# Brugge



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Can't post an acount of the trip as we haven't gone yet !

On the spur of the moment & to fight off the feeling of 'cabin fever' we have decided to go to Brugge for a few days, after checking around for ferries I settled on Norfolk Line from Dover to Dunkirk early hours of Friday 7th April & return late evening Wednesday 12th = £74 return . . . 
[hope no one does a search & finds cheaper :wink: ] 
I made booking at camping-memling on the outskirts of Bruge . . . I'm feeling brighter all of a sudden !
Its going to be a busy few weeks . . first the [revised] Bubblecar rally this weekend - then Bruge - then the Motorhome show !
Roll on summer so we can book more away trips.
Any advice what is a MUST to see in Bruge - or what to miss ???


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

Hi

Take a horse drawn tour of the city centre. Haggle over the prices. 

They really are excellent. Then top up on choc chocs etc

Rapide561


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

There is an Aire by the big bus station in Brugge, its a very short walk into the centre from there, Its a beautiful city with some lovely architecture.
Cheers Sid


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## sailor (Aug 23, 2005)

We went to Brugge last October, stayed in a site on the outskirts (sadly the site was about to close permanently).

we used busses to get into the centre - quick, cheap and reasonably frequent - and in our case with a particularly friendly driver.

I would recommend a boat trip on the canals - not venice standard but interesting and attractive.

Have a good trip!

JeffO


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

You must fit in one brewery trip. It would be rude not to.

Agree with canals but was too amused at the poop shutes to go on the horse drawn tour - you will see what I mean. Had a meal in the main square at an outdoor restaurant listened to the lunch time chorus.........Brits moaning at the prices and watched the world go by.


Regards Frank


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Vicdicdoc

A trip along the canals by boat is worthwhile as is a city tour. You do not have to use the horse drawn carriages, trips around the city can now be made in purpose built mini-vans. It really is nice to sit in the Markt Square and to listen to the bells chiming while the world passes by. But beware you have to pay for the privellige, the restaurants on the square are pricey. A walk along one of the side streets will bring you to a host of restaurants with much more acceptable prices. Other than that all I can say is walk around, take your time and enjoy.


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## mover (Mar 9, 2006)

We are hearing that the Aire at brugge is closing and that a smaller one is being opened it is your sworn duty to get all the gen on this first hand and let us all know here.
If you are lucky to be in Brugge on market day you must buy some hot food off the grill stand the food is delicious and very cheap .Roast potatoes ,Ribbs ,Chicken ,Roast Pork,Sausages The list goes on ,oh dear I'm drooling over my key board .


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Thanks folks - we'll do our best (a) to take in all the sights (b) look at the Aire & find out details (c) take a boat trip (d) take a picture of the horse 'poop-shute' 8O 
Oh - last but not least - stuff ourselves full of Chocolate.


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## 88840 (May 9, 2005)

*brugge*

just returned from a trip to belgium, used the aire at brugge (by the coach park) it would seem the rumor it is closing is wrong as they have put in more water points.


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hi all

We stayed on the Aire at Brugge a couple of weekends ago and found the situation to be the same as Stanbow has advised. The aire was still open and more water points had been put in. Before we travelled to Belgium I e-mailed the tourism office asking about the usage of the aire, we received the following reply after we had returned home.

dear sir
the special carpark for campers is still there, but you can only stay 
there during the day. For the night one has to go to a campingsite. This 
has always been so but lots of people dared stay the night on the 
carpark. Nowadays they get fines for doing this...

kind regards

ps for a campsite, pleas ehave a look at www.brugge.be/camping

Klantendienst - Service clientèle
Kundendienst - Customers service
Toerisme Brugge
Toerismehuis Sint-Jan
Mariastraat 
8000 Brugge

There are no signs at the aire advising you of this, about 25 vans were parked up overnight with no problems at all. We were told that vans parking on the roadway outside of the aire and those parked on the pavement under the road bridge sometimes got a parking ticket. It seems that the tourist board is trying to drum up some extra business for the local campsites.


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## rod_vw (May 10, 2005)

An alternative camp site for Brugge is 'Camping St.-Michiels Brugge' the facilities are a bit basic but it's close to the town and the motorway as you go onwards (or return) towards Germany.

There is a Restaurant / Bar adjacent which is used by locals as well.

See their website at http://www.campingbrugge.be/


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Well, we didn't go in the end . . my [95 year old] Dad was taken into hospital last week so all trips are off for now but we're hoping that by the time the motorhome show is on we'll be able to go for the weekend.
Norfolk line were very good when I phoned to cancel - they are going to hold our reservation open for us till we are able to go.


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

*Vic.* So sorry tohear about your problems. Hope your dad is ok.

*Mover*. Are you talking about the Wednesday or Saturday markets, They are on different squares. We went to the fruit and veg market on the wednesday, one stall was doing 3 for the price of 2, The caulis were huge.
Shirley bought 3 caulis, 3 huge leeks, 3 large broccolis, I don't know how many spuds, all in my backpack. I just about made it back to the aire before collapsing. Most of it we shared out among the vans.
Cheers Sid


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Vicdicdoc - sorry about your dad - I also have aged parents (thriving at the moment thank goodness) so can appreciate your worries.

Rod_VW - we have also tried the Camping St Michiels. Very convenient for the town and the campsite restaurant is well respected and patronised by the locals, if a bit pricy. However, I could only recommend the site if you use your own shower and loo facilities. The last time we were there the facilities needed a thorough clean, if not replacement! For arachnaphobes like me, the largest spider in the world lives in the right hand entrance to shower block. You have been warned! Otherwise peaceful, level site close to one of the most interesting cities in Europe.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Brugge trip . . been there - done that !
We met up with Bryn & Rosemary [the snails] at Dover [Dover town is NOT quite the centre of the universe - it was cold, damp & to cap it all the local chippy was closed !
We had a very enjoyable week 'over the water' - went via Norfolk line, Dover / Dunkirk, a good fast clean ferry [+ smooth crossing] As we had to abort the initial trip Norfolk lines were good enough to hold our booking open until we could travel [at no extra cost]. Went from Dunkirk & spent the first night at little village called De Panne in village aire [free] but no facilities. then on to Brugge where it rained . . . for 2 days but then cleared & warmed up a touch.
Done all the tourist things except boat trip as it was raining - stayed at the only campsite [camping Membling - expensive as the facilities were not that good] the other site [St Michael now closed & is a factory building site] - we did try the aire but it was VERY noisy with coaches & by the loud voices - eastern Europe people. From there we wandered down to Ostende & then Le Touquet Aire - as it was a holiday there must have been well over 150 motorhomes but apart from not being able to connect to electric hook-up it was quite nice [the sunshine made it even better] and a short cycle ride into the town made a good excuse to sit & 'people watch' sipping a cup of cofee [why is their 'Grande' size equal to our small cup ??]. again having been there done that we off'd again down a bit more to Le Cretoy aire by the village . . .I tried my first Moules & Frites [and my last]. On the aire the wind whipped up the dry dusty gravel dust & coated everything inside & out !.
We only intended a short trip but now we're home we wished we had spent longer . . . that's our excuse to start planning our next [longer] trip - oh and we are now looking for a bigger motorhome so ours is up for sale ! - if I can't take it with me I'm going to spend it now so my envy of 'the snails' longer van pushed me over the edge - Hymer here I come !
I drove back from Dover early hours of today in one go . . .not going to do that again as I'm too bloody old to stay up all night [been there done that in my youth] - so forgive me if I've passed over other bits of our trip - blame it on being brain dead . . I'm off to bed right NOW. 8O


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