Brussels and Wallonia Beer and History Tours Departure dates include
July 09th 2010
August 14th 2010
August 27th 2010
September 3rd 2010
September 17th 2010
WHAT’S INCLUDED
5 days / 4 nights duration
Departing on Friday 09.07.10
Return Eurostar™ (standard class) from London St Pancras International to Brussels Midi
Inclusive minibus /coach transportation from day 2
4 nights half board accommodation at 3 star hotels inthe Brussels, La Roche-en-Ardenne & Mons areas.
Included excursion package with entrances as per itinerary (see below & overleaf) PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Cost from £549.00pp Twin / Double share
Single supplement will apply – on request only
Balance due by 07.05.10
Eurostar™ Leisure Select Upgrade available at a supplement (cost on application)
Insurance if required is £24.00pp (no upper age limit but subject to medical screening)
SAMPLE ITINERARY Day 1 – Departing London St Pancras International late morning, you travel by Eurostar to Brussels Midi where you will transfer to the national Belgian rail service to Liege. Your overnight accommodation this evening is within walking distance of the railway station. Dinner is included in a local restaurant this evening and afterwards you might choose to explore the city centre at your leisure. We would like to suggest a visit to the Bar Vaudree where they have a fine selection of beers, and they especially promote the artis an beers, many of which are only sold locally. Here you can find 42 types of hand pulled beers, hundreds of bottled beers, Belgian & foreign including blonde, white, brown & those from Trappist abbeys ...! Day 2 – Today we start by travelling to the pretty riverside town of Dinant, a pretty town situated on the banks of the Meuse river where you will have some free time. We will also be visiting the spectacular Freyr Chateau where you will be given a guided tour. This magnificent Renaissance residence, which in the eighteenth century became a ducal home and has stunning gardens with orange groves, 6 km of mazes, a tree-lined avenue and a lookout. From here we continue on to Falmignoul and the artisan brewery known as La Caracole Brasserie, a truly artisanal brewery, whose products are distributed in Belgium, Italy, France, Holland, Switzerland and Japan. Their portfolio consists of four stock ales: Caracole 8% abv, Nostradamus 9.5% abv, Saxo 8% abv, Troublette 5% abv. All beers here are brewed according to the old ways, in copper vats on wooden fires. This afternoon we continue on to La Brasserie des Fagnes in Mariembourg, which is a very different brewery to the last one visited and you will again be given a guided tour and tasting here before we continue onto our base for 2 nights, La Roche-en-Ardenne. This town nestles in a leafy setting on the banks of the River Ourthe, and is a 'Jewel of the Ardenne' and has a fascinating past - a wealth of history & legends. We finish this afternoon with an included visit to the excellent museum relating to the Battle of the Bulge. This museum tells the story of the fierce fighting in the Ardenne offensive in December 1944, which destroyed 90% of the town, injuring  many and killing 114 inhabitants and this museum tells a very personal story relating to the inhabitants of the town at this time. Time permitting, we might be able to offer a visit to the nearby La Chouffe brewery before dinner at the hotel this evening. Brasserie d’ Achouffe was founded in 1982 and specialises in brewing high quality speciality beers. Their products are easily recognisable by the friendly elf which is used to decorate the labels. Their leading product is La Chouffe, golden blonde ale whose freshness and fruity taste really makes it stand out. Its dark sister, the Mc Chouffe deserves its title of ‘Scotch of the Ardenne’ and has a dark, full-flavoured texture & is reminiscent of its Scottish cousins. La Chouffe and the Mc Chouffe are unique and incomparable beers.
Day 3 – After a continental buffet breakfast at the  hotel, we start by travelling to Ciney, where we take the ‘Chemin de Fer de Bocq’, a tourist train , which has operated since 1992 and shows the charm of this magnificent valley. Having relaxed and enjoyed the stunning Ardenne scenery, we continue on to the picturesque town of Durbuy, known as the ‘smallest town in the world’, where they have a ‘Crayfish’ event this weekend. We include a visit to the micro-brewery of Marckloff, whose beer has retained a flavour of the past. Created in 1989, in the restaurant of the Oak Farm of Durbuy, the Marckloff micro brewery adopted a 14th-century tradition of modest proportions and sells its products in a short circuit (straight from the brewery to the bar). You will have some free time here to relax and explore at your leisure before we travel on to the village of Briscol where we will visit the Artisan Chocolate maker, Defroi dmont, where you will be given a tour and tasting. The manufacturing is done completely with respect for tradition and with products of the highest quality and 100% cocoa butter. We return to the hotel later today where dinner is included. This evening, we include a very special event in the chateau of La Roche where you will get to sample a number of local beers in the fantastic surroundings of the ruins of this medieval castle.
