Wife and I are spending 9 days in Paris at the end of this month, but we're flying in and out of Brussels. We left three full days after the end of the Paris stay to rent a car and make our way back to Brussels. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the best use of this time. Perhaps some combination of Bruges and Brussels? Gent? Are there towns on the Belgian North Sea Coast that are worth a visit (given this admittedly limited time)? Is there an area of France (e.g., the Champagne region) that is more or less on the way that we shouldn't miss? Or is it preferable to drive north of Paris and follow the coast to Belgium? I'd also like to work in a trappiste brewery (e.g., Westveleteren) if we can make it happen. Obviously, we can't do everything in 3 days, and we're very wary of spreading ourselves too thin by trying to do too much. I'm open to the possibility of spending the entire three days in Brussels. Any thoughts on on all this?
Thanks so much!

Maybe not rent a car, and just go "somewhere".

I'm open to that idea as well, but where, given the options?

Don't rent a car unless you want to see sights in northern France. I suspect that there would be a stiff cross-border drop-off fee for a car picked up in France and dropped off in Belgium. Take the train to Brussels and Ghent. Three days will give you the opportunity to visit Ghent and Bruges. Or you could do Brussels and Bruges.

To whet your appetite:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622960079007/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622960216715/

Train, for sure.

Here's a way to combine various kinds of pleasures and make it happen:

Day One - first stop Reims (45min from Paris-Est) - the inner city, the cathedral, and champagne - it's the world capital of the real bubbly! Research it, you can do not only tastings but visit famous-name cellars and what-have-you. Stay the night!

Day Two - second stop: Luxembourg, less than 2 hours with one switch in Champagne-Ardennes. Great city - check it out! Stay the night.

Day Three - early train to Trier (approx 45 min) - read up on it, fascinating historic place. Later in the same day, train back to Luxembourg and switch to the train for Bruxelles. Total about 4 hours. Evening and dinner and late night in Bruxelles - make sure you see the Grand' Place before and again after dark, it transports you back several centuries.

If you want to have considerably more time in Bruxelles, get to Luxembourg from Reims as early as you can and make the Trier excursion after lunch, back to Luxembourg the same late afternoon/evening, stay the night in Lux., and on Day Three leave first thing in the morning for Bruxelles.

Stay near the Grand' Place, for which you pick the Bruxelles-Central train station (not Midi and not Nord).

From there you'll take the train to the airport.

Thanks for your suggestions, but that sounds like a lot for three days.

Can the champagne caves be visited without a car?

You could take a train to Colmar and Strasbourg.

Or rent a car and see the area around Chantilly, Senlis, and Compiegne - small towns which would be relaxing and would fill up the three days.

Here's a NY Times article on Compiegne.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/11/02...2hourfrom.html

"...Can the champagne caves be visited without a car?..."

Google Reims caves visitand go to www.ville-reims.com, they list all the maisons then go to the tours

Thank you!