We are planning flying to Paris to stay one week, plus one week hiking in Burgundy, and one week in Bruges, flying home from Brussels. I am now worrying about getting from Bruges to Brussels in time to catch the one-and-only direct flight to Toronto at 10:15 a.m. Would it be better to plan 4 nights in Bruges and 3 in Brussels (for example) so we'd already be in place? My original idea was to rent an apartment in Bruges for the week - any recommendations welcome.

IMO always ALWAYS try to spend your last night before your flight in your departure city if you have a flight with a huge penalty for missing it - there can always be train strikes or road snafus that are unpredictable and if your flight is at 10:15 then you probably have to be at the airport at say 7:30 or something - even trains take about 70-79 minutes I believe from Bruges to Brussels and then another 30 mins or so to the airport terminals. There are a bevy of hotels right at Brussels Airport as well say if you want to stay 6 nights in Bruges.

Bruges, for all its charms, is a small place and splitting time with Brussels will probably be more interesting, never mind saving a mad dash for the airport at whatever distance.

When I was planning a Bruges trip, I was told the Belgian trains weren't totally reliable, so it was better to be in Brussels the night before a flight. The train from Brussels to the airport is easy and straight-forward, only about a half-hour.

And I agree a whole week in Bruges seems a lot. It rained when we were there, which has affected my opinion of the town.

We spent a week in Bruges and didn't run out of things to see; in fact, we had to forgo a planned daytrip to Antwerp for lack of time.

When we went to Brussels, the clerk at the station told us which train to take, but the conductor on the train said it was quicker to change trains at Antwerp. It might have been quicker if we knew our way around the station, but we didn't and their signs (I would say throughout Belgium) were not particularly helpful. So I would suggest you spend at least a day close to the Airport (in Brussels, early in the morning, we also found it difficult to find the right platform for the train to the airport, so that leg took longer than planned)

In many places you can rent a house or apartment for a week (getting a lower rate) and just leave a day early. In Bruges, we stayed here: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p249511

It was very nice.

We just returned from Europe and spent 5 nights, 4 full days in Bruges. I could easily have spent a full week there. I agree with PalenQ and would take the train to Brussels on the last day and spend the final night near the airport. Sounds like a wonderful trip.

I would not know what to do in Bruges after a day or two.
Brussels may not be everyone's favorite, but I would certainly give it a few days.
Been to both cities in July this year.

Agree with last night close to the departure city -- even if you were to go there late in the day.

Try to avoid South Brussels station if possible.

We preferred Brugge to Brussels by far, though we usually love big cities; we had 3 nights there (Brugge) but would have taken a day trip or two if we had had more time, but to each his own.

I would stay in Brussels for the last night. There is plenty there to do for a few days (as described in my trip report from last fall) but at least plan on enough time to explore the Grand Place area.

During your stay in Brugge I would take the time to pop over to Ghent for a day -all of a 1/2 hr train ride- and also a day out at the north sea, maybe a little town like Blankenberg or larger Oostende. There is also a seperate train that runs along the shore. Or even a day in Antwerp. Distances are short and trains fares are cheaper on the weekends. also if you are over 60- it might be 65- a r/t train ticket is only 6 euros!
The train to the airport from Brugge is about an hour and it is directly to the airport with no transfers, btw the train station is the lower level of the airport! When you come into Brugge I would check with the ticket office at the train station for a schedule to the airport.
Yes there can be unexpected train strikes, check with your hotels front desk, and a taxi to the airport is about 150 euros!