Décrocher la Lune is the kind of evening where the whole town converges on a single spot: Place Maugretout. For those who’ve never attended, picture a dense crowd, a show that starts at a fixed time, and traffic that gradually closes in around the centre as the hour approaches. Wondering where to eat before Décrocher la Lune isn’t a minor detail — it’s often the part of the evening that decides whether you enjoy the show relaxed or rushing, with an antipasto still in your mouth.

Décrocher la Lune, in brief for those who’ve never been

This event takes place every three years, in September, on Place Maugretout. It isn’t an annual date — which is precisely what makes it such a special, eagerly awaited evening that draws huge crowds on the day it happens. The exact date of the edition, the show’s timing and any traffic diversions aren’t information we hold ourselves: these are announced by the City of La Louvière through its official channels, and that’s where you should check before planning your evening.

What we do know, from experience of the neighbourhood, is that the square fills up well before the show starts, and the surrounding streets gradually close to traffic as the time approaches. Grabbing a quick bite in the heart of the event is possible, but it means eating standing up, in the crowd, without much comfort. So those who want to sit down, catch their breath and eat properly are best off sorting this out before heading to the square.

The schedule and the practical constraints

A show at a fixed time, with thousands of people expected on a single square, creates two very concrete issues.

  • Getting there by car becomes tricky as the event approaches: it’s best to arrive early or come on foot.
  • Restaurants around the centre run at full capacity that evening — without a reservation, you risk a wait.

The simplest approach remains to dine before the square fills up, or after the show has finished and the crowd starts to disperse. In between, you lose time and miss the start. And once the show is over, the crowd doesn’t disperse all at once: it gradually flows out through the streets around the square, which generally leaves time to get to a table without rushing, provided you’ve let us know you’ll be arriving late.

The slot we can offer you

At Mamma Maria, evening service runs from 6.00pm to 10.30pm, every day except Tuesday. In practical terms, that leaves plenty of time for a relaxed dinner before heading to Place Maugretout on foot: a wood-fired pizza, with dough that’s had 48 hours to rest in the cold, doesn’t linger in the kitchen and won’t make you miss the start of the show.

If the evening’s programme announces a later start, we can also arrange things the other way round: come by before the square fills up, go and decrocher la lune, then return afterwards to finish the evening calmly over a dolci. The menu is designed with this in mind, with formats that are easy to share — see our menu to plan your dinner to get an idea before you come.

A group torn between the two options is best off deciding early: arriving before the square fills up means you can eat at ease and walk to the show without stress, while coming afterwards means accepting a bit of a wait for the crowd to clear from the surrounding streets. Neither option is inherently better — it all depends on what time you want to be standing on Place Maugretout when everything kicks off.

For a group wanting to get everyone seated at the same time without improvising on the spot, a call ahead of the evening avoids any nasty surprises. You’ll find the same principle in our La Louvière events calendar, which brings together practical pointers for the year’s major events, Décrocher la Lune included.

How to get there from Place Maugretout

Mamma Maria is located 350 metres from La Louvière-Centre station, making it a natural stop if you’re arriving by train for the evening. Place Maugretout and the town centre can easily be reached on foot from the restaurant: allow time for a leisurely stroll, not a sprint.

If you’re staying or parking further away, bearing in mind that the area around the square closes off gradually, it’s best to park before traffic becomes complicated and finish the journey on foot. The neighbourhood can also be located relative to the Musée Ianchelevici, a five-minute walk away, and the hydraulic boat lifts of the Canal du Centre a little further on — useful landmarks if you don’t yet know the town centre well and want your bearings before joining the crowd.

Booking your table before the town fills up

On big event evenings, tables go quickly and without warning. The simplest approach is to call or email before fixing your dinner time, especially if you’re a group or want to be sure of being served and back out in time for the show. The booking and contact page provides the phone number and email address for reservations.

For the exact date of the next edition of Décrocher la Lune, the show’s timing and any access restrictions to Place Maugretout, your best bet is to check the official channels of the City of La Louvière. On our end, we keep evening service open from 6.00pm to 10.30pm, every day except Tuesday, ready to fit in a meal before the crowd takes over the whole square.