Day 4 - Departing the picturesque region of La Roche this morning we travel north, where our first included visit of the day is to the Brasserie du Bocq, which was set up in 1858 by Martin Belot and is still a 100% family business and which remains one of the last traditional Belgian breweries. Located in the heart of the Condroz, a wonderful tourist region, this dynamic company still uses the traditional manufacturing process of top-fermentation beers with secondary fermentation in the bottle. The beers produced are : Agrumbocq, Redbocq, Applebocq, la Gauloise Blonde, Brune and Ambree, Saint Benoit Blonde and Brune, Blanche de Namur, Saison Regal, Triple Moine, Deugniet & the Bocq Christmas. Our next stop is at the restaurant adjoined to the Castle & gardens of Annevoie, where you can purchase lunch locally and time permitting, visit the gardens (payable locally). The gardens feature over twenty ornamental ponds and lakes, fed by approximately fifty water jets and waterfalls, and are widely regarded as some of the best, not only in Belgium, but also in the whole of Eur ope. The next visit today is to the Distillerie de Biercee, which is unique in Belgium, and here you will be given a guided tour of the distillery & discover the secrets of distillation and how 10 kg of fresh fruit are transformed into one bottle of eau-de-vie or liqueur. You will see the Distiller’s room with its collection of ancient stills, tools and old books and see a video presentation before sampling one or two of the products in the ‘Grange des Belges’ (Belgian Barn) which is set in the splendid ‘Ferme de la Cour’. The last leg of the journey today takes us to the Tournai region, where you the finale event includes a tour of the Brasserie Dubuisson followed by dinner. This brewery has deep roots and values that give it an authenticity that few breweries can copy ... and is the oldest and most authentic brewery in Wallonia.
Day 5 – We finish this tour by travelling in to Brussels where we include a visit to the Cantillon Brewery and the living museum of the traditional Gueuze, where you will find different forms of life, not only the Van Roy- Cantillon family but also the living micro-organisms which cause the spontaneous fermentation of the lambic. Here you will find machines, most of them original, as well as barrels with Lambic, Kriek or Framboise. There are cellars where bottles of Gueuze, Kriek or Lambic Grand Cru and during your visit you will see a mashing tun, boilers, a granary with a cooling tun, as well as a filter and bottling machine. This is one of the last traditional breweries where almost nothing has changed since the last century. You will experience a unique moment amid the lambic fumes, which escape from the barrels in which the beer matures for three years. You will have some free time in the city centre to explore at your leisure and can purchase lunch before re-joining the Eurostar for your afternoon journey of 1 hour 51 minutes back to London St Pancras, where this tour will terminate.
Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor alterations to this itinerary.
Please note that Eurostar™ prices can increase as availability decreases. It is therefore imperative that we secure your seats as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary surcharges being incurred. Brussels and Wallonia Beer and History Tours WHAT’S INCLUDED
5 days / 4 nights duration
Departing on Friday 13.08.10
Return Eurostar™ (standard class) from London St Pancras International to Lille/Brussels Midi
Inclusive minibus /coach transportation throughout4 nights accommodation at 3 star hotels in the Tournai, La Roche-en-Ardenne & Brussels areas.
Included breakfasts daily, dinners on 3 evenings & lightlunches Ardenne style on days 2 & 4
Included excursion package with entrances as per itinerary (see below & overleaf) PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Cost from £549.00pp Twin / Double share
Single supplement will apply – on request only
Deposit £80.00pp (non refundable)
Balance due in full on 18.06.10
Eurostar™ Leisure Select Upgrade available at a supplement (cost on application)
Insurance if required is £24.00pp (no upper age limit but subject to medical screening)
SAMPLE ITINERARY Day 1 – Departing London St Pancras International late morning, you travel by Eurostar to Lille where you will transferred to Mont St Aubert on the outskirts of Tournai, where you will overnight at the Floreal Panoramique hotel. Having checked in to the hotel, you will be transferred in to the centre of the historic city of Tournai where we start with a drinks reception, where you will get to sample a few of the local beers that are brewed in the area of Hainaut. We return to the hotel where dinner is included this evening.
