Tournai, Ronquieres sloping lock Belgium

Travelled:76km
Visited:Tournai, Ronquieres Sloping Lock
Stay:Ronquieres-free parking, no service point. N50.606361 E4.222490

This morning we got on our bikes to further explore Tournai. We started at the tourist office to watch the history of the cathedral, one of the 2 films on offer for a small fee of €2.10ea. It was very informative. Interesting to know that Tournai was France's first capital back in the day!

We then rode to the river L'escaut that runs through the middle of the town to the Pont des Trous Bridge which was one of the most prestigious mediaeval  military architectures of the region.

We rode past the impressive neo-renaissance styled train station. 

We stopped to have a look in St.Jacques' church which is part of the route of the piligrims walking the way to St.James.

We eventually made our way back to Bluey and then drove to Ronquieres Sloping Lock. On the way we stopped at a road side van selling roast chickens etc and found a boulangerie with some yummy baguettes and very tempting cakes..... We are in the French speaking part of Belgium. So after a very satisfying lunch we got to the lock just before 3pm which gave us time to do the audiovisual experience and crossing the lock on the 4pm boat trip (€10ea). 

So we first went up the 150m tower to the panorama lookout, then got the little train to the lower side and then went up.
A few facts: it took 6 years to build and completed in 1968 for €47m, it reduced travel time by 7 hours, it is 1.5km long and 68m high from one lock to the other, it travels at 4km/hr and took 20mins not including opening/closing. 

After our journey we watched the next boat go down and then donned our headphones for a very unique tour explaining the life of being a boatman and information of the lock construction.
We parked up we several others for the night.