Belgium/France Spring 2022 – The Short And Sweet Tour

Highlights From This Trip

• 3 Days
• ~350 Miles
• 14 Locations Explored
• ~180 photographs
• A big loop of Belgium and north France
• A full day exploring the immense HFB steelworks

With the days getting longer, and the weather warming up, my mind turns to road trip plans! In recent years, my summer road trips abroad have focussed primarily on Italy (Industry And Morgue Tour 2021) and Germany (GDR Ballroom Tour 2020, One-Year-Later Tour 2021). On this road trip, I return to the classic urbex paradise that is Belgium! Add in a wonderful human and fantastic urbex partner, mix in a detour to north France, and you have a recipe for a very happy Janine!

A big circuit of Belgium, skirting the north of France

Hitting the ground running (literally), with barely enough time for behind-the-scenes shots and selfies (sorry!). I explored 14 wonderfully diverse locations in 3 days;

• A large French chateau, gutted by fire. Some beauty remained in the ashes; a lonely piano in a decaying and smoke-damaged living room
• A couple of Mi-26 Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopters, chilling in dockyard
• A grand convent, with gorgeous architecture and adjoining chapel
• A quirky Lord Of The Rings/Hobbit inspired house
• A small and simple abandoned house, tucked away in the countryside
• A gloriously overgrown greenhouse
• Some small scale industry, small town mills and part of an old powerplant
• A small but beautiful morgue
• A cooling tower with collapsing wooden walkways
• A cute theatre-like chapel

A playground of rust and dust – Exploring An Immense Abandoned Steelworks

Several years ago, I made a brief visit to the rusty industrial paradise that is HFB. On my first visit, I made my way straight to what is considered to be the main attraction; the HFB Blast Furnace. However, this is only a minute part of the gigantic sized steel works. The heart of the beast.

This time, it was now time to see more of the complex. Armed with a detailed map and expert instructions, I had almost a full day to explore and discover the treasures. There were a few panic attacks and flustered phone calls along the way (fun fact: I am terrified of heights,especially when combined with see-through industrial grated floors!).

After 5 hours it was time to leave, to catch my flight home. A successful mission (and around 70 photos to cherry pick from for my next HFB article!)