Waterloo 200 (1 Viewer)

[thrawn]

So my wife and I made the decision, we're going. I told her I doubted we would make the 300th so we might as well go now. ^&grin Anyone else from the forum going to be there? Since we'll be in that part of the world we plan to spend some time in Brussels and Paris. Any tips or must sees for a Nap/history lover? I know we'll be seeing the museums around waterloo itself, and the French Army museum in Paris, but I don't want to miss anything important, so feel free to chime in.
Best,
Josh

 

[BHogan]

I wanted to make it to see the bicentennial commemorations his year as well, but I am on a training course this summer, so I won't be able to. Enjoy your trip and visit to the battlefield!
Cheers,
Brendan

 

[Mirof]

In Brussels

http://www.museedelarmee.be/

the Palace of Charles Quint ( has been burned ) rediscovered some years ago in the underground, same place actual King Palace ( no visit )
http://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm?id=4485&
same place : Musée Magritte http://visitbrussels.be/bitc/front/content/displayDetail/clt/BE_en/group/MUSEUM/id/2101.do
sameplace : Musical Instrument Museum : http://www.mim.be/en

March 300m " Le Sablon" 100 of antiquarians shops from 2€ to 100.000.000€, best chocolate makers, galleries, antiquarian market every day from 08H00 to 12H00, house from 16 to 19 century, art galleries .... and the Church

and on your way from King Palace to Sablon there is the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
http://www.google.be/imgres?imgurl=...96nVcpFvc0PfUA_K4=&docid=3I3QRgs9emh8nM&itg=1

400m further, the apotheose : The Grand Place of Brussels, stand in the middle and make a 360° rotation, perhaps the most beautifull in the world, it kept its 4 sides

Have a drink at The Metropole on the terrasse, and pay a visit inside ( center town 5mn from Grand Place )
http://www.metropolehotel.com/fr/restauration/cafe-metropole
Nice restaurant with Bzns lunch at 16,50€
http://www.lhuitriere.be/EN/home/
in summer big terrasse outside, if full, sit at the Vistro ( same kitchen) next door

and ... and ... and .... wihout speaking about Brugge, Gent and.. and ...

And enjoy the reenactement, don't forget to buy now your ticket : http://www.sherpa.be/enUS/Family/Happening/Waterloo-2015---Re-enactment-The-French-Attack/

and sorry but Waterlo City is not worth 10min time

a shop with figurines and firs class toys : http://www.serneels.be/

 

[Jack]

Fitzgibbon (Bob) and I are headed to Waterloo for the commemorations as well. I will visit the TS show in London before crossing to France and then heading north by car to meet up with Bob in Verdun.

 

[nshighlander]

Hi
There`s so much to see.We spent 2 weeks and over 5000km in the trip.But I must say make sure you take a good book on the battle field. I had a chance to visit Waterloo last summer and I didn`t have a good book with me. I miss so much. Anyway beside walking around Paris for over 12 hr seeing as much as the fam could take in. Being a Canadian we made the trip to see Vimy Ridge abd Beaumont Hamel. If you have the time these are must see if you where in to WWI, they will really knock you back. Enjoy the trip.

 

[Mirof]

Hi
There`s so much to see.We spent 2 weeks and over 5000km in the trip.But I must say make sure you take a good book on the battle field. I had a chance to visit Waterloo last summer and I didn`t have a good book with me. I miss so much. Anyway beside walking around Paris for over 12 hr seeing as much as the fam could take in. Being a Canadian we made the trip to see Vimy Ridge abd Beaumont Hamel. If you have the time these are must see if you where in to WWI, they will really knock you back. Enjoy the trip.

5000Km in 2 weeks ! I'm always amazed the way you peoples are visiting Europe, it seems that you spend 80% of the time in travelling .
2 weeks is just enough to see 10% of Paris . For the Louvre only, 2 days is just enough . Last time I spent 1 month in Le Perigord ( a region in France ) and saw a very small part of what can be seen in this region . Also spent 2 weeks in the city of Avignon during the Theatre Festival, more than 1000 different shows were available . 3 times 2 weeks in the Loire region and there is still plenty to see .
And Italy, Spain, Greece, England, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Belgium .....
And by the way, it's the same when visiting a city like New York, I spend 1 weeks there, not enough

You are always welcomed when in Belgium
Best

 

[thrawn]

Wow, thanks for the great insight Mirof! We will certainly check out your suggestions. We intend on staying in Brussels itself and renting a car to visit the Battlefield, Brugge, and Gent. Since a few of us will be in the area at the same time, would anyone care to get together for a drink one night, or meet up at the Battlefield? As there is so much to see we will be limiting ourselves to the aforementioned sights and Paris. I feel I could be gone a month and not see it all, though my bosses might be a bit upset about the absence!
Best,
Josh

 

[Jack]

Wow, thanks for the great insight Mirof! We will certainly check out your suggestions. We intend on staying in Brussels itself and renting a car to visit the Battlefield, Brugge, and Gent. Since a few of us will be in the area at the same time, would anyone care to get together for a drink one night, or meet up at the Battlefield? As there is so much to see we will be limiting ourselves to the aforementioned sights and Paris. I feel I could be gone a month and not see it all, though my bosses might be a bit upset about the absence!
Best,
Josh

Bob and I are up for a meeting. We will have a car so we can meet either on the battlefield (sounds a bit ominous) or for a drink one night.

