Looking for nice spots in BeNeLux and northern France!

[buchinho]

Hello everybody,

I'm planning to make a nice holiday trip by car with my girlfriend from my hometown of Darmstadt to Belgium and northern France. Afterwards we want to head back maybe through the Netherlands.

I thought about stopping at Brussels and Bruge. I also heard that Boulogne sur Mer on the cost seems to be nice.

We would just like to make a 1 or 2 week trip which isn't to stressfull since my girlfriend is pregnant

Thanks for your advice!

[Minty]

I live in the Northern Part of France. I live in the city, Strasbourg. Are you German? I befriend with a German fellow through University, he is an Erasmus exchange student, and he seems to like Strasbourg very much.

Some nice places to visit are the cathedral, our museums are nice too, you can try the local dish La tarte flambée (in Alsatian Flammekueche or flammeküche), probably the same words in German. There are also the European parliament, the European Institution and European council...etc if you are interested to visit.

[buchinho]

That's true, Strasbourg could be on that list but I think it is too far away from the other places.
Are there any other interesting places on that route or are these places really good or would you suggest other places?

[Minty]

That's true, Strasbourg could be on that list but I think it is too far away from the other places.
Are there any other interesting places on that route or are these places really good or would you suggest other places?

I never had been to Belgium even though my husband's mother is from Belgium.

Somebody recommends me to go visit the European commission in Berlaymont building of Brussels and to have a walk in the city of Brussels. There are also some castles to see.

Luxembourg is nice to visit, but mind you the city is very concave and concurve, difficult to walk.

When we were there we went to the fortress, it was interesting.

However, I am not sure it is so suitable for your pregnant girlfriend or anybody who has Claustrophobia.

[Maciamo]

Coming from Germany (through Cologne and Aachen), I would stop at Maastricht, then take the E42 to Namur, then the E411 to Brussels, the E40 to Ghent and Bruges, continue to Lille and until Boulogne-sur-Mer. That would be a nice 1-week trip, with one city per day.

[Miss Marple's nephew]

OMG! I cant believe that no-one mentioned one of the most charming towns in the whole region. If you will be travelling in northern France then you should NOT MISS going through Givet to DINANT in Belgium! Even if you only spend a couple of hours at a cafe and a promenade - missing a climb up to the castle - then it will already have been worth it. You can spend half an hour just gazing at it from across the river. "Un cafe, s'il vous plait!"

[Maciamo]

It's true that the Meuse valley between Givet and Dinant, or even more between Dinant and Namur is quite amazingly beautiful in summer. There are also dozens of castles within 10 minutes' drive from Dinant. Some are majestic medieval ruins perched atop a craggy promontory. Others are romantic, late-medieval or Renaissance castles, like those of Vêves and Freÿr.

Nice picture of Dinant and its citadel, by the way.

[Miss Marple's nephew]

Its beautiful all the way to Namur,
in Spring, the Summer, Winter and Fall.
But if I tell the truth for sure,
its Dinant and Givet I love best of all.

[Minty]

Well I did say I never been to Belgium so...