En route to Spa

[Bargenosenti]

Looking for some travel advice as we're heading to Spa in August for the F1.

Hoping to stop somewhere en route for biers with a short hop to campsite on the Thursday for the pit walk.

Google suggests a Northern route past Dunkirk, where we will stop for some of the war memorials, but then it's either North to Bruges across to Brussels, or more sourtherly past Charleroi. I believe the traffic around Brussels can be bad, so southern route is preferred at the moment.

Anyone have any suggestions or handy advice?

Cheers

[jm doc]

Via Brussels is about 30 mins quicker and probably a better road, and it's usually ok during the middle of the day. The route via Charleroi has more places of interest particularly as you drive past Mons, and is less likely to have problems with traffic though occasionally I think it can be busy around Lille. A check for road works before you go might be a good idea as there always seems to be some in my experience over the last few years.

I'm sure there will be others with much more experience along shortly with advice anyway, but that's my experience of Belgium! Hope you have a great trip anyway

Edited by jm doc on Tuesday 12th July 00:14

[AJB88]

Drove to Spa 2 years ago as my first ever drive my own car abroad. Went across the top of France then down past Brussels.

Also did a similar route last year to Nurburgring.

[hora]

Stop off in Bruge on the way

[df76]

Drove to Spa in May and will be doing it again in September. Found the route via Brussels to be very uninspiring, and getting around Brussels at the busiest times can be a pain in the ar$e. Might try the southern route, via Namur, next time for variety.

Driving standards in Belgium can be classified as "average"..

[hora]

Driving standards is on a par with British at rush hour on motorways. Random, with no reason (but without the aggression).

[EnglishTony]

Namur and Charleroi for me. Yes Lille is unpleasant but less hassle than Brussels.

[Bargenosenti]

Thanks, great advice. Hoping to find a decent spot for overnight on the way so I think I'll look along the southerly route.

Bruge is lovely, but I'd like to get much closer without a longer drive to the circuit on the Thursday.

What's the traffic like around Spa ahead of GP weekend?

[majordad]

Try Liege.

[Alicatt1]

hora said:

Driving standards is on a par with British at rush hour on motorways. Random, with no reason (but without the aggression).

Indicators are an optional extra that most Belgians do not opt for, if you are lucky the may indicate when they are actually at a junction.

If you are going round the Brussels ring then you will be passing close to Waterloo and "La Bute de Lion" which is worth a look.

[Alicatt1]

Bargenosenti said:

Thanks, great advice. Hoping to find a decent spot for overnight on the way so I think I'll look along the southerly route.

Bruge is lovely, but I'd like to get much closer without a longer drive to the circuit on the Thursday.

What's the traffic like around Spa ahead of GP weekend?

Getting in is usually not too bad but getting back out can be a bit of a mare, oh, and lots of speed traps with motorbikes to pull you over.

Leuven is a nice university city to visit too, my daughter studied there. There is lots of WW2 related stuff in the Ardenen, hang we even have a WW2 Sherman Firefly tank as our war memorial in our village.