Day Trips from Brussels: Vincent Van Gogh in Belgium & the Borinage

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, coal became immensely valuable. Belgium became a major industrial power in the 1800s, powered by the coal in Wallonia.

The Wallonian mines at this time were incredibly dangerous places and the region was infamous for its black air and houses (a result of industry). Luckily, the stains of industry have been removed off the buildings, only to reveal beautiful brick underneath.

In Van Gogh’s time, the actual coal mining was done in a fairly low-tech way within the mines with individual miners working in isolated corners with a lamp.  Unlike other coal mining regions, which buried the excess generated by the coal industry, the Borinage has a unique topological feature still existing today as a result of its industrial history: slag heaps.

Despite Mons being nicknamed “Bergen” (mountain) in Flemish, the hills surrounding Mons in the Borinage are actually composed of excess from coal mining.   Van Gogh’s house in Belgium actually had a view of one of these slag heaps and one of the most infamous coal mining complexes in the region: the Marcasse.

Van Gogh moved into the house in Petit-Wasmes in 1879, however he found it to be too luxurious. He ended up refusing to use the house in an act of solidarity with his congregation, who mostly lived in small one story houses that lined the roads of the Borinage. He wrote to his brother at one point, “I should be happy if some day I could draw them,so that these unknown types would be brought before the eyes of the people.”

Around this time, Vincent Van Gogh refused to wear the standard clothes for a Protestant missionary and would often walk around in rags.  The people of the Borinage loved him, however the church was less amused, eventually firing Van Gogh.

At one point, Vincent Van Gogh descended into the mines together with a member of his congregation at the nearby Marcasse.  The Marcasse was visible from Vincent’s house.

You can visit Van Gogh’s house in Belgium, which still stands today. Unfortunately, it sat for many years abandoned despite having a plaque outside indicating its historical significance.  Luckily, volunteers have worked to completely restore the house considering the considerable damage over the years, which is located in the town of Colfontaine.

The Van Gogh’s house is now a museum with copies of Van Gogh’s early works and copies of his letters describing his time in the Borinage.  Maison Van Gogh has a distinct red outer paint coat, which they believe was the color of the house at the time. You can visit Van Gogh’s house on the weekends between 10am and 4pm.

The Charbonnage de Marcasse is a large industrial complex that at its peak had eleven mines.  All the mines are sealed now, however volunteers are in the process of renovating the former complex into something that gives a glimpse into the harsh reality of coal mining and an understanding of Van Gogh’s influences shortly before he became a painter. The letters of Vincent Van Gogh had strong words about the Marcasse.

The Marcasse was a particularly infamous mine with many accidents claiming countless over the years. It was finally shut down in the 1960s after one such mining accident.

You can still see the 700-meter mine shaft that Vincent Van Gogh went down into. Additionally, you can drink a beer inspired by Vincent Van Gogh himself.

Filip, Nadine, and other volunteers commissioned custom-made beers from a local beer producer that were really tasty. (Bring some extra euros.)   I got an Amber Ale while my husband bought the Marcasse Blonde.   I highly recommend them.

You can also hike along the slag heap as well as explore part of the Marcasse (not all of it is safe at this point as there are some holes in the ceilings).

In the future, they hope to create an artists’ residency here, however if you’re into abandoned(ish) places with a rich history, you need to visit the Marcasse, which is a great day trip from Brussels.

In 1879 and 1880, Van Gogh moved into a miner’s home (that happens to be very slanted) in the city of Cuesmes. He lived in an adjoining wing that does not exist anymore, however Maison Van Gogh itself remains in good condition thanks to some renovations.

Van Gogh would give religious lectures within the home and began learning more about drawing techniques (thanks to his brother’s willingness to pay for books) around this time.

After losing his job as a missionary, he became more interested in painting and eventually chose to wander the region in between France and Belgium prior to returning to the Netherlands where he became the Van Gogh that we all know well.

In the Maison Van Gogh, you’ll find early sketches from Van Gogh.  In these early sketches, you can see Vincent Van Gogh’s influences: the peasant genre (part of the Realism movement at the time), which showed the lives of peasants in contrast to the many paintings of aristocrats.

I was shocked by how different his early sketches (those that remain as many were destroyed by Van Gogh himself).  Van Gogh’s first painting was not finished until much later, but it followed the same key themes: sympathy and portrayal of the peasants.

Van Gogh’s first painting, the Potato Eaters, portrayed Dutch farmers in a dark home that some say was influenced by his time in the Borinage.

Even as a Van Gogh fan, I never knew about Vincent Van Gogh’s deep sympathy for the working class, his beautiful writing, and about his time in the Borinage.  He continued to speak about how the Borinage inspired him prior to his death although he never revisited in his lifetime.

Coal mining in the Borinage during the Industrial Revolution (part II)

Large industrial complexes arose all throughout the region, most with questionable safety standards, although a few remain mostly intact. This includes the Reserve du Marcasse and the Grand Hornu complex (UNESCO recognized). The Grand Hornu industrial complex is one of the best preserved industrial complexes from this time and it now houses the largest contemporary art exhibition in Wallonia.

With the demand for coal rising, industrialists built some of the first railroads in Europe to help transport large amounts of coal.  The railroads crisscrossed the Borinage region in a vast network. Following the collapse of coal, these railways became disused and the Wallonia region is in the process of building a large biking network along these former railways, perfect for long distance biking.

Mons is 40 minutes by train from Brussels, however a car is best for getting around the Borinage region. It is possible to visit the Borinage without a car with some effort put into the bus schedules.  The Borinage is about one hour from Brussels without traffic and about 20-30 minutes from Mons, so staying in Mons for a weekend would be easiest.

There are a number of biking routes around the region if you’re interested in doing a bike tour around the Borinage. Filip and other volunteers do a tour a couple times of a year of the Van Gogh sites, although you need to book ahead as they’re popular.

The Borinage is a surprising region to visit with much to offer beyond what people expect from learning about an artist’s history in a region.  The residents of the Borinage are proud of their history.

Even the slag heaps are protected sites sporting vegetation (which we found curious given that in the U.S., the vestiges of a mining operation are legally required to be cleaned up and are considered very environmentally damaging).

I found the region surprising and fascinating. Even my husband, who generally is not into impressionism and does not care for Van Gogh, was surprised how much he felt an affinity for the region after learning about the history of the Borinage. If you’re looking a different day trip from Brussels or Mons, consider visiting the Borinage.