Day 2 – Today we start with a visit to the historic "Canal du Centre" and its four hydraulic boat lifts, the only ones in the world still in use and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Let yourself fall under the century-old spell of these hydraulic lifts. Each one is able to compensate for a change in level of approximately 17 metres thanks to a single source of energy ie. waterThis 2 hour visit will include a trip on the little tourist train, a guided tour of one of the engine rooms and a guided boat trip which gives you a ride with one or more of the hydraulic lifts. From here we continue onto the Distillery of Biercee which is unique in Belgium! Here we will start with an included light lunch before you discover the secrets of distillation and how 10 kg of fresh fruit are transformed into one bottle of eau-de-vie or liqueur. You will see the Distillers room with its collection of ancient stills, tools and old books and see a video presentation before sampling one or two of the products in the Grange des Belges set in the splendid Ferme de la Cour. A traditional light lunch is included here which will consist of a variety of local products, including meats & cheeses. Departing here this afternoon we continue  on to the Centre de Decouverte du Chemin de Fer Vicinal Tramway, where there is a special festival today. Our last visit of the day is to the Dubuisson Brasserie which has a long and distinguished history. In 1994 it celebrated its 225th anniversary, brewing a beer - Bush 7% - to mark the occasion. The brewery claims to be the oldest Wallonian brewery still in ownership by the family and is determined to stay independent. The products we know today were developed as a direct result of Alfred and Amedée Dubuisson opting in 1931, to be brewers rather than farmers. At this time British beers were becoming fashionable to Belgian drinkers so, in 1933, Alfred developed a high alcohol beer with both Belgian and British characteristics. The name given to this powerful brew - Bush Beer - is indicative of its "Britishness" in that Bush is the English for Dubuisson. You will be given a guided tour,  after which a set 3 course dinner is included. We return to the hotel after a fun-packed day where you can relax and unwind.
Day 3 – After a continental buffet breakfast at the hotel, we start by travelling to the province of Namur, where we start with a visit to the stunning Castle & Gardens of Annevoie. The Castle was constructed in the 1620’s and was heavily modified in 1775 when the spectacular water gardens were established. The gardens feature over twenty ornamental ponds and lakes, fed by approximately fifty water jets and waterfalls, and are widely regarded as some of the best, not only in Belgium, but also in the whole of Europe. After your guided visit here, we continue onto Ciney, where we take the ‘Chemin de Fer de Bocq’, a tourist train, which has operated since 1992 and shows the charm of this  magnificent valley . Having relaxed and enjoyed the stunning Ardenne scenery, our last scheduled visit is to the Caracole Brasserie, a truly artisanal brewery located in the small village of Falmignoul in the Province of Namur and whose products are distributed in Belgium, Italy, France, Holland, Switzerland and Japan. Their portfolio consists of four stock ales: Caracole 8% abv, Nostradamus 9.5% abv, Saxo 8% abv, Troublette 5% abv. All beers are presented in 11.2 fl. oz. / 33 ml. metal crown bottles as well as in 25.4 fl. oz. / 750ml champagne bottles with corks. All styles are bottle conditioned (second fermentation with yeast in the bottle), unfiltered and unpasteurized. The recurring theme on each label is that of spiral snail shell from which the brewery takes its name and which is the emblem of Namur and the word for a snail in local Namurois dialect is "Caracole". Afterwards, y ou will have a little free time in the pretty riverside town of Dinant, which is situated on the banks of the Meuse river before we continue onto La Roche en Ardenne, where having checked in to our hotel, dinner is included this evening.
Day 4 - Today we start with a some free time in La Roche or you can choose to join the included visit to the WWII Battle of the Ardennes museum which is the only Battle of the Bulge museum to include a British section. Of course the American and German army with their respective arms and vehicles are well represented in attractive dioramas and showcases. The museum has however decided to put the accent on the British participation during the Allied counter-attack (3 to 16 January 1945) and the liberation of La Roche and the villages of the left bank of the River Ourthe. Alternativ ely, you might like to visit instead the Gres de la Roche pottery where their modern audio visual guide is very interesting and well worth visiting. We then visit the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne which was a feudal fortress dating back to the 9th century. The towers, murder-holes and oubliettes give you a real feeling of the atmosphere during mediæval times. Here we will have a reception and will get to taste a number of local beers before an included light lunch ‘a l’Ardennaise’. This afternoon a visit to the ‘Tramway Touristique de l’Aisne’ where a 1 hour tram ride is included followed by a visit to a local artisan chocolate maker. Philippe Defroidmont discovered his passion for chocolate in the family bakery -patisserie and with his wife, he founded a chocolate factory in 1984. The manufacturing is done completely with respect for tradition with products of the highest quality and 100 % cocoa butter. We will get to see the whole chocolate making process and of course you will be able to taste and purchase products here also. Our last visit of the day is to the pretty town of Durbuy, known as the smallest town in the world, where you can either choose to visit the town at you leisure, the stunning Topiary gardens or the centrally situated Marckloff Brewery. Created in 1989, in the restaurant of the Oak Farm of Durbuy, the Marckloff micro brewery adopted a 14th-century tradition. A micro brewery is an installation of modest proportions and sells its products in a short circuit (straight from the brewery to the bar). The cycle of fabrication takes little more than a month. From here, sit back and relax as we transfer you to Belgium’s capital city, Brussels where this evening is at your leisure, once we have checked in to the hotel.
