Terril des Viviers, Former coal mining site in Gilly, Belgium

Terril des Viviers is a former coal mining site east of Gilly in Charleroi, covering 17 hectares. Before 2017 it had a small conical slag heap of shale, pioneer grasslands, wastelands, a pond with temporary pools, and woods on the west and north edges. The cone was levelled for the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi - Les Viviers, and 10 hectares became a wooded park where dark terril earth is exposed in the landscaping.

The Terril des Viviers is a former coal-mining spoil heap east of Gilly, in Charleroi. Since 2017 the site has been reshaped by the construction of the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi – Les Viviers: the residual cone, made largely of shale, was levelled, and black earth from the heap was exposed in the new wooded park as a tribute to the miners who worked at Les Viviers.

The name reflects its coal mining past, and today the site shows how an industrial wasteland has transformed into a place where people and nature coexist. Locals and visitors use the wooded areas and water features regularly, making it a working landscape that keeps industrial memory alive through everyday experience.

The site lies east of Gilly in Charleroi and covers 17 hectares, ten of which were laid out as a wooded park around the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi - Les Viviers. The GR412 long-distance trail, which links the industrial sites of the Walloon ridge and the Sambre-et-Meuse valley, passes through the area. Paths cross former pioneer grassland and ponds, so expect uneven, damp ground.

The site hosts rare plant and animal species that are otherwise scarce in the region, making it rewarding for nature observers. Its biological diversity is notably high and supports ecosystems that face threats elsewhere.