Paris to Belgium, a day trip

Going to Paris for over a week soon for the very first time and am toying with the idea of heading over to Belgium by train. I'd like to go for an afternoon and evening. I know I can get there pretty quickly, but I am not sure where I should go (going for the beer of course). Brussels would probably be the closest and easiest. Any suggestions?

Also, if any of you have any suggestions on good pubs or wineries to check out while I am in Paris, let me know. I have lots of concerts and museums to check out, but I'd like to reserve some bar time too

If you are able, check out Bruges as well. It's a really cool place with a lot of history. If I went back to Belgium I would try to go to the Trappist breweries though. Don't forget to stock up on chocolate before you leave.

Teromous said:

If you are able, check out Bruges as well. It's a really cool place with a lot of history. If I went back to Belgium I would try to go to the Trappist breweries though. Don't forget to stock up on chocolate before you leave.

Click to expand...

I'll research a bit on Bruges. It looks like that might be better, Brussels seems very business oriented. Smaller, old, Belgian towns with good pubs is more my speed.

If you're just doing a day trip, stick with Brussels. The high speed trains don't go to Bruges. You'll spend too much time on the rails/busses/depots that could otherwise be spend at the bars.

disclaimer: I skipped Brussels and went to Bruges for the reasons mentioned above. However, it wasn't a a day trip.

Well if I understand the Eurail correctly, it looks like I can get to Bruges in 2.5 hours. Thats perfect. So what would you do if you had 12 hours in Bruges?

DRINK!

duh!

t'bruges beertje

and

Staminee de garre

Both excellent in my experience.......

also hit up

Cambrinus, an excellent menu but CRAP music while I was there....

All are walking distance, Staminee de Garre is the only one that is a bit tough to find but should be no problem with google earth.....and a clear head!

let me know how it goes!

I keep thinking of more stuff to add.....

Check out Eurostar for some cheep train/hotel deals. I'm not sure how flexible your schedule is but it would be worth it to stay over night, I got a place right near the main square for a song!

PM me if you want more details

jmo88 said:

Well if I understand the Eurail correctly, it looks like I can get to Bruges in 2.5 hours. Thats perfect. So what would you do if you had 12 hours in Bruges?

Click to expand...

12 hours total for the trip? It may be 2.5 hours of rail time, but if I remember correctly, it was more like 4 hours each way with all of the waiting and transfers. The good news is the train stations are not like airports. You can cut it pretty close getting to the station.

That said, when you arrive in Bruges you'll know you're not in Kansas anymore.

P.S. Don't drink the Jupiler.

arturo7 said:

If you're just doing a day trip, stick with Brussels. The high speed trains don't go to Bruges. You'll spend too much time on the rails/busses/depots that could otherwise be spend at the bars.

disclaimer: I skipped Brussels and went to Bruges for the reasons mentioned above. However, it wasn't a a day trip.

Click to expand...

def. Brugges. if you can get there, go. It's great. There used to be a little brewery there that you could "tour". Either way, it's a great little town.

+1 on Brugges. It's a beautiful city and they have a bar there that serves something like 300 different beers...lots of incredible local stuff. I forgot the name of it...probably cuz I sampled one too many of the 12-15% brews, but damn was that place sweet!!!

Brussels is just another typical capital city (although a nice one) with a historic center and big buildings.

Why not spend the night in Brugge? You'll get bored with Paris if you're there for over a week.

Just came back from Brussels and Brugge a few weeks ago. A pub named "Cambrinus" in Brugge carries Westvleteren blonde, 8, and 10. They drive to the monastery regularly to pick it up themselves. Also in Brugge are Cafe De Garre (amazing house tripel) and t'Bruges Beertje.

I loved Brugge and preferred it to Brussels but, if you only have one day from Paris, i feel like you shouldn't even try to go to Brugge. Time is going to fly and 8-10 hours including train time isn't much. There is plenty of good beer in Brussels and its faster to get back and forth to Paris from. In Brussels I can recommend the following two places, both in the center of town near the Grand Place:

Delerium Cafe

La Morte Subite

Just about any pub you stop into will have Kriek, Gueuze, Trappists, etc...

My favorite bar I went to in Brussels was just a small quiet seedy pub outside of the center of Brussels. I had Orval and Lindemann's there for $2.60 a bottle. Each served with pride in it's proper branded goblet or glass.

Is there any way you could stretch a night in Brussels?

Thanks for the good advice, everyone. Maybe I'll end up staying the night in Brugge to make it worth the travel time. I guess I don't have to rush back to Paris the same night. I'm doing a home exchange, so I'm not out any money on a hotel back in Paris. I suppose a day filled with sampling Belgians at various pubs won't result in an ideal situation for a long train ride back.

Either way, I'm stoked! Looking forward to trying some local tripels as well as some funky and sour rarities.

Not sure if you're into it, but there are several hostels in Bruges. We visited one that was basically a bar with a hostel attached. Ten beers on tap and another two score in bottles.

http://www.snuffel.be/


EDIT: Maybe it wasn't 10 on tap, but the place was pretty cool anyway.

Also, while you are in Paris, La Gueuze is a pub/restaurant I went to that has a good Belgian beer selection. And here is a great comprehensive list of beer bars in Paris

[ame="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=cantillon+brussels&fb=1&gl=us&hq=cantillon+brussels&hnear=cantillon+brussels&cid=0,0,13796319062674944940&ei=OS8RTIPEMIO8lQed5p3-Bw&ved=0CBMQnwIwAA&ll=50.837993,4.338527&spn=0.008862,0.027702&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A"]Cantillon brewery[/ame] in Brussels is walking distance from Brussels-Zuid train station; not sure if this is where the high speed train from Paris comes in...

jamest22 said:

Also, while you are in Paris, La Gueuze is a pub/restaurant I went to that has a good Belgian beer selection. And here is a great comprehensive list of beer bars in Paris

Click to expand...

VERY helpful link.

maxhavoc said:

Cantillon brewery in Brussels is walking distance from Brussels-Zuid train station; not sure if this is where the high speed train from Paris comes in...

Click to expand...

Yes, that is where the high-speed Thalys stops from Paris. IIRC, the train leaves Paris Nord and arrives into Brussels-Zuid about an hour later.

As much as I prefer Brugge to Brussels, for a day trip, I would stick to Brussels as well, just for the time factor. Like this poster said, Cantillon is right nearby, and there are other places in Brussels to hit like Mort Subite, Le Cirio, Falstaff, a la Becasse, Toone, etc. Also, if you have the time, have dinner at in t' Spinnekopke, where the food is cooked in Belgian beer. Be sure to get the old waiter (can't recall his name off-hand), he's the best at speaking English and the least surly of the bunch.

I enjoyed Brugge more than Brussels. Plus it's an UNESCO Heritage Site to check off the list and such a beautiful city.

Others things I haven't heard mentioned... De Bier Tempel sells bottles of all three Westvleteren. They actually supply Cambrinus with them from what I understood talking to the owner. He gives out coupons for a free beer at Cambrinus.

Brouwerij Straffe Hendrik / De Halve Maan had a decent tour. They won awards at World Beer Cup a couple times.