Day 5 – Today you can choose between an inc luded guided Brussels city tour or you may choose to visit the Cantillon Brewery and the living museum of the traditional Gueuze, where you will find different forms of life, not only the Van Roy-Cantillon family but also the living micro-organisms which cause the spontaneous fermentation of the lambic. Discover this unique lambic brewery from 1900, where a family of master-brewers who are proud of their traditions and their products, and who are still brewing today. Here you will find machines, most of them original, as well as barrels with Lambic, Kriek or Framboise. There are cellars where bottles of Gueuze, Kriek or Lambic Grand Cru wait patiently until they are transferred to a customer's table. During your visit you will see a mashing tun, boilers, a granary with a cooling tun, as well as a filter and bottling machine. This is one of the last traditional breweries where almost nothing has changed since the last century. You will experience a unique moment amid the lambic fumes, which escape from the barrels in which the beer matures for three years. Following this visit, you will have a little free time in the city centre to explore at your leisure and can purchase lunch before re-joining the Eurostar for your afternoon journey of 1 hour 51 minutes back to London St Pancras, where this tour will terminate.
Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor alterations to this itinerary.
Please note that Eurostar™ prices can increase as availability decreases. It is therefore imperative that we secure your seats as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary surcharges being incurred
.
Brussels and Wallonia Beer and History ToursWHAT’S INCLUDED
5 days / 4 nights duration
Departing on Friday 27.08.10
Return Eurostar™ (standard class) from London St Pancras International to Brussels Midi Inclusive minibus /coach transportation throughout
4 nights accommodation at 3 star hotels in the Mons, La Roche-en-Ardenne & Brussels areas.
Included breakfasts daily, dinners on 2 evenings
Included excursion package with entrances as per itinerary (see below & overleaf) PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Cost from £449.00pp Twin / Double share
Single supplement will apply – on request o nly
Deposit £80.00pp (non refundable)
Balance due in full on 13.07.10 Eurostar™ Leisure Select Upgrade available at a
supplement (cost on application)
SAMPLE ITINERARY Day 1 – Departing London St Pancras International mid morning, you travel by Eurostar to Brussels Midi where you will transferred to your overnight hotel in Brussels. This afternoon we include a visit to the Cantillon Brewery and the living museum of the traditional Gueuze, where you will find different forms of life, not only the Van Roy-Cantillon family but also the living micro-organisms which cause the spontaneous fermentation of the lambic. Discover this unique lambic brewery from 1900, where a family of master-brewers who  are proud of their traditions and their products, and who are still brewing today. Here you will find machines, most of them original, as well as barrels with Lambic, Kriek or Framboise. There are cellars where bottles of Gueuze, Kriek or Lambic Grand Cru wait patiently until they are transferred to a customer's table. During your visit you will see a mashing tun, boilers, a granary with a cooling tun, as well as a filter and bottling machine. This is one of the last traditional breweries where almost nothing has changed since the last century. You will experience a unique moment amid the lambic fumes, which escape from the barrels in which the beer matures for three years. Following this visit, you will be taken to a local restaurant in the city, where dinner is at your leisure tonight.
Day 2 Today we start with a guided tour of the city of Brussels, both by coach and on foot which will introduce you to many places of  interest. Following this tour we head south into the Province of Hainaut and the which has a long and distinguished history. In 1994 it celebrated its 225th anniversary, brewing a beer - Bush 7% - to mark the occasion. The brewery claims to be the oldest Wallonian brewery still in ownership by the family and is determined to stay independent. The products we know today were developed as a direct result of Alfred and Amedée Dubuisson opting in 1931, to be brewers rather than farmers. At this time British beers were becoming fashionable to Belgian drinkers so, in 1933, Alfred developed a high alcohol beer with both Belgian and British characteristics. The name given to this powerful brew - Bush Beer - is indicative of its "Britishness" in that Bush is the English for Dubuisson. You will be given a guided tour, after which you can purchase lunch before we continue on to the Chateau du Beloeil for a visit with guided tour. The park covers 25 hectares and together with the castle, it forms one of the most beautiful curiosities in Belgium. In each room you will find authentic furniture and unique collections which are testimony to the glorious history of this castle. Our last visit of the day is to the Brasserie Saint-Feuillien which has ben in existance since 1873 when the Friart family began brewing various beers, but the history of this beer goes back even further. In the 7th century, an Irish monk by the name of Feuillien came to the Continent to preach the Gospel. Unfortunately, in 655, whilst travelling through the charcoal forest across the territory of what is now the town of Le Roeulx, Feuillien was martyred and beheaded. On the site of his martyrdom, Feuillien’s disciples erected a chapel which, in 1125 became the Abbey of Prémontrés, but later became known as the Abbaye St-Feuillien du Roeulx. The Abbey prospered until the upheaval as a result of the French Revolution where during these troubled times, it was condemned by the revolutionaries. For centuries, monks have brewed beer and this tradition has been preserved until this very day by the fourth generation of brewers of the Friart family. From here it s a short journey to your overnight hotel in the Mons area, where dinner is included this evening.