 

[Grognard]

Hi guys,

Here is a few tips for Paris. I put that info together since people kept asking me about what to do or where to eat and stay int the city of lights. Enjoy!

Restaurants:

Center of Paris:
Restaurant Polydor – Very authentic and old French restaurant. Address:Rue Monsieur Le Prince in the Quartier Latin (near Notre Dame and Place StMichel). They only accept cash and don’t accept reservations. Very small place.
Restaurant Procope – Nearby the 2 hotelsI mention below. The oldest restaurant in Paris. I think it opened in1685. Not too far from Polydor. If you go there ask for a table upstairs, it'snicer(the room you see on theirsite: http://www.procope.com/). There is a nice street market on rue de Bucci nearby.

Center East:
Chez Denise - http://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-denise-...tlhery-paris-2
Authentic French bistro cuisine. Reservation advised.
Chez Flo – One of my favorite restaurant and very old place – They serveall type of traditional French food. I would recommend taking a taxi since it’shard to find in a very small street. Make reservation if you go for dinner. Addressassage des Petites Ecuries.
Julien – close to Chez Flo –VeryNice Art Deco diningroom. Make reservation if you go for dinner.
Le Vaudeville – French brasserie near the Grand Boulevards and in fromof the Bourse (French stock market) – in the center of Paris.

South of Paris:
Le Dome – Excellent seafood (shellfish, fish)
La Coupole – Same fare as Chez Flo and Julien (brasserie style)-Make reservation if you go for dinner. Near the Tour Montparnasse. Nice artdeco coupole ceiling.
East of Paris:
Bistro Paul Bert: http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistrot-paul-bert-parisAuthentic French bistro cuisine. Need to reserve
Bofinger near Place des Vosges and Bastille (east of Paris) – They havea restaurant brasserie and a café/brasserie (less expensive) facing each other.
Chez Jenny (Alsacian cuisine – Saukraut, etc.) – Place de laRepublique – East of Paris.
Le Train Bleu at the train station Gare de Lyon.Nicedecor but expensive for what you eat.

West of Paris:
Le Boeuf sur le Toit: near the Champs Elysees. Same fare as Flo. Make reservation if dinner.
58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant –Have lunch at the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant.You need to buyyour ticket online way ahead of time and printit tocut the line (http://www.eiffel-tower.com/).The menu is pretty cheap and the view is great. There is no need to reserve forthe restaurantfor lunch:
http://www.restaurants-toureiffel.co...ur-eiffel.html.


There is nothing exciting restaurant wise in the North of Paris. The only onecould be Terminus Nord nearby the Gare du Nord train station which is pretty good (brasserie style)

Most of the Cafés have lunch and dinner menus that are reasonable priced. AvoidCafés on the Champ Elysees and very touristy locations and the Greekrestaurants in the Quartier Latin since they are tourist traps.

Things to do:Tour Eiffel – See above.
The SainteChapelle and the Conciergerie (where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were jaileduntil their execution). Buy combo tickets. Go at the opening or late morning toavoid long lines.
Muséed’Orsay – Nice Impressionist painters collection.
Musée de l'armée - Nice Napoleonic artifacts collection.
Rue de Bucci – Nice Street Market and restaurants/cafe
Fountain St Michel and Quartier Lating near Notre Dame.
Notre Dame – 5 minutes’ walk from the above.
Les Bouquinistes (small shops in green boxes /flee market along the Seine Riverbank – They sell old books, memorabilia, souvenirs, etc.)
Musée Grévin – Very cool Wax Museum
Bateaux Mouches – The best are at the Pont de l’Alma near the Tour Eiffel –They have night tours with dinner where you can see all the monuments along theSeine illuminated. Not too far from where you stay.
Le Louvre (Pyramid) - Go early in the morning 9:30AM to avoid long lines.
Champ Elysee and Arc de Triomphe
Shopping sur “Les Grand Boulevards” at Galleries Lafayette and PrintempsDepartment Stores
Montmartre: best view point on Paris
Chateaux: Versailles and Vaux le Vicomte (both are outside ofParis)
And many more…

