La Louvière

Lore & Background

The legend of a mother wolf nursing a child at La Louvière is reminiscent of the mythical birth of Rome. The true origin dates from the 12th century, when the forested territory was named Menaulu, from Old French meaning 'wolf's lair'. This land was part of the larger community of Saint-Vaast, belonging to the Aulne Abbey. By 1284, the name had been translated into Latin, then back into French to its current name. The lords of Saint-Vaast encouraged prospecting, leading to the first extraction of coal in 1390, but the abbey's refusal to provide infrastructure delayed large-scale development until the 18th century.

In the 19th century, construction of roads, canals, and railways allowed local coal production to be exported. Investments poured into local industry, and La Louvière quickly surpassed its overlord Saint-Vaast in population and economic wealth. Within fifty years, the territory that was little more than a place name became one of the most important cities in Wallonia. La Louvière was recognized as an independent city in 1869.

The municipality consists of the districts: Boussoit, Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Houdeng-Aimeries, Houdeng-Gœgnies, La Louvière, Maurage, Saint-Vaast, Strépy-Bracquegnies, and Trivières.

Reader's Guide

La Louvière's significance lies in its rapid transformation from a forested territory to a major industrial city in Wallonia, driven by coal mining. The city's growth in the 19th century, fueled by infrastructure improvements, made it a key part of the Sillon industriel. Its heritage includes four hydraulic boat lifts on the old Canal du Centre, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, and the Bois-du-Luc coal workers' housing complex, part of the Major Mining Sites of Wallonia designated in 2012. The city also hosts the Laetare Carnival, featuring Gilles and the Brûlage des Bosses. Notable figures from La Louvière include impressionist painters Anna and Eugène Boch, sculptor Pol Bury, grammarian Maurice Grevisse, and footballers Eden, Thorgan, and Kylian Hazard. The city is twinned with Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, Foligno, Córdoba, Bojnice, Kalisz, and Giresun.

Did You Know?

• The name La Louvière derives from Old French 'Menaulu' meaning 'wolf's lair', and was later translated from Latin back into French.
• The first extraction of coal in the area occurred in 1390.
• La Louvière became an independent city in 1869.
• The city's carnival, Laetare, includes the Brûlage des Bosses, where a puppet dressed as a Gilles is burnt.