Tournai (Doornik) Overview

The first city liberated from the Nazis by Allied forces, Tournai (pop. 68,000) was once the capital of Gaul. The city’s most spectacular sight is the world’s only five-steepled cathedral, 800-year-old Cathédrale Notre-Dame. A 1999 tornado left the landmark in need of renovations, and though half of the building is inaccessible, visitors are still welcome to admire the gorgeous, Romanesque architecture. (Open daily June-Oct. 9:15am-noon and 2-6pm; Nov.-May 9:15am-noon and 2-5pm. Free, treasure room €1.) Climb the 257 steps of the nearby belfry, the oldest in Belgium, for a stunning view. The rooms you’ll see along the climb served as prison cells until 1827. (Open Mar.-Oct. Tu-Su 10am-1pm and 2-6:30pm; Nov.-Feb. Tu-Su 10am-noon and 2-5pm. €2, under 20 €1.) Two blocks away, Victor Horta’s Musée des Beaux-Arts, Enclos St-Martin, houses a small collection of Belgian and Dutch paintings. (☎069 33 23 45. Open Apr.-Oct. M and W-Su 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-5:30pm; Nov.-Mar. M and W-Sa 10am-noon and 2-5pm, Su 2-5pm. €3, first Su of each month free.)

Continue up the hill from the tourist office to reach the convenient Auberge de Jeunesse (HI) , 64 r. St-Martin, which has dormitory-style hallways and a full kitchen. (☎069 21 61 36; www.laj.be. Breakfast and linens included. Reception 8am-noon and 5-10pm; varies in low season. Hostel locked when reception closed. Reserve ahead. Open Feb.-Nov. Dorms €18-20; singles €34; doubles €50. €3 HI discount. MC/V.) Stop by the friendly, family-owned bakery Boulangerie , just across the street from the hostel, for delicious fare including sizable sandwiches (€2), tasty pastries, and fresh breads. (Open daily 6am-5pm.) Grab a bite at En Cas de Faim , 50 r. des Chapeliers, a small Mediterranean restaurant just 20 meters down the hill from the belfry. (☎069 56 04 84. Entrees €6-13. Buffet €22. Open M-Th noon-2:30pm, F-Sa noon-2:30pm and 7-9:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.) Get groceries at Super GB on r. de la Tête D’Or. (Open M-Sa 8am-8pm.)

Trains leave pl. Crombez for Brussels (1hr., 1 per hr., €11.10) and Namur (2hr., 1 per hr., €15.20). The tourist office is located at 14 Vieux Marché aux Poteries. (☎069 22 20 45; www.tournai.be. Open Apr.-Sept. M-F 8:30am-6pm, Sa 9:30am-noon and 2-5pm, Su 10am-noon and 2:30-6pm; Oct.-Mar. M-F 8:30am-5:30pm, Sa 10am-noon and 2-5pm, Su 2:30-6pm.) Inexpensive access to Internet is available at CyberCenter, 6 r. Soil de Morialme. (☎069 23 66 36. Open M-F 11am-11pm, Sa-Su 2pm-midnight. €3 per hr.) Postal Code: 7500.