Viroinval Explained

Viroinval
Map:	Viroinval Namur Belgium Map.svg
Map-Legend:	Location of Viroinval in the province of Namur
Arms:	Blason Viroinval.svg
Flag:	Flag of Viroinval.svg
Arrondissement:	Philippeville
Nis:	93090
Mayor:	Baudouin Schellen
Majority:	Viroinval autrement - RéCIT
Postal-Codes:	5670
Telephone-Area:	060
Web:	www.viroinval.be
Coordinates:	50.0833°N 37°W

Viroinval (in French pronounced as /viʁwɛ̃val/; Walloon: Virwinvå) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Namur, Belgium.

On January 1, 2006, Viroinval had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 120.90 km² which gives a population density of 47 inhabitants per km².

The municipality consists of the following districts: Dourbes, Mazée, Le Mesnil, Nismes, Oignies-en-Thiérache, Olloy-sur-Viroin, Treignes, Vierves-sur-Viroin.

The name Viroinval, Viroin (River) Valley, was chosen for the municipality that was formed by fusing eight villages, in 1977.^[1]

Attractions

From 1995 to 2004, Viroinval was the location of the geographical centre of the European Union, at coordinates 50.0092°N 4.6664°W in Oignies-en-Thiérache, and a monument there records that finding. On May 1, 2004, the EU expanded from fifteen states to twenty-five, and the geographical centre of the union moved eastwards to the village of Kleinmaischeid, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. On 1 January 2007 it shifted even further south-eastwards.
The tourist steam train line Mariembourg–Treignes has most of its stations in villages of Viroinval: Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin, Vierves-sur-Viroin, and Treignes.^[2] The latter village has a relevant museum.^[3]

External links

Notes and References

Web site: Viroinval . fr . Viroinval municipality . 2011-09-24 .
Web site: Trois Vallées – Chemin de fer touristique . fr . Viroinval municipality . 2011-09-24 .
Web site: Musée du Chemin de Fer à Vapeur des Trois Vallées . fr . Viroinval municipality . 2011-09-24 .