Mons Local Custom Tips by Djinn76

Traditional students...

If you meet weird people wearing a dirty coat and a long cap at the end of a big chain, don't be scared, they are simply traditional students.
Newbies who wish so are first going through a few weeks of "training" where they are thaught the usual student songs and how to drink beer.
Once they are gone through this process, they are entitled to wear the cap (called "une penne").
This is an highly controversial subject, some people are totally against it! True that sometime it may look like some scenes out of Full Metal Jacket. This is however highly different from an university to another and personally, I think anyone who don't know should not criticize. I went through it and if I had to, I would certainly do it again...
In short, if you are walking in Mons around september/october and you meet one of the new students (without a cap but probably disguised) trying to sell pens, bottle openers or other stickers simply support him and buy some...

Le Doudou

Each city, town, village in Belgium has its own "Ducasse" (popular celebration).
In Mons, this is called "Le Doudou" and always occurs around the Trinity WE...
Friday and saturday, people are mostly partying all around the city (fireworks, concert,...). The religious and popular parades mainly take place on sunday.
The two main events are "La montée du Car D'or" and the "Combat du Lumeçon", when St George kills the dragon (the Doudou).
This is taking place on the Grand Place. Hint: don't bring the children too close, this is rather violent... Yet if you manage to get some hairs from the Doudou's queue, that will bring you luck for the coming year (for the same price, much easier to caress the small monkey ;-)

Website: http://www.doudou.org

Feeling hungry in the middle of the night?

In this case, just do like most of the students (and others), get a "mitraillette" (litterally translated, "machine gun") chez Bily.
This is one of the most popular "friet kot" in Mons. Normal, they have the best belgian fries in the area...
During the day, you could easily miss it, but once it is open (from 10pm if I remember correctly) the queue is sometime ending on the street...
Btw, I let you discover what are these very healthy mitraillettes...
In short, a french bread with meat, belgian fries and different sauces...

Other Contact: Rue d'Enghien