forest of Bonsecours

The Forest of Bonsecours is a large woodland straddling the border between Belgium and France, within the municipality of Bernissart in the province of Hainaut, covering roughly 1,200 hectares in total. Its Belgian portion lies within the municipality of Péruwelz, right along the national border, so a walk through its trails can take visitors from one country into the other almost without noticing.

Where does the forest's history begin?

The forest is a remnant of an old woodland that for centuries belonged to private landowners. It only gained the status of state ("domanial") forest after the First World War, when the surrounding wooded areas passed under public administration. That change in ownership allowed for organized forest management and the gradual opening of the area to visitors, who today can follow a network of marked walking and cycling trails winding through the trees.

What mark did coal mining leave on the area?

The immediate surroundings of the forest were once the scene of intense mining activity. In 1782, the Compagnie des Mines d'Anzin, a company operating nearby coal deposits, built an imposing structure at the edge of the forest to house a Newcomen engine — one of the earliest practical applications of steam power for industrial purposes. The machine was used to pump out groundwater flooding the underground mine workings, a major technical challenge for coal mining at the time. This industrial past, though barely visible in the forest landscape today, explains why the area around Bernissart and Péruwelz developed for decades as an industrial coal basin before the land regained its forested, natural character.

What survived both world wars?

Remarkably, the Forest of Bonsecours came through both world wars without major damage — unlike many other forested areas in the region that suffered from fighting or large-scale wartime logging. As a result, it has retained the character of an old, largely natural woodland, which today gives it particular ecological and landscape value. This continuity is why the forest is sometimes described as a relic of an ancient woodland — a stretch of forest that was never reshaped by modern forestry practices to the same extent as neighboring areas.

What is worth seeing nearby?

Within and around the forest lies a rich historical heritage, symbolized by the Château de l'Hermitage, a castle that testifies to the area's long history and its ties to both local aristocracy and industry. The surroundings today attract hikers and cyclists as well as visitors interested in the industrial history of the Hainaut region, once one of Belgium's most important coal-mining centers.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Forest of Bonsecours in Belgium or France? The forest extends across the border — part of it lies in Belgium (municipality of Péruwelz, province of Hainaut), and part in France, forming a single cross-border woodland of about 1,200 hectares.

Are there any remaining traces of mining in the forest? Direct traces within the forest itself are barely visible today, but at its edge once stood a building housing a Newcomen engine, built in 1782 by the Compagnie des Mines d'Anzin to drain water from nearby coal mines.

Since when has the forest had state forest status? It became a state ("domanial") forest after the First World War, having previously remained in private ownership.

What can visitors see near the forest? Nearby, visitors can explore the Château de l'Hermitage, a testament to the area's rich history, as well as an extensive network of walking and cycling trails running through the forest.