Day 3 Today we start with a visit to the historic “Canal du Centre” and its four hydraulic boat lifts, the only ones in the world still in use and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Let yourself fall under the century-old spell of these hydraulic lifts. Each one is able to compensate for a change in level of approximately 17 metres thanks to a single source of energy i.e. water. This 2 hour visit will include a trip on the little tourist train, a guided tour of one of the engine rooms and a guided boat trip which gives you a ride with one or more of the hydraulic lifts. From here we continue onto the Distillery of Biercee which is unique in Belgium!. You will discover the secrets of distillation and how 10 kg of fresh fruit are transformed into one bottle of eau-de-vie or liqueur. You will see. the Distillers room with its collection of ancient stills, tools and old books and see a video presentation before sampling one or two of the products in the Grange des Belges set in the splendid Ferme de la Cour where you can also purchase lunch. Departing here our last visit of the day is to Brasserie Binchoise which was founded in 1986 to celebrate the Belgian Year of Beer and in 1987, the Fakir and Réserve Marie de Hongrie beers were already on sale. Both of their beers, now re-named Binchoise Blonde and Binchoise Brune, are complimented by the honey-flavoured Bière des Ours (Bears’ Beer) Flora and Cuvée Spéciale Noël (Special Christmas Beer). At the 1995 World Beer Championship’s in Chicago, the brewery won a Platinum Medal with its Spéciale Noël and a Gold Medal with its Bière des Ours. We return to Mons where there is a special event which honours the 3rd Armoured Division and which celebrates the City’s Liberation in WWII – ‘The Tanks are in Town’. Dinner is at your leisure this evening.
Day 4 Departing this province this morning, we head in to the heart of the Belgian Ardenne starting with a visit to the Caracole Brasserie, a truly artisanal brewery located in the small village of Falmignoul in the Province  of Namur and whose products are distributed in Belgium, Italy, France, Holland, Switzerland and Japan. Their portfolio consists of four stock ales: Caracole 8% abv, Nostradamus 9.5% abv, Saxo 8% abv, Troublette 5% abv. All beers are presented in 11.2 fl. oz. / 33 ml. metal crown bottles as well as in 25.4 fl. oz. / 750ml champagne bottles with corks. All styles are bottle conditioned (second fermentation with yeast in the bottle), unfiltered and unpasteurized. The recurring theme on each label is that of spiral snail shell from which the brewery takes its name and which is the emblem of Namur and the word for a snail in local Namurois dialect is "Caracole". Afterwards, you will have a little free time in the pretty riverside town of Dinant, which is situated on the banks of the Meuse river, where you can purchase lunch before we continue on to the pretty town of Durbuy, known as the smallest town in the world, where you can either choose to visit the town at you leisure, the stunning Topiary gardens or the centrally situated Marckloff Brewery. Created in 1989, in the restaurant of the Oak Farm of Durbuy, the Marckloff micro brewery adopted a 14th-century tradition. A micro brewery is an installation of modest proportions and sells its products in a short circuit (straight from the brewery to the bar). The cycle of fabrication takes little more than a month. We then journey to the picturesque town of La Roche-en-Ardenne, where dinner is included at the hotel this evening followed by a ViP visit to the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne which was a feudal fortress dating back to the 9th century. The towers, murder-holes and oubliettes give you a real feeling of the atmosphere during mediæval times. Here we will have a reception and will get to taste a number of local beers before returning to the hotel later tonight.
Day 5 Today you will have a little free time in La Roche where you can choose to join the included visit to the WWII Battle of the Ardennes museum which is the only Battle of the Bulge museum to include a British section. Of course the American and German army with their respective arms and vehicles are well represented in attractive dioramas and showcases. The museum has however decided to put the accent on the British participation during the Allied counter-attack (3 to 16 January 1945) and the liberation of La Roche and the villages of the left bank of the River Ourthe. Alternatively, you might like to visit instead the Gres de la Roche pottery where their modern audio visual guide is very interesting and well worth visiting. Departing here at lunchtime, we retrace our steps towards Brussels, where you will take an afternoon Eurostar back to London St Pancras, where this tour will terminate.
Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor alterations to this itinerary.
Please note that Eurostar prices can increase as availability decreases. It is therefore imperative that we secure your seats as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary surcharges being incurred.
Brussels and Wallonia Beer and History Tours WHAT’S INCLUDED
5 days / 4 nights duration
Departing on Friday 03.09.10
Return Eurostar (standard class) from London St Pancras International to Brussels Midi
Inclusive minibus /coach transportation from days 2 - 5
4 nights half board accommodation at 3 star hotels in the Brussels, La Roche-en-Ardenne & Mons areas.
