Hotes Ibis Mons centre gare. Conferences and meetings. Business information. Ideally located right in the heart of the town of Mons close to the E19/E42 motorway linking Paris to Brussels and only 200 metres from the TGV (high speed train) railway station - the Ibis Mons Centre-Gare hotel welcomes you 24/7 with its 72 comfortable rooms complete with their own en-suite bathrooms, TV, telephone and WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) access in addition to a fully equipped conference/meeting room and generous private parking facilities. Our team extends a warm welcome to you at the bar as well as in Estaminet, our bistro restaurant serving tasty regional cuisine. And to kick start the day, we recommend you treat your taste buds to our all-you-can-eat hot buffet breakfast! Come and discover the many charms of the capital of Hainaut province as a couple or with your family and enjoy the charms of a historical town centre bursting with multi-secular traditions (including the famous Doudou), Paradisio Wildlife Park, numerous golf courses and much more. Rooms: Rooms: 72. Children under 12 are free when staying in their parents room. Pets are accepted (supplementary charge of 10). Restaurants and bars: Bar(s): 1 Restaurant(s) in the hotel: 1. Conferences and business meetings: Number of meeting rooms: 1. Additional info: Private outside parking available. This hotel is ISO 9001 registered. Code Hotel : 5490 Adresse : Boulevard Charles-Quint 27bis 7000 MONS BELGIUM. Tel : (+32)65/847440 Fax : (+32)65/847441 E-mail : Directeur de l'hotel : Mr Michael VISEE

Laissez-vous toucher par la nature! Paradisio, cest une occasion unique de vivre une journee passionnante au contact danimaux sauvages plus surprenants les uns que les autres. Des rencontres insolites, des moments privilegies avec nos proteges Un festival demotions pour petits et grands! Paradisio est ouvert tous les jours du 1 avril au 5 novembre 2006, de 10h a 18h (jusque 19h en juillet et aout). Tel. : (+32)068/250.850. Laat u raken door de natuur! Paradisio is de ideale bestemming om te genieten van een unieke dag in contact met de natuur en wilde dieren. Met verrassende ontmoetingen en bevoorrechte momenten in contact met onze dieren is Paradisio een festival van emoties voor jong en oud. Paradisio is alle dagen open van 1 april tot 5 november 2006, telkens van 10 uur tot 18 uur ( tot 19 uur in juli en augustus). Tel. (+32) 068/250.850. Let yourself be touched by nature! Paradisio is a unique opportunity to live a day full of fascination on contact with wild animals as amazing the ones as the others. Unusual meetings, privileged moments with ours favourite animals A festival of emotions for young and old people. Paradisio is open daily from 1. November 2006, from 10am to 6 pm (to 7 pm in Juli and August). Tel. : (+32)068/250.850. Directions by car: From the hotel, drive along the boulevard and turn left at the first traffic lights. Take the motorway signposted Brussels-Liege-Charleroi. Exit 23 (Ath-Soignies-Shape). Follow the signs to Jurbise. From Lens, follow the signs marked Paradisio Park or Domaine de Cambron. Directions by train: From Mons railway station, take the train to Mons-Ath and get off at Cambron-Casteau (duration of journey +/- 18 minutes). Packages*: Be moved by nature in the heart of Paradisio Wildlife Park. 1 night at the Ibis Mons hotel including 2 breakfasts and 2 entry tickets to Paradisio Wildlife Park (the second largest park attraction in Belgium where you can enjoy birds, monkeys, plants and other sights of interest from the animal and plant kingdom - check it out on. ) and all at the amazing price of 45 per person sharing a double room. Single supplement: 18. Single supplement: 60, including breakfast(s). In conjunction with our partner restaurant. La Petite Provence located on the Grand-Place in Mons, we are pleased to offer a second package which will not only permit you to discover the natural treasures in Paradisio Park but also give you the chance to savour local specialities right in the historical heart of Mons town. Please choose [1 starter or 1 dessert + 1 main course + 2 drinks (water, Jupiler, glass of wine)] from the following menu: Starter of the day *** Grilled beef steak served with a jacket potato Pangasius filet of white fish in white wine, pasta with dried tomatoes,basil and olive oil (+2,5)* Toupin ardechois (Ardeche casserole) Pan-fried lamb cutlets, tomato confit with thyme (+3)* Mixed brochette *** Coupe bresilienne (Sundae) Assorted sorbets Chefs dessert Iced nougat with red fruit coulis Strudel flambe (with calvados) (+2,5)*. * All supplements to be paid for at the restaurant. Thank you for your cooperation. 1 night in the Ibis hotel in Mons including 2 breakfasts, 2 entrance tickets to Paradisio Wildlife Park plus a choice of 2 menus at the Petite Provence restaurant (a must-see restaurant-grill operating for over 20 years on Monss Grand-Place - check it out on www.petiteprovencemons.com. ) and all at the amazing price of 60 per person sharing a double room. Single supplement 30. Supplementary night (s): 60, inclusive of breakfast. * Note: Rates and bookings are only valid during weekends, public holidays and the day before public holidays during school holidays (including July and August).

The following facilities* are available *at a supplementary charge - Safe at reception* - Dry cleaning/ironing* - Currency exchange bureau - Hair-drier - Iron - Supplementary heating. Parking - Secure, private outside parking (7 a day). Safety security - 24-hour reception with trained security staff - Smoke alarms in communal areas and bedrooms.

Rooms: 72 Children under 12 are free when staying in their parents room and their breakfast is offered at half price. Pets are accepted (supplementary charge of 10). Room facilities: -Telephone, -Satellite TV, -220/240 V AC -Cable internet connection and WiFi, -Magnetic entry cards for rooms and internal bolt. Bathroom facilities: -Toilet, washbasin, bath and shower.

