Haine
The Haine has at least five names: Haine, Hene, Henne, Héne, and Hinne. Each name belongs to a different language spoken along the river's course through southern Belgium and northern France. The County of Hainaut took its name from this water. So did the province of Hainaut, which still exists in Belgium today. All of that from a river only 72 kilometres long within Belgium. Its source is in Anderlues, in southern Belgium, and from there it flows through the heavily industrialized Borinage region before crossing into France.
Wallonia's industrial backbone, the sillon industriel, stretches across southern Belgium from east to west, and the Haine occupies its western end. La Louvière, Mons, and Saint-Ghislain are three towns strung along the river's path through this corridor.
A few kilometres after crossing into northern France, the Haine passes through the Nord department. It meets the Scheldt at Condé-sur-l'Escaut as a right tributary. The drainage basin within Belgium covers 802 square kilometres, a figure that accounts only for the Belgian portion of the river's reach.
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Common questions
What countries does the Haine river flow through?
The Haine river flows through southern Belgium and northern France. It begins in Anderlues, Belgium, and enters France before joining the Scheldt at Condé-sur-l'Escaut.
Where does the name Hainaut come from?
The name Hainaut comes from the Haine river. Both the historical County of Hainaut and the present Belgian province of Hainaut take their name from this river.
How long is the Haine river in Belgium?
The Haine river is 72 kilometres long within Belgium. Its drainage basin in Belgium covers 802 square kilometres.
What towns does the Haine river flow through in Belgium?
The Haine river flows through La Louvière, Mons, and Saint-Ghislain in Belgium. These towns lie along the sillon industriel, Wallonia's industrial corridor, in the heavily industrialized Borinage region.
What is the sillon industriel and where does the Haine river fit in it?
The sillon industriel is Wallonia's industrial backbone, a corridor running across southern Belgium. The Haine river occupies the western end of this industrial corridor.
Where does the Haine river join the Scheldt?
The Haine river joins the Scheldt at Condé-sur-l'Escaut, in northern France. The Haine enters France a few kilometres before reaching this confluence as a right tributary.
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