Located right in the heart of the city's downtown area, the Rive Gauche shopping centre, which was opened in 2017, now features 95 shops on three levels.

www.rivegauche.shopping/fr

Rue de Dampremy has been around ever since Charleroi came into being, while the pedestrianised, vibrant rue de Dampremy features many unique shops and terrace-fronted cafés and brasseries to offer passers-by a green haven in the city centre.

Located on what used to be the bed of the River Sambre, boulevard Tirou is the most impressive urban development project of the post-war era. It is now a huge shopping street that underwent a second facelift in recent years.

Finally, the nigh-on 30 year-old Ville2, with its 120 shops and a catering centre, is now an integral part of the Charleroi landscape.

www.ville2.be

• French