The Ibis Mons Centre-Gare hotel has its own meeting room: the Saint George. With a surface area of 36 square metres it can accommodate up to 18 people and is equipped with a TV, video-tape recorder, beamer (on request), cable internet access and WiFi Hire: Our hotel offers fully flexible hire options: by the hour, half-day, full day or evening only; with facilities available for coffee breaks, breakfast and or/meals as required. A la carte rates: Set prices for residential, business or leisure use. Hire rates*: - By the hour: 25, - Half-day or evening: 90, - Full day: 120, *prices include use of technical equipment and the provision of water.

Facilities and business information. Business facilities* in the hotel *at a supplementary charge - Internet connection - Photocopier/printer available - Fax. Business facilities* in the room - Cable internet connection or WiFii. Businesses and other centres of interest in the vicinity - CARREFOUR (2.30 Km) - CARTOMILLS (5.50 Km) - DOOSAN (10.70 Km) - FABRICOM (51.20 Km) - FUCAM University (3.40 Km) - HOLCIM (6.40 Km) - LE MANEGE (2.20 Km) - MANUFACTURE DU VERRE (5.30 Km) - MATERIA NOVA (2.30 Km) - MONS EXPO Exhibition centre (2.30 Km) - PASS Scientific adventure park (8.80 Km) - PREISS DAIMLER (10.90 Km) - SHAPE/NATO Military base (5.80 Km) - SIEMENS (2.30 Km) - UMH University Mons-Hainaut (2.00 Km) - VESUVIUS (4.80 Km) -...

General Culture and shows Parks and leisure. PARADISIO Wildlife park (19.20 Km). GRAND LARGE Lake (2.10 Km) - WAUX-HALL Park (1.90 Km) Sports - ADEPS Sports centre, Ghlin (2.10 Km) - ROYAL ALBERT ELISABETH Stadium, Mons (1.50 Km) - Kos Fitness Centre (2.30 Km) - IMAGIX Cinema complex (2.30 Km) - MAC Museum of Contemporary Art (12.70 Km) - LE MANEGE MONS Theatre district (2.20 Km) - MUNDANEUM Museum (1.00 Km) - PASS Scientific adventure park (8.80 Km) - THEATRE ROYAL, Grand-Place (main square), Mons (0.70 Km). Parks and leisure - PARADISIO Wildlife park (19.20 Km) - GRAND LARGE Lake (2.10 Km) - WAUX-HALL Park (1.90 Km) Sports - ADEPS Sports centre, Ghlin (2.10 Km) - ROYAL ALBERT ELISABETH Stadium, Mons (1.50 Km) - Kos Fitness Centre (2.30 Km). The Doudou - In Mons, Doudou is the popular name given to the joyous week-long festival that kicks off during the weekend of the Trinity and peaks with the traditional Ducasse (traditional fair). The origins of this folkloric event hark back to the XIVth century. In 2005, UNESCO declared the Doudou a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It has four distinct stages. - Descent of the Relics of Saint Waudru, the female founder of the city. She is the focus of a moving ceremony on Saturday evening in the Collegiate Church that carries her name. During this solemn event, the Dean entrusts the burgomaster (principal magistrate) with the saints relics so that they can be part of the procession scheduled for the following day through the streets of the town. This tradition is marked by the sound of the Doudou, a song sung by all in attendance from the tops of their lungs. This tune will be vocalized throughout the festival period. - The Procession. On Sunday morning, the relics are placed on a ceremonial float, the Golden Carriage. This is the start of a day bursting to the seams with emotion and joy. Approximately one thousand five hundred participants divided into sixty or so groups proceed along the route dressed in period costume. They symbolise the guilds and professional bodies from the Middle Ages that brought wealth and power to the capital of Hainaut province. Pulled by six strong carthorses, all eyes are automatically drawn to this Golden Carriage during its journey along the citys streets. - Ascent of the Golden Carriage. As the procession comes to the end of its route, members of the public gather in large numbers behind the Golden Carriage. Buoyed by the general enthusiasm, countless hands then propel the horses forward to the top of the paved ramp skirting the Collegiate Church. The eventual outcome is significant: legend has it that the Golden Carriage must reach the top of the ramp without stopping to avoid misfortune befalling the town. The Ascent lasts no more than twenty or so seconds. This is such an intense moment that the crowd terminates the task with a vibrant outpouring of noise. The battle of Lumecon. The relics of Saint Waudru have barely been returned to the Collegiate Church before the battle between Saint George and the Dragon begins. Saint George is accompanied in his task by Lumecon characters: Devils and Chins-Chins (St Georges protectors), Men in white, Leaf men, firemen and police wearing white or blue hats. It is approximately 12.30 hrs. Battle actors start their glorious descent from the Collegiate Church towards the Grand-Place (main square), a procession dubbed the Descent down Clercs Rd. Thousands of people are already gathered opposite the Town Hall, desperately waiting for their chance to snatch hair from the tail of el biete, the Dragon, reputed to bring good luck. Once in the centre of the square, Saint George fights the Dragon (firstly with a spear, then a sword, and finally with a gun) with the characters in the enactment alongside him for thirty minutes of intense excitement accompanied by the frenetic rhythm of the Doudou tune. The Dragon is categorically despatched by a final shot from Saint Georges gun. All the Lumecon characters then proceed to the courtyard at the Town Hall with an animated crowd chanting The people of Mons will never die! The town is no longer in jeopardy. On with the festivities!