Le Roeulx
About this Place
Le Roeulx is a small town in Hainaut, between Mons and La Louvière. Its place in the Museum rests above all on its close association with Brasserie St-Feuillien, an independent family brewery founded here in 1873 by Stéphanie Friart.
The brewery’s name reaches much further back. Feuillien was an Irish missionary murdered in the area in 655, and an abbey founded in his memory at Le Roeulx in 1125 became an important religious and economic centre. Brewing formed part of the abbey’s activities until it was suppressed during the French Revolutionary period. The Friart family later revived the name and its brewing heritage, and the brewery remains in family hands five generations later.
Visitor notes
An enjoyable way to explore the town is Le Trésor du Moine Feuillien, a free, clearly waymarked walk beginning on the Grand’Place. The route takes about 90 minutes and introduces Le Roeulx’s history and landmarks through a series of panels, clues and light-hearted challenges.
Brasserie St-Feuillien offers guided visits to its preserved nineteenth-century site, normally on Saturday afternoons. Advance booking is recommended, and anyone hoping to visit the brewery shop should check its opening arrangements before travelling.
The wider municipality includes Thieu, where the historic Canal du Centre and the immense Strépy-Thieu boat lift provide a striking reminder of Hainaut’s industrial and engineering heritage.