Belgium · Wallonia
Where to Stay in Tournai, Wallonia
Tournai is one of Belgium's oldest cities, in Wallonia on the Scheldt river, crowned by a great five-towered cathedral.
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Where to stay in Tournai
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Beds in Tournai gather around the cathedral or out past the station. The streets around the cathedral and the Grand-Place keep the belfry, the museums, and the river within a walk, and staying in the centre suits anyone here for the old city. The great square quiets after dark.
Rooms sit near the towers and the market. Out toward the newer districts and the station, the town spreads into quieter streets. A room away from the centre trades the old square for parking, space, and an easy way to Lille and the border.
The green fields open past the edge. If you want the cathedral and the museums, stay in the centre; if you want space and the road, take a room outside. Either way, the towers are close at hand.
About Tournai
Tournai is known for its five-towered cathedral.
What is Tournai known for?
The great Tournai Cathedral rises over the town with its cluster of towers, and the tall Belfry of Tournai, the oldest in Belgium, stands close by on the market square. Both are treasures of the world. Stone and history mark the old city.
What are the main landmarks in Tournai?
Tournai Cathedral is the city's wonder. Its five great towers cluster over the town, a Romanesque and Gothic marvel, the finest sight for miles around. The belfry guards the market.
The tall Belfry of Tournai, the oldest in Belgium, rises over the square, while the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée de la Tapisserie hold the city's art and famous tapestries.
What is the history of Tournai?
Tournai is one of the oldest cities in Belgium. A Roman town on the Scheldt, it became the first capital of the Frankish kings, and Clovis, who united the Franks, was born here before he led them to conquer Gaul. Kings and empires held it in turn.
The great cathedral rose over the centuries with its five towers, and the belfry was raised as a symbol of the town's liberties, the oldest in the land. The city thrived on cloth and stone. Tournai grew rich weaving tapestries and cutting its fine blue-grey stone, sold across Europe, and its churches and guild houses filled the streets.
War fell hard on the border town. French and Spanish and Austrian armies fought over Tournai for centuries, and bombs wrecked much of it in the last war, but the cathedral and the belfry survived. Both were later named treasures of the world.
Tournai still keeps its ancient towers over the Scheldt.
Where is Tournai?
Tournai sits on the Scheldt near the French border. The city spreads along both banks of the river in western Wallonia, on the gentle farmland of Hainaut close to France. Green fields roll away on every side.
The Scheldt has carried its trade for two thousand years.
What is the climate of Tournai?
Tournai has a mild, wet maritime climate. Cool, damp winters and warm summers follow the seasons of the north, and rain blows in often off the sea to the west. Grey skies hang over the river much of the year.
The weather stays soft and green.
How do you get to Tournai?
Tournai lies in the far west of Belgium. Trains and the motorway run to it from Brussels and Lille just over the French border, and roads cross the Hainaut farmland around. Buses reach the border villages nearby.
Most arrive by rail from Brussels or Lille.
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Updated August 2026