Included light lunches – Ardenne style on days 2 & 3
Included excursion package with entrances as per itinerary (see below & overleaf) PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Cost from £499.00pp Twin / Double share
Single supplement will apply – on request only
Deposit (non refundable) £ 80.00pp
Balance due in full by the 02.07.10
Eurostar™ Leisure Select Upgrade available at a supplement
Insurance if required is £24.00pp (no upper age limit but subject to medical screening) SAMPLE ITINERARY Day 1 – Departing London St Pancras International early afternoon, you travel by Eurostar™to Brussels Midi. You will be transferred to your 3* hotel in the city centre, where you will check in and having freshened up, dinner is included. This evening you are free to enjoy the Belgian Beer Event in the Brussels’ Grand’ Place (free). Many small, medium-sized and large Belgian breweries (@ 40) will be present with their best selections of beers. Day 2 – This morning we start with a visit to the Cantillon Brewery and the living museum of the traditional Gueuze in Brussels where you will find different forms of life, not only the Van Roy-Cantillon family but also the living micro-organisms which cause the spontaneous fermentation of the lambic. Discover this unique lambic brewery from 1900, where a family of master-brewers who are proud of their traditions and their products, are still  brewing today. During your visit you will see a mashing tun, boilers, a granary with a cooling tun, as well as a filter and bottling machine. This is one of the last traditional breweries where almost nothing has changed since the last century. From here we continue onto the Dubuisson Brewery, which opened this first micro-brewery in 2000 and here you will be given a guided tour, followed by lunch and several tastings. The Brasse-Temps uniquely only serves beers that have been brewed on site (Cuvée des Trolls 7%, Ambrasse Temps 5.5%, Blanche 4.5%, Brasse Temps des Cerises 5% and Brasse Temps Citron 3.5%, Temps des Brunes) as well as the BUSH beers. This afternoon we continue onto the Caracole Brasserie, a truly artisanal brewery located in the small village of Falmignoul in the Province of Namur and whose products are distributed in Belgium, Italy, France, Holland, Switzerland and Japan. Their portfolio consists of four stock ales: Caracole 8% abv, Nostradamus 9.5% abv, Saxo  8% abv, Troublette 5% abv. All beers are presented in 11.2 fl. oz. / 33 ml. metal crown bottles as well as in 25.4 fl. oz. / 750ml champagne bottles with corks. All styles are bottle conditioned (second fermentation with yeast in the bottle), unfiltered and unpasteurized. The recurring theme on each label is that of spiral snail shell from which the brewery takes its name and which is the emblem of Namur and the word for a snail in local Namurois dialect is "Caracole". Our last visit of the day is to the pretty town of Durbuy where you can either choose to visit the town at you leisure or join or visit the centrally situated Marckloff Brewery. Created in 1989, in the restaurant of the Oak Farm of Durbuy, the Marckloff micro brewery adopted a 14th-century tradition. A micro brewery is an installation of modest proportions and sells its products in a short circuit (straight from the brewery to th e bar). The cycle of fabrication takes little more than a month. After this last visit we continue on to our overnight hotel in the La Roche-en-Ardenne area where dinner is included
Day 3 - Today we start with a some free time in La Roche or you can choose to join the included visit to the WWII Battle of the Ardennes museum which is the only Battle of the Bulge museum to include a British section. We then visit the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne, which was a feudal fortress which dates back to the 9th century. The towers, murder-holes and oubliettes give you a real feeling of the atmosphere during mediæval times. Here we will have a beer reception where you will get to taste a number of local beers before an included light lunch ‘a l’Ardennaise’ From here we continue onto Houffalize and the Brass erie d’ Achouffe’ which was founded in 1982 and which is nestled in the green heart of the Belgian Ardenne and which specialises in brewing high quality speciality beers. Their leading product is La Chouffe, golden blonde ale whose freshness and fruity taste really makes it stand out. This afternoon we travel south to the Brasserie de Bastogne where you will get to try the La Trouffette Blonde. We return to the La Roche area later in the day, where dinner is again included.
Day 4 - Departing the picturesque region of La Roche we visit of the Brasserie du Bocq, which was set up in 1858 by Martin BELOT and is still a 100% family business and which remains one of the last traditional Belgian breweries. Located in the heart of the Condroz, a wonderful tourist region, this dynamic company still uses the traditional manufacturing process of top-fermentation beers with secondary fermentation in the bottle producing: Agrumbocq, Redbocq, Applebocq, La Gauloise Blonde, Brune and Ambree, Saint Benoit Blonde and Brune, Blanche de Namur, Saison Regal, Triple Moine, Deugniet & the Bocq Christmas. Our next included visit is to the stunning Castle & Gardens of Annevoie. The Castle was constructed in the 1620’s and was heavily modified in 1775 when the spectacular water gardens, with over 20 ornamental lakes & ponds were established. You can purchase lunch here in the restaurant before we continue on to our last visit of the day which is to the Brasserie Binchoise, which was founded in 1986, to celebrate the Belgian Year of Beer and in 1987, the Fakir and Réserve Marie de Hongrie beers were ready for sale. Both of their beers, now re-named Binchoise Blonde and Binchoise Brune, are complimented by the honey-flavoured Bière des Ours (Bears’ Beer) Flora and Cuvée Spéciale Noël (Special Christmas Beer). At the 1995 World Beer Championship’s in Chicago, the brewery won a Platinum Medal with its Spéciale Noël and a Gold Medal with its Bière des Ours. Dinner is included at our overnight hotel tonight.
