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3 Stars - 79 Opinions
82, rue de Namur, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
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79 Opinions
Manneken Pis
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Place Royale
The Art Deco (??) Frontage
My partner and I will be travelling from Charleroi to Brussels by train on Saturday 20th and were thinking of stopping off en route to visit the battle site.
Should we get out at Waterloo or at Braine-L Alleud. We would prefer to join a guided tour of the area rather than simply looking around ourselves. Anybody know if any such tours or organized on site, or are there bus tours from Brussels.
Any other advice would be appreciated.
The official battlefield website in English gives lots of info about access (getting off at Waterloo itself seems sensible), guided tours of the site and so on:
http://www.waterloo1815.be/en/waterloo/453-access/
I went to Waterloo by car so don't know which station would be best, but I can tell you that the experience was quite moving and worth it.
They gave a short video presentation, in English for me, as I was the only one there at the time. The people working there were especially nice and friendly.
After the video presentation, I walked around myself to see everything.
Hi, Coming from Charleroi by train, if your ticket allows for a stop before Brussels, I think Braine-l'Alleud is closest for walking to Waterloo Battlefield.
See link below and check out the map.
I was living in Brussels when I visited Waterloo twice so went by car, thus I have no experience of actual walking distance from either Braine or Waterloo station.
I visited the site on my own too, after the video and after a long time in the shop choosing FANTASTIC lead reproductions of every soldier company involved in the Battle. Very colourful, well-made and priceless souvenirs!
One that I loved is a Hussard (light infantry) de Napoléon, with his cape flying in the wind and a cute saber too. Although later I read that the Hussards did not charge at Waterloo, it was lanciers, grenadiers, dragons... so maybe my toy soldier is one of those :) but I lost it in one of my many moves later. :( The historic reconstruction is often said to be romanticised... (maybe by now, the truth is out there but I haven't followed developments...:))
Then the melancholy walk on the plain was very moving. Everything brought to mind the famous lines of Victor Hugo... "Waterloo, Waterloo, morne plaine!"
http://www.seat61.com/Belgium.htm#Waterloo
I don't think all trains between Charleroi-Sud and Bruxelles-Midi stop at Waterloo so you would have to get off at Braine l'Alleud which is in any case the first of these 2 stations you would come to, and also better for catching bus W or 365 to Brussels (Gare du Midi) which passes the battlefield at Mont St. Jean ("butte de lion", or lion mount"), as well as stopping later in Waterloo itself right outside both the tourist office and the Wellington Museum (the station at Waterloo, on the other hand, is some way off the main Brussels-Braine l'Alleud road). If you want to get on and off the bus, you can buy a day ticket (carte d'un jour).
They do not have guides available at the battlefield in case people drop in, you would have to organise a private guide to meet you there, perhaps through the Waterloo tourist office. Otherwise, there are organised coach tours from Brussels: http://www.brussels-city-tours.com/.
When walking from one must see to another you'll see huge wall paintings (mostly with comic books characters) They are especially located in semi ran-down, however
touristic quarters, such as the "Marolles".
The first reason for these paintings is to discourage urinating against apparently favourable located walls for this issue, but they also brighten up the area. And... all the characters are Belgian.
Have a seafood meal on one of the streets off La Grande Place. Kitchy and touristy? Sure, but the food is great nonetheless. Plus, even the locals frequent these establishments and you'll often find that a restaurant table serves as one of their informal offices. Listening to the symphony at La Grande Place on a summer night. Should you plan a trip to Brussels, it might be well worth trying to do so when a performance is scheduled. Music, wine, stars, what more can you ask for?
Le Palais Royal de Bruxelles est un des plus beaux bâtiments officiels de la capitale.
Situé en face du Palais de la Nation, à l'autre extrémité du Parc royal, le Palais Royal symbolise en quelque sorte notre régime, à savoir la monarchie constitutionnelle. Le Palais est donc l'endroit où le Roi exerce ses prérogatives de Chef d'Etat. C'est au Palais que le Roi accorde ses audiences et que les affaires de l'Etat sont traitées. Outre le bureau du Roi et celui de la Reine, le Palais Royal abrite les services du Grand Maréchal de la Cour, du Chef de Cabinet du Roi, du Chef de la Maison Militaire du Roi et de l'Intendant de la Liste Civile du Roi. Le Palais comporte aussi les Salons d'apparat où sont organisées les grandes réceptions, ainsi que les appartements mis à la disposition des chefs d'Etat en visite officielle.
The Royal Palace of Brussels is one of the most beautiful official buildings of the capital.
Situated in front of the Palace of the Nation, to the other extremity of the royal Park, the Royal Palace symbolizes our regime, to know the constitutional monarchy, in a way. The Palace is therefore the place where the King exercises his prerogatives of Chief of state. It is at the Palace that the King grants his audiences and that the business of the state are treated. Besides the King's office and the one of the Queen, the Royal Palace shelters the services of the Big Marshal of the Court, of the Chief of Cabinet of the King, of the Chief of the Military House of the King and the intendant of the King's Civil List. The Palace also includes the Lounges of pomp where are organized the big receipts, as well as the apartments put at the disposal of the chiefs of state in official visit.
Brussels is home of many European institutions :
The Council of the European Union
The Council has its headquarters in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. However, in April, June and October Council meetings take place at the Kirchberg European Centre in Luxembourg.
The Justus Lipsius building is set in a 4-hectare site bounded by the Rue de la Loi, Rue Froissart, Chaussee d'Etterbeek and the Residence Palace and has an overall surface area of 215,000 sqm.
The European Commission
Headquarters : Breydel building, 45 Avenue d'Auderghem
The European Parliament
Headquarters : 43 Rue Wiertz
The Comittee of the Regions
Headquarters : 79 Rue Belliard
The Economic and Social Comittee
Headquarters : Ravenstein building, 2 Rue Ravenstein
be aware of the fact that Brussels is not only baroque lace-like buildings or art nouvoe architecture, but modern constructions and skyscrapers as well
(on the pic - near Gare du Nord - Belgacom Towers (thanx nicoleken ;)))
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Address: 82, rue de Namur, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
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