritage groups, particularly for the cathedral, and is popular with school history trips from France and Belgium. Demand is steady but lower than in Bruges or Ghent. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges -- send your details for a free quote.

Services Available in Tournai