Christmas markets Northern France of Belgium (1 Viewer)

[peterc10]

Our daughter and son in law will be coming over from the USA to stay with us this Christmas.

We were thinking of taking them in the motorhome to visit a Christmas market maybe on 19, 20 or 21 December. Are they still going that near Christmas? If so can anybody recommend one that we could go to with a Aire with electrics nearby. We could go as far as Brugge but not sure if they have a Christmas market

 

[olley]

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Belgium/bruges-christmas-market.html
https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/marker.php?id=17876

 

[peterc10]

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Belgium/bruges-christmas-market.html
https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/marker.php?id=17876

Thanks for that.

I was hoping for some personal recommendations please. None of us have ever been to a Christmas market in Europe.

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[olley]

Sorry neither have I.

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/bruges-or-ostend.116538/#post-1564485
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/christmas-markets-belgium-or-france.74399/#post-869617
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/aire-for-xmas-market-in-brussels.117856/#post-1595942

 

[Mel]

The one in Brugge is not the best IMO
Just a few stalls selling the normal crap.
But Brugge is a very nice place to visit.
But I will still go this year as my daughter lives there.
+ its only 20km for me to drive

 

[olley]

I think Cologne is pretty good but probably to far. http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/cologne_christmas_market.php

Lincoln have one as well, sister-in-law went a few years back, reckoned it was good.
Also Bath.

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[peterc10]

We have been to Brugge before and loved it, but in the middle of the summer. Going mainly for the market so if Brugge is not good we can go somewhere else.

 

[Mel]

Its only my opinion
A lot of British come over for it.
I have not been t any in France.
I hink they are better in Germany but thats maybe a little too far

 

[The Cruisers]

There's one in Brussels. What's that like?

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[big map]

There are 3 Christmas markets in Bruges. We only managed to find 2 of them. The atmosphere is fantastic, the sets are great (like the lid of an old tin of quality street, ice skaters on a backdrop of snow) but it's not good for Christmas shopping. I bought polar bears for our tree.

 

[scousebird]

@chaser may be able to tell you about the market at Gravelines which he says is a good one but I don't think you'll get electric. But you could visit this one on a day trip. We enjoyed Bruges markets.

 

[Chris]

I have only ever been to the one in Bath and suffice to say I will never go to another one.

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[big map]

Winchester is the same as Bath, but Brugge was a lot better nowhere near as crowded for a start.

 

[chaser]

Don't know if that link works but that was gravelines two years ago, they have snow and animals and log fires , the lot not just stalls selling tat , so removed itdidn't work

 

[peterc10]

Thanks but not really interested in ones in the UK. Our American son in law has never been to mainland Europe, so we want to combine it with a visit there.

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[peterc10]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7jejtpjOrvGTGpRRFB3Q3FMYWs
Don't know if that link works but that was gravelines two years ago, they have snow and animals and log fires , the lot not just stalls selling tat

Thanks, but link won't let me in.

 

[Gaston aires]

WE have one in Bury St Edmunds every year around Christmas, and just like the ones abroad nice atmosphere, good to look, but way expensive.
Phil

 

[chaser]

Thanks, but link won't let me in.

No I know I'm working on it

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[chaser]

Sorry about that it was up in the clouds

 

[big map]

I quite fancy doing the one in Lille this year.
http://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/christmas-markets

 

[chaser]

I might add, that's only one small corner of it, and no you are right afraid there is no hookup

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[Chris]

I quite fancy doing the one in Lille this year.
http://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/christmas-markets

Lucy is going there on 8th December with her school

 

[hilldweller]

Valkenberg gets mentioned in here, as does Manchester.

But neither as nice a city as Bruges.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Ypres apparently has one and improving over the years.
Not too far to go and if the market is rubbish, the town is magic and probably magicer at Christmas.
I might just pop over there myself and give it a try.

A number of places close by power with ehu.

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[TerryL]

If you can drive a little further Aachen, just into Germany, has an excellent Christmas market. There is a stellplatz - it doubles as a car/coach park (but plenty of room, especially mid-week) within walking distance, although I don't think you can get hookup (do you really need it for a couple of days?)

 

[DavidG58]

we went to Amiens a few years back, fairly typical continental Christmas market, loads of wooden sheds along most of the streets, some selling tat, some doing home made expensive stuff

but what we really liked, they illuminate the cathedral in a truly amazing way every night, you really need to see it to get the full effect,

Link Removed

cant help with the aire options as we stayed in a hotel, but I am sure they must have one or more, especially with this event on

tempted to go back myself, I was gob smacked, the stone walls appear to be painted all from a light projection that defies logic it is so detailed


edit - just reading my own link, the lights only seem to be on in summer, I know it was Christmas when we saw them is - something and kin cold watching, sorry about that, but I will read further it might just be lit up rather than the full show at Christmas

double edit - just a bit further, it is on from 1st December till 1st Jan

 

[chaser]

Ypres apparently has one and improving over the years.
Not too far to go and if the market is rubbish, the town is magic and probably magicer at Christmas.
I might just pop over there myself and give it a try.

A number of places close by power with ehu.

Ypres is indeed well worth a visit any time of the year but when we went two years ago the market was a big disappointment, a skating rink and a few tat stalls and that was the lot.

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[orridge]

Brugge is quite good, the Aire is next to the train station so you could get a train to Brussels for the day and they have quite a large market. For something smaller and more locally authentic we like Gravelines. Easy parking at the Aire and less than 5 minutes walk to the market.

 

[orridge]

Agreed with @chaser whilst Ypres is great to visit the Christmas market is tiny and mostly tat.

Much further south the markets in Alsace and Strasbourg are really worth a trip.

 

[PORKSTER]

you could do Brugge great then Ypres them visit gravelines on way home in a few days be a nice little trip for the son in law

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