Day 5 – Our first visit of the day is to the Brasserie Saint-Feuillien. Since 1873, the Friart family has been brewing various beers, among others, the St-Feuillien but the history of this beer goes back even further. In the 7th century, an Irish monk by the name of Feuillien came to the Continent to preach the Gospel. Unfortunately, in 655, whilst travelling through the charcoal forest across the territory of what is now the town of Le Roeulx, Feuillien was martyred and beheaded. On the site of his martyrdom, Feuillien’s disciples erected a chapel which, in 1125 became the Abbey of  Prémontrés, but later became known as the Abbaye St-Feuillien du Roeulx. The Abbey prospered until the upheaval as a result of the French Revolution where during these troubled times, it was condemned by the revolutionaries. For centuries, monks have brewed beer and this tradition has been preserved until this very day by the fourth generation of brewers of the Friart family. The last visit of the day is to the Beer museum in Quenast which features the local brewery of Lefèbvre. Since 1876, the Lefebvre Brewery has used its knowledge in order to produce the best beers which range from Abbey beers, fruited & seasonal, white beers & special brews. Although you cannot visit the brewery itself, across a small bridge you will find the Small Mill of Arenberg, where you discover an old flour trade and a new beer house that was created in collaboration with the traditional local brewery Lefèbvre. Departing here this afternoon, we return to Brussels for your late afternoon Eurostar™ journey of 1 hour 51 minutes to London St Pancras, where this tour will terminate.
Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor alterations to this itinerary.
Please note that Eurostar™ prices can increase as availability decreases. It is therefore imperative that we secure your seats as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary surcharges being incurred.
Brussels and Wallonia Beer and History Tours WHAT’S INCLUDED
5 days / 4 nights duration
Departing on Friday 17.09.10
Return Eurostar™ (standard class) from London St Pancras International to Brussels Midi
Inclusive minibus /coach transportation from days 2 - 5
4 nights accommodation at 3 star hotels in the, Liege, La Roche-en-Ardenne & Brussels areas.
Included are breakfast daily, dinner on 3 evenings & light lunches Ardenne style - days 3 & 4
Included excursion package with entrances as per itinerary (see below & overleaf) PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS
Cost from £529.00pp Twin / Double share
Single supplement will apply – on request only
Deposit (non refundable) £ 80.00pp
Balance due in full by the 16.07.10
Eurostar™ Leisure Select Upgrade available at a supplement T.B.A.
Insurance if required is £24.00pp (no upper age limit but subject to medical screening) SAMPLE ITINERARY Day 1 – Departing London St Pancras International late morning, you travel by Eurostar to Brussels Midi where you will transfer to the national Belgian rail service to Liege. Your overnight accommodation this evening is within walking distance of the railway station. Dinner is included in a local restaurant this evening and afterwards you might choose to explore the city centre at your leisure. We would like to suggest a visit to the Bar Vaudree where they have a fine selection of beers, and they especially promote the artisan beers, many of which are only sold locally. Here you can find 42 types of hand pulled beers, hundreds of bottled beers, Belgian & foreign including blonde, white, brown & those from Trappist abbeys ...! Day 2 – After a continental buffet breakfast at the hotel, we start by travelling to Purnode, where we take the ‘Chemin de Fer de Bocq’, a tourist train to Ciney, which has operated since 1992 and shows the charm of this magnificent valley . Having relaxed and enjoyed the stunning Ardenne scenery, we disembark and continue on to the picturesque town of Durbuy, known as the ‘smallest town in the world’. We include a visit to the micro-brewery of ’Marckloff’, whose beer has retained a flavour of the past. Created in 1989, in the restaurant of the Oak Farm of Durbuy, the Marckloff micro brewery adopted a 14th-century tradition. This micro brewery is of modest proportions and sells its products in a short circuit (straight from the brewery to the bar). The cycle of fabrication takes little more than a month and the Marckloff is an amber coloured beer. You will have some free time here to purchase lunch or relax and explore and maybe visit the famous Topiary Gardens (extra cost), before we travel on to the village of Briscol where we will visit the Artisan Chocolate maker, Defroidmont, where you will be given a tour and tasting. The manufacturing is done completely with respect for tradition and with products of the highest quality and 100% cocoa butter. Our next stop is at the Brasserie d’ Achouffe’ which was founded in 1982 and which is nestled in the green heart of the Belgian Ardenne and which specialises in brewing high quality speciality beers. Their products are easily recognisable by the friendly elf which is used to decorate the labels. Their leading product is La Chouffe, golden blonde ale whose freshness and fruity taste really makes it stand out. Its dark sister, the Mc Chouffe deserves its title of ‘Scotch of the Ardenne’ and has a dark, full-flavoured texture & is reminiscent of its Scottish cousins. This afternoon we travel south to the Brasserie de Bastogne where you will get to try the La Trouffette Blonde. It is then just a short drive to La Roche-en-Ardenne, where you will be based for 2 nights and where dinner is included at the hotel this evening.
