Speak to me of Wallonia

Wall o'vagonia morelike

liege is the karachi of wallonia: true or false?

This is not really nice of me to say, but stick with the Flanders. Bruges (where I live), Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp are the main cities to visit. Walloons? Sadly lots of poverty and nothing much to see. That said, I'm sure Stan and Baaderonix will come and proclaim me to be wrong and say: "Dinant! Namur! Tournai!" :-)

true

No, you're right, nathalie. Drive through it on the way to France or Germany, look at the pretty hills and trees you don't get to see in Flanders, avoid the (dirty and unsafe) cities, if you have to stop try to stop in a small village (usually very nice people once you get to know them). If you really insist there's a couple of nice medieval castles in Dinant and Bouillon, there's a cave thing in Han, but nothing much you can't see anywhere else.

Never been there, but I guess you could check out the Ardennes or one of the town festivals like the Binche one. But yeah, if time is sparse, stick to Flanders.

a very readable book abt belgium is "the factory of facts" by luc sante

not that that's a very helpful contribution, but it is a good book

I had a long weekend in the Ardennes once, I thought it was lovely. Rolling hills, lots of it wooded, the countryside vaguely reminded me of Tuscany. Excellent food, some interesting architecture, chateaux, and although French-speaking it felt very recognisably different from France. Can't remember all the places we went to - I remember Bouillon which has a spectacular setting at the bottom of a valley overlooked by an impressive medieval castle. Also La-Roche-en-Ardennes was very pretty. It made for a good long weekend from London - Eurostar it to Brussels, pick up a rental car and you're there in an hour, stay in a nice country gîte and explore the area by car. We didn't go to Liège, which I've heard is not much cop.

Not much cop, lots of crime tho. Ho ho ho, was that a joke? Yes, only not a good one.

I remember you recommending me that book, Mark S. Now I will *have* to get it, no?

Ardennes is quite nice apparently. Lots if people tend to go there for extended weekends, to get away from the rush of the city. (hahaha Rush? City? Belgium? Does not really compute!)

Yes, I was originally recommended the Ardennes by friends who live in Brussels and go down there on the weekend. It is a bit touristy, but in a good, low-key way, mainly locals from Belgium or neighbouring bits of France and Germany. The trouble with Bruges, which is certainly more spectacular than any town in Wallonia, is that it just gets swamped with tourists. It's too small to handle them all.

True. The trick is to come to Bruges in autumn and/or spring: Much lovelier and much more quiet. Summer is a definite no no because, as you said, it is SWAMPED with tourists. Sometimes it gets on my nerves because the pavements are too narrow so lots just walk in the middle of the street.

I might have to plan a weekend in the Ardennes to cope with the joke the month of August has been. Well, at least I'm not in Le Zoute...

Ah yes, the coast is even worse. Then again I guess I don't consider it that bad cause I have been and suffered Tokyo at 2 PM on a saturday.