GKS

Hello! I'm going to Dinant in a couple weeks, just for one night, and then (we'll have a car) driving to Ypres. Are there any spots you'd recommend stopping at on the way to Ypres? Any cute towns I shouldn't miss, where maybe we could have lunch? or sites to visit? Thank you!!

lavandula

It's not exactly a straight line or a road lined with gems - Namur (a really good destination but close to Dinant), then maybe Mons - Tournai - Kortrijk (check these out to see if you want to stop there, they are OK but not in the top 10 cities to see). Maybe I would recommend Tournai as it has a UNESCO listed cathedral and I also know of a lace museum there. Skip Charleroi, it's a depressed post-industrial city, unless you are particularly interested in mothballed industries. You could also take a dip across the border into Lille, which is really worthwhile. It's very pretty but I don't know it well enough to suggest anywhere for lunch. You might find a few people here who know it better. Unfortunately it is surrounded by industrial cities like Roubaix and Tourcoing which are not so attractive.

Try the ViaMichelin website to see if you can't find a picturesque route to take you to Ieper; you can also search for tourist sites and restaurants.

Lavandula

*I might just add - the south is depressed compared to the north. It is a big political issue and seems to fall neatly into the language divide, which is very unfortunate. The closer you get to the Ardennes the more interesting and attractive the cities get. Ciney, La-Roche-en-Ardenne, Durbuy - all are pretty.

GKS

Thank you!!!