Day 3 - Today we start with a some free time in La Roche or you can choose to join the included visit to the WWII Battle of the Ardennes museum which is the only Battle of the Bulge museum to include a British section. The is primarily dedicated to the British participation during the Allied counter-attack  (3 to 16 January 1945) and the liberation of La Roche and the villages of the left bank of the River Ourthe. Alternatively, you might choose to visit the Gres de la Roche, an artisan pottery in the town centre where their very modern tour with audio guides, is extremely interesting and well worth a visit. We then visit the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne which was a feudal fortress which dates back to the 9th century. The towers, murder-holes and oubliettes give you a real feeling of the atmosphere during mediæval times. Here we will have a beer reception where you will get to taste a number of local beers before an included light lunch ‘a l’Ardennaise’ This afternoon we visit the artisan brewery known as La Caracole Brasserie, a truly artisanal brewery, whose products are distributed in throughout Europe as well as Japan. Their portfolio consists of four stock ales: Caracole 8% abv, Nostradamus 9.5% abv, Saxo 8% abv, Troublette 5% abv. All styles  are bottle conditioned (second fermentation with yeast in the bottle), unfiltered and unpasteurized. The recurring theme on each label is that of spiral snail shell from which the brewery takes its name and which is the emblem of Namur. All beers here are brewed according to the old ways, in copper vats on wooden fires. It is just a short drive to the pretty riverside town of Dinant, situated on the banks of the Meuse river where you have some free time before we return to La Roche for a leisurely evening and dinner at the hotel.
Day 4 - Today we start with a visit to the Brasserie du Bocq where you will be given a guided tour. Du Bocq was set up in 1858 by Martin Belot and is still a 100% family business and which remains one of the last traditional Belgian breweries. Located in the heart of the Condroz, a wonderful tourist region, this dynamic company still uses the traditional manufacturing process of top-fermentation beers with secondary fermentation in the bottle. The beers produced are : Agrumbocq, Redbocq, Applebocq, La Gauloise Blonde, Brune and Ambree, Saint Benoit Blonde and Brune, Blanche de Namur, Saison Regal, Triple Moine, Deugniet & the Bocq Christmas. From here we continue onto the Distillerie de Biercee, which is unique in Belgium, and here you will be given a guided tour of the distillery & discover the secrets of distillation and how 10 kg of fresh fruit are transformed into one bottle of eau-de-vie or liqueur. You will see the Distiller’s room with its collection of ancient s tills, tools and old books and see a video presentation before sampling one or two of the products in the ‘Grange des Belges’, which is set in the splendid ‘Ferme de la Cour’. A light lunch is included here ‘a l’Ardennaise’ before our next visit, which is to the “Canal du Centre” and its four hydraulic boat lifts, the only ones in the world still in use and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This 2 hour visit will include a trip on the little tourist train, a guided tour of one of the engine rooms and a guided boat trip which gives you a ride with one or more of the hydraulic lifts. We travel on to the Brussels area, where having checked in to the hotel, the evening is at your leisure to explore and purchase dinner locally in the city centre.
Day 5 – Today you can choose between an included guided Brussels city tour or you may choose to visit the Cantillon Brewery and the living museum of the traditional Gueuze, where you will find different forms of life, not only the Van Roy-Cantillon family but also the living micro-organisms which cause the spontaneous fermentation of the lambic. Discover this unique lambic brewery from 1900, where  a family of master-brewers who are proud of their traditions and their products, and who are still brewing today. Here you will find machines, most of them original, as well as barrels with Lambic, Kriek or Framboise. There are cellars where bottles of Gueuze, Kriek or Lambic Grand Cru wait patiently until they are transferred to a customer's table. During your visit you will see a mashing tun, boilers, a granary with a cooling tun, as well as a filter and bottling machine. This is one of the last traditional breweries where almost nothing has changed since the last century. You will experience a unique moment amid the lambic fumes, which escape from the barrels in which the beer matures for three years. Following this visit, you will have a little free time in the city centre to explore at your leisure and can purchase lunch before re-joining the Eurostar™ for your afternoon journey of 1 hour 51 minutes back to London St Pancras, where this tour will terminate.
Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor alterations to this itinerary.
Please note that Eurostar™ prices can increase as availability decreases. It is therefore imperative that we secure your seats as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary surcharges being incurred.
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