Hennepin (1626–1704), Franciscan Recollet order missionary and US explorer. Pierre Lacocque, (born 1952) harmonica player for American blues band Mississippi Heat Marc Lacroix (born 1952), biochemist and cancer researcher Orlande de Lassus (ca.1531 – 1594), Franco-Flemish composer Jean Lemaire de Belges (ca.1473 – ca.1525), early Renaissance poet and historian. Georges Lemaître (1894–1966), originator of the "Big Bang" theory of the origin of the universe Juliana of Liège (ca.1192 – 1258), promoter of feast Corpus Christi René Magritte (1898–1967), Surrealist artist Henri Michaux (1899–1984), poet, writer, and painter Pierre Minuit (1580–1638), purchased the island of Manhattan from the Native Americans for 60 guilders and founded what would become New York City Georges Nagelmackers (1845–1905), founder of Compagnie des wagons lits Joachim Patinir (1480–1524), Mosan painter Dominique Pire (1910–1969), recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1958) Charles Plisnier (1896–1952), Prix Goncourt (1937) Henri Pousseur (1929–2009), composer Édouard Remouchamps (1836–1900),(in the French Wiki) playwright in the Walloon language André Renard (1911–1962), syndicalist, leader of the longest general strike in Belgium Jean Rey (1902–1983), second President of the European Commission Félicien Rops (1833–1898), painter. Pierre de la Rue (ca.1452 – 1518), Franco-Flemish composer Dieudonné Saive (1888–1970), small arms engineer, designer of the FN FAL rifle Adolphe Sax (1814–1894), inventor of the saxophone. Georges Simenon (1903–1989), author of Maigret and other novels Ernest Solvay (1838–1922), invented the Solvay process and founded the Solvay Business School Rennequin Sualem (1645–1708), hydraulics engineer Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly (1559–1632), Catholic League commander in the Thirty Years' War. Ernest Vervier, small arms engineer, designer of the FN MAG and FN Minimi machine guns, co-designer of the FN FAL rifle Thierry Zéno (1950–2017), filmmaker Sport Norman Bassette (born 2004), footballer Philippe Gilbert (born 1982), professional cyclist Eden Hazard (born 1991), footballer currently playing for Real Madrid CF Justine Henin (born 1982), tennis champion Michel Preud'homme (born 1959), footballer Jean-Michel Saive (born 1969), table tennis champion Adrien Truffert See also Belgians Flemish people Walloon church References External links Walloon Settlers Monument. Battery Park Romance peoples Ethnic groups in Belgium History of Wallonia es:Valones (pueblo)