landmark
Strépy-Thieu Boat Lift
A colossal 73 m boat elevator on the Canal du Centre, among the tallest in the world, hoisting entire barges in a concrete cathedral visible for miles across Hainaut.
22 km · about 25 min drive
Wallonia, Belgium · Europe
Aulnois is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Quévy-le-Petit, 49km from Hallerbos.
Aulnois is a town located in Wallonia, Belgium. With a population of 1,059, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Aulnois sits in Belgium, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Brussels time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Aulnois to your route.
The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands. A French army of around 75,000 men, commanded by the Duke of Villars, engaged a Grand Alliance force of 86,000 under the Duke of Marlborough. InRead more
one of the bloodiest battles of the 18th century, the latter won a narrow victory, but suffered heavy casualties.
Allied advances in 1708 led to the renewal of peace talks, which collapsed in April 1709. After taking Tournai in early September, the Allies besieged Mons, whose capture would allow them to enter France itself, and Louis XIV ordered Villars to prevent its loss. Although this proved impossible, he decided to fight anyway, and the two armies made contact on 10 September. Marlborough's attack was delayed until the next day, giving the French time to construct strong defensive positions.
After an opening artillery barrage, the Allied infantry made simultaneous assaults on the French flanks. These were intended to divert troops from their centre, weakening it sufficiently so it could then be broken by a mass allied cavalry charge. Although successful in previous battles, at Malplaquet the flank attacks incurred heavy casualties, while the French cavalry ensured their centre did not collapse. This allowed their infantry to retreat in good order, with the victors too exhausted to conduct a pursuit.
Most historians estimate Allied losses as about 22,000 killed or wounded, those of the French being around 11,000. These levels shocked contemporaries, and heightened internal divisions within the Grand Alliance over the wisdom of continuing the war. By saving his army, Villars ultimately enabled Louis to negotiate far better peace terms in 1713 than those available in 1709. However, it did little to change the immediate strategic situation; Mons surrendered shortly afterward and the Allied advance resumed in 1710.
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Aulnois.
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Aulnois.
Aulnois offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
Plan your road trip to Aulnois with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Aulnois as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Aulnois is located in Wallonia, Belgium, Europe. The coordinates are 50.3401 latitude, 3.9041 longitude.
Aulnois has a population of approximately 1,059 people, making it a town in Belgium.
Add to your itinerary
Start planning your road trip with Aulnois as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Start Road TripDiscover destinations like Tinder
Swipe through stunning destinations near Aulnois. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
A colossal 73 m boat elevator on the Canal du Centre, among the tallest in the world, hoisting entire barges in a concrete cathedral visible for miles across Hainaut.
22 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Four UNESCO-listed 19th-century hydraulic boat lifts near La Louvière, still standing on the old Canal du Centre.
24 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Belgium's most-visited attraction: a 75-hectare animal park built around a former Cistercian abbey in Hainaut, with full-scale Chinese, Indonesian and Middle Kingdom gardens housing giant pandas, gorillas and elephants.
27 km · about 30 min drive
historic highway
A Belgian village street circuit running since 1926, still used for historic car and motorcycle racing on closed public roads. Between meetings you can drive the whole flat-out 4km lap through farmland and the town outskirts.
41 km · about 50 min drive
racetrack
A flat, fast circuit that hosted two Belgian Grands Prix in the 1970s before closing in 1981. Much of the abandoned track survives among industrial development, its wide sweeping curves clearly readable from ground level.
43 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
The 'Blue Forest' near Halle carpets itself with millions of wild bluebells under beech trees each spring.
49 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
A grass pyramid topped by a cast-iron lion marks the 1815 battlefield where Napoleon met his final defeat.
52 km · about 60 min drive
ancient ruins
The vast romantic ruins of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey, roofless Gothic arches lost in woodland near Brussels.
53 km · about 60 min drive
April to October
Other places to explore near Aulnois.
Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.
Start Planning