BELOEIL

village, Hainaut province, Wallonia rgion, Belgium, situated between Mons and Tournai. It has been known since the 14th century as the seat of the princely family of Ligne, the most famous member of which was the writer and field marshal Charles-Joseph (1735-1814). The family's collections of tapestries, portraits, and precious artifacts are maintained in the castle, which is open to the public. Much of the present castle is of 20th-century construction, rebuilt on its old foundations after a fire in 1900; the old (1682-95) wings and entryway, however, are intact. Extensive grounds form a grandiose park, with a lake and fountains. Laid out by Charles-Joseph's father, Prince Claude Lamorel, and later adapted to 18th-century taste by the French architect Jean-Michel Chevotet, these grounds are sometimes compared to the gardens of Versailles. Pop. (1992 est.) mun., 13,207. town, Montral region, southern Quebec province, Canada. It lies on the west (left) bank of the Richelieu River. First settled in 1694, Beloeil, the name of which means "beautiful view" in French, is now a popular summer resort and suburb of Montreal city, 18 miles (29 km) to the west, to which it is joined by the Trans-Canada Highway, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Boulevard, and a railway. The town also serves as a market centre for a fruit- and potato-growing, dairying, and cattle-raising region. Beloeil's manufactures include explosives, agricultural chemicals, and ceramics. Pop. (1991) 18,516.