NFR: Flanders

[Berserker]

Going there in my car for a few days. I've been a few times but was wondering if there are places i've missed. Anybody got any suggestions of good places in February that will be open. Thanks

[LBNo11]

...contact sipwell...

[epsomraver]

Silver fox was very helpful last time I asked

[Holders]

Brugge, Gent and Ieper are well worth a visit. 

[sipwell]

Antwerp, Tournai (Doornik), Brussels, Leuven... all worth a visit.

[Berserker]

Thanks all, staying in Ieper but have my car so can drive to other places, plus catch train if needed. Got to go to France as always like to visit pasted uncle if there

[sipwell]

Thanks all, staying in Ieper but have my car so can drive to other places, plus catch train if needed. Got to go to France as always like to visit pasted uncle if there

Then Tournai, Lille, Armentières, Bailleul, Hazebrouck are must see places...

[Shredhead]

I went to Antwerp for a long weekend with my good lady wife a few weeks ago and we had a good time. The restaurants and other attractions we went to are linked from my blog about the coalhole covers here:http://coalholecover.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/antwerp-coalhole-covers.html
If you like Belgian beer, I can recommend some good bars as well.

[Berserker]

Thanks Shredhead, i'll have a look at the blog. By the way is it possible to have more than one blog as i'd like several on different subjects

[Supermitch]

I'm off there first week of March for a couple of nights with Mrs Supermitch.  Have been to Bruges before but are also staying in Ieper.  Not been to this part before and wanted to do so for many years.  Will do all the obvious sights, but any particular tips welcome of course.

[RidgeRider]

Berserker, let me know how the trip goes and if Sippy is to be relied on. I will be in London around the 21st of March and then to Flanders middle of the following week, so please do a trip report.

Dr. Sipwell has promised to meet with me whilst I am in Flanders but I am guessing its only because I'm American and likely to buy him a few pints. ;)

[sipwell]

I'm off there first week of March for a couple of nights with Mrs Supermitch.  Have been to Bruges before but are also staying in Ieper.  Not been to this part before and wanted to do so for many years.  Will do all the obvious sights, but any particular tips welcome of course.

If you are up for it, you can rent a bike and do one of the many 'bike trails' around the area. They are signalled very well (you just follow signs which are placed in the street you need to follow).

http://www.toerismewesthoek.be/Routeplanner

http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx

It is in Dutch though but in essence you just need to find out the places you want to visit (and fill them in in "zoek locatie" on the right hand side).

Berserker, let me know how the trip goes and if Sippy is to be relied on. I will be in London around the 21st of March and then to Flanders middle of the following week, so please do a trip report.

Dr. Sipwell has promised to meet with me whilst I am in Flanders but I am guessing its only because I'm American and likely to by him a few pints. ;)

Pah!

[The Equalizer]

Dr. Sipwell has promised to meet with me whilst I am in Flanders but I am guessing its only because I'm American and likely to by him a few pints. ;)

Egads! Why would you do such a thing?

(hint: his favourite beers are Heineken and Amstel)

[Supermitch]

I'm off there first week of March for a couple of nights with Mrs Supermitch.  Have been to Bruges before but are also staying in Ieper.  Not been to this part before and wanted to do so for many years.  Will do all the obvious sights, but any particular tips welcome of course.

If you are up for it, you can rent a bike and do one of the many 'bike trails' around the area. They are signalled very well (you just follow signs which are placed in the street you need to follow).

http://www.toerismewesthoek.be/Routeplanner

http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx

It is in Dutch though but in essence you just need to find out the places you want to visit (and fill them in in "zoek locatie" on the right hand side).

Thanks for that will check it out.

[FC Silver Fox]

If you go to Lille, go to Les 3 Brasseurs opposite the old station. You have to eat a flammekeutche and a rack of all the beers they brew their ("une planche des galopins").  
Gand is a lovely town to visit. Its a little less known than Bruges.
If you like WW1 history, its worth going down to Vimy (near Arras). You can visit the WW1 trenches/tunnels. Also go to Notre Dame de Lorette which is close by. (memorial, war cemetery and chapel). There is also an interesting private museum there.
If you are in Mouscron around lunchtime, go and eat a carbonnade flamande/frites with a beer at La Cloche.

On the 1st and 3d Sundays of each month, the museum of the German Communications Bunker (WW2) is open from 9-12h and 14h-18h. This is where the Germans received the D-Day message. Its in Tourcoing (Avenue de la Marne)
http://museedu5juin1944.asso.fr/

The Lille art gallery (Palais des beaux Arts) is worth a visit. Its in the centre of town. They have a Breughel exhibition on there at the moment.
http://www.pba-lille.fr/spip.php?rubrique31

[Berserker]

Thanks for the heads up on Lille Silver Fox, Mr B will be interested in the Resaurant and i'll be interested in the Art Exhibition. We did get rather stuck in their traffic system last time but hopefully Mr B's sat nav will be more up to date now!!

[Shredhead]

Thanks Shredhead, i'll have a look at the blog. By the way is it possible to have more than one blog as i'd like several on different subjects

Sorry for the delay in replying. I've got a few registered on blogger, although I only maintain the coalhole cover one. Its Google software. I've also got a surfing / environmental blog on a friend's website and it uses Wordpress (Apple) and its more complicated to post.

[FFCAli]

When driving around in the countryside do stop at one or two of the small war cemetaries scattered around.  We always find then much more poignant than the huge ones.

[aFFCn_Fan]

Is it bad that I saw the headline and thought 'Ned'

[Rhys Lightning 63]