Hotels in Paris:

Hotel du College de France. Very clean, quiet, good breakfast, close to themetro line 5, easy to access, and very reasonable.

http://www.hotel-collegedefrance.com/

If this one is full try this one:
Hotel Artus http://www.artushotel.com/

Both are in in the same central area in Paris. I stayed in both and they arevery nice. You can get to Notre Dame/St Michel/Seine River in 5 minutes fromboth…

 

[thrawn]

Grognard,
Wow!!{eek3}{sm4} thank you so very much for the info. This is quite thorough and will be of great assistance. I look forward to checking out some of your restaurant recommendations.
Best,
Josh
P.S.
If you ever find yourself in Birmingham Alabama make sure to let me know. I owe you for all of that good Intel.

 

[Fitzgibbon]

Wow, thanks for the great insight Mirof! We will certainly check out your suggestions. We intend on staying in Brussels itself and renting a car to visit the Battlefield, Brugge, and Gent. Since a few of us will be in the area at the same time, would anyone care to get together for a drink one night, or meet up at the Battlefield? As there is so much to see we will be limiting ourselves to the aforementioned sights and Paris. I feel I could be gone a month and not see it all, though my bosses might be a bit upset about the absence!
Best,
Josh

Brugge is great; chocolate, tapestry, architecture, canals, chocolate; we did the carriage tour from the city square and it was just georgeous, and the chocolates really are to die for

 

[Mirof]

Hello Friends

I'm living in Brussels, so signal me when you are free for a drink
About eating in Brussles, please note, there are 2 streets near the Grand Place, full of Resaurant with terrasse all along the street
Rue de Bouchers ... avoid them, mainly what we call : " Tourist Traps" except "Les Armes de Bruxelles"
Globaly avoid all restaurants arround the Grand Place
Will be back with adresses

 

[thrawn]

Mirof,
Sounds good, yea we definitely want to avoid the traps. No point doing the same old same old. It's like going to a great Asian restaurant and ordering a hamburger.
Josh

 

[Mirof]

Some restaurant
at the top
Bon-Bon
http://www.bon-bon.be/#/home

Comme Chez Soi ( cener town )
https://www.commechezsoi.be/fr-fr/

Bruneau ( 10min by taxi, 10 min by metro/tram )
http://www.bruneau.be/

Sea Grill ( center town, first floor of the Hotel, not ground floor )
http://www.seagrill.be/

Samouraï ( first class Japonese food, center town, mear the Grand Place )
http://www.samourai-bruxelles.be/fr/

then :
Comptoir des Galeries ( cener town, near Grand Place, beautifull place )
http://www.comptoirdesgaleries.be/

Beaucoup Fish ( center town à
http://beaucoupfish.be/

Belga Queen ( center town, concept restaurant, amazing place )
http://www.belgaqueen.be/fr/ click on Bruxelles
in this restaurant there is a full size plastic horse with the name of famous Belgian, try to identify them, like A Sax ( inventor of the saxophone), Z Gramme ( the dynamo ), Solvay, Ensor, Magritte, Delvaux , Alechinsky, Brell, Erasmus, and 100 of others ...
a Jaz room downstair, in the ancient bank's vault, a bier bar a the entry ( remember Belgium have more than 600 brewers ) and a selifish bar also at the entry

La Huitrière ( center town, great terrasse in summer, bzns lunch everyday of the week at 12h, including saturday, ask for the Bzns menu cart, 2 peoples Bzns lunch, 0,5l boss white wine, 2 cofee, arround 50€ ) If terrasse is full, take the Vistro, nex to it, same kitchen, same chef )
usualy 80% of the customer are from Brussels, other restaurant arround are more for Tourists
http://www.lhuitriere.be/

French Fried : usurpation of the name, the absolute masters in French Fried are belgian, don't eat them in a restaurant but eat them in the street, a place like

Pity, but there are not allowed in center town but ... go to Fritland Rue Henri Maus 49, center town, a street jouxting La Bourse ( stockexchange ) near the Grand Place
https://www.google.be/maps/@50.8475...!1e1!3m2!1spcvvaoytWAOs_RUzEAKHDg!2e0!6m1!1e1

Chocolate
there are rules for Belgian chocolate makers, so we have very good chocolate
the biggest names are Neuhaus, Godiva, Corné, Galler, Marcolini and a cheaper maker Leonidas
Be carefull, when you see Belgian chocolate on a window ( except the aformentioned names ) some are purely Chinese products, even on the Grand Place and arround... when you see a chocolate foutain, do not enter

Best

 

[thrawn]

Mirof,
I cannot thank you enough for the fine work you have done on my behalf!
Josh