Tournai: Major Renovation of Haut Escaut Towpaths Begins Monday

A major renovation project for the towpaths along the Haut Escaut river in Tournai, Belgium, begins today, August 17, according to RTBF. The deep renovation aims to improve safety, comfort, and accessibility of these historic routes used by cyclists and pedestrians.

Two Sections, Nearly Five Kilometers

The project covers approximately five kilometers of the RAVeL network across two sections. On the left bank at Kain, 2.2 kilometers will be renovated between the Ramegnies-Chin bridge and the A8-E42 highway bridge. On the right bank at Celles, nearly 2.7 kilometers will be addressed between the Pottes bridge and Petit Marais street.

The renovation addresses a growing problem: tree roots have caused deformations in the surface coating, making cycling difficult in certain areas. The work includes rehabilitation of the foundations and sub-foundations of the RAVeL paths, with treatment or replacement as needed, plus installation of a new surface coating designed for durability and quality.

Each section has an execution timeline of 60 working days, excluding periods of bad weather.

Nearly Two Million Euros Invested

Nearly 2 million euros have been allocated for the project, according to the office of Walloon Minister of Mobility and Infrastructure, François Desquesnes (Les Engagés). The contract was awarded to TRBA S.A., a construction company based in Péruwelz, Belgium, as L’Avenir reported in January. The initial contract amount was announced at 1,026,000 euros including tax.

The project is part of the broader European Seine-Escaut program, one of the main European river network modernization projects. This initiative spans 1,100 kilometers of waterways connecting France and Belgium, linking the Seine basin to the Escaut basin, as detailed on Wikipedia.

The RAVeL Network: A Walloon Cycling Asset

The RAVeL (Réseau Autonome de Voies Lentes) is a Walloon Region initiative established in October 1995. It consists of a network of routes reserved for pedestrians, cyclists, people with reduced mobility, and horse riders, according to Wikipedia. The network uses towpaths and disused railway lines leased for 99 years by the Region, spanning over 1,500 kilometers of paths across Wallonia.

The Haut Escaut towpaths are part of the W4 itinerary (“Canaux, Fleuves et Rivières”), which runs 188 kilometers from Leers-Nord to Anhée. These historic paths were originally used by horses to tow barges along rivers and canals, and have been converted into recreational routes popular with cyclists and pedestrians.

Part of a Broader Modernization Effort

The towpath renovation is one component of a wider modernization of the Haut Escaut waterway infrastructure. The area has seen significant investment as part of the Seine-Escaut program, including a new bridge at Kain announced in June and planned lock doubling at the Kain lock site. As RTBF reported, the Kain lock currently handles 45-50 barges daily, making it a strategic point on the Escaut, the third most important Walloon waterway after the Meuse and the Sambre.

The Seine-Escaut program represents a total investment of 10 billion euros over the 2007-2030 period, involving six European regions: Flanders, Wallonia, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, Normandie, and Grand Est. The project is managed by the GEIE Seine-Escaut (European Economic Interest Grouping), whose members include Voies Navigables de France, De Vlaamse Waterweg, Service Public de Wallonie, and Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe.

What to Watch For

Cyclists and pedestrians using the affected sections should expect temporary disruptions over the coming months as work proceeds on each section. The renovation is expected to significantly improve the cycling experience on these popular routes once completed, addressing the surface deformations that have made some areas difficult to navigate.

The completion of this project will mark another step in the transformation of the Haut Escaut corridor, as the broader Seine-Escaut program continues to modernize waterways and adjacent infrastructure across the region. With the new bridge at Kain and planned lock improvements, the area is positioning itself as a key link in the European inland waterway network while simultaneously improving recreational infrastructure for local communities.