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Eurotrip 2026

Postcards from France and Belgium

Ten days in August. Lille first, then Bruges and Brussels. This page is both parts. Each part also has its own page if you want it: Part 1: Lille and Part 2: Bruges and Brussels.

Part 1: Postcards from Lille

When JP’s work wanted to bring him to France for 3 weeks, I wasn’t about to let him go without me. So I joined him on his last week in Lille, France. These are some “postcards” of my time there, plus a short afternoon in Roubaix.

August 9 - August 13, 2026

The street outside Hotel Maison Louise

The street right outside our hotel, Hotel Maison Louise, in Vieux-Lille.

Me in my dress on a Lille street Selfie in my dress with the belfry behind me
The storefront of Méert in Lille The ornate interior of Méert

Méert, open since 1677.

Holding a Méert gaufre outside the shop

The Méert gaufre, on the menu since 1849. It looks like a stroopwafel but it’s a soft brioche-style waffle filled with Madagascar vanilla paste.

The Opéra de Lille

Opéra de Lille.

The belfry of the Chambre de Commerce

The belfry of the Chambre de Commerce. It’s in the background of half my photos.

The belfry rising over the Grand Place, shot on film

My favorite photo from the trip. The belfry over the Grand Place, on film. It’s also the background of this page.

A Vieux-Lille street in the evening Ornate wooden door on a Vieux-Lille townhouse
Brick corner building in Vieux-Lille White townhouse with a gold sun above the door
Narrow cobblestone street in Vieux-Lille Red and white striped brick house with ivy
Shopfronts in Vieux-Lille at dusk
The Rue de la Monnaie street sign hanging over the street, on film The white building with the gold sun on its pediment, in full sun, on film

Rue de la Monnaie, and the building with the sun on it. Both on film.

L’Ogre restaurant in Lille

L’Ogre. Didn’t get to go, but next time.

A narrow yellow facade between two buildings

I thought this was the smallest house in Lille until I googled it while putting this together. It’s actually a passage through to the Place du Lion d’Or, and it’s been there since the Middle Ages.

The courtyard of the Vieille Bourse

The Vieille Bourse, built in 1623. Merchants did their trading here. Now it’s a secondhand book market.

Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral

Gothic portal of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Carved tympanum above the cathedral door
Stained glass window inside the cathedral The nave of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille
A side chapel with painted walls and stained glass
Gilded altar under a stained glass window Painted altarpiece
Rows of lit prayer candles

Église Saint-Maurice

Église Saint-Maurice from the square The carved entrance of Saint-Maurice Side door of Saint-Maurice
The spire of Saint-Maurice against a blue sky Stained glass window inside Saint-Maurice
Inside Saint-Maurice
Saint-Maurice in the sun
The bar at Brasserie Campion Steak, fries, and béarnaise at Brasserie Campion

Dinner at Brasserie Campion. Steak with béarnaise, fries, and an espresso martini. Not pictured: the homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce I devoured before taking a picture.

The book-lined dining room at La Bellezza

Dinner at La Bellezza with JP’s new work friend Dragos and his wife Jennifer.

JP and Dragos Me and Jennifer

JP and Dragos. Me and Jennifer.

JP at dinner at L’Abbaye Flemish carbonnade with fries at L’Abbaye

Dinner at L’Abbaye. I had the Flemish carbonnade. It tasted just like my grandma’s beef stew, so I cried.

P’tite Poutine restaurant in Lille

P’tite Poutine. Didn’t go in, but I figured my Canadian family would get a kick out of it.

The solar eclipse! Lille saw 90% coverage. We found our way to the rooftop of the Grand Hotel Bellevue, and a lovely Dutch family shared their eclipse glasses with us. It’s very hard not to look at the sun directly.

The belfry and rooftops from the Grand Hotel Bellevue roof, on film

The view from where we watched the eclipse, on film.

The belfry at golden hour from Le Toit-Terrasse JP and me on the rooftop with Lille behind us

After the eclipse we went to Le Toit-Terrasse, the hotel’s little rooftop bar. This was the view.

French pharmacy skincare haul laid out on a hotel bed

Pharmacy haul number 1…

Roubaix

La Piscine Musée. A former public swimming pool built between 1927 and 1932 in an Art Deco style, now a museum.

The main pool hall at La Piscine museum in Roubaix The stained-glass sunburst window over the pool at La Piscine

The main room, with the pool in the middle and sculptures all around.

Painting of the death of Mary Magdalene at La Piscine

The death of Mary Magdalene.

Bronze sculpture of a French bulldog

For my friend McKenzie, whose dog Lewis looks exactly like this.

Plaster sculptures under warm lamps inside La Piscine, on film

Inside La Piscine, on film.

The recreated studio of sculptor Henri Bouchard.

Part 2: Postcards from Bruges and Brussels.

Part 2: Postcards from Bruges and Brussels

After Lille, we took the train to Belgium. Bruges first, then a day in Brussels before flying home. Bruges is the prettiest place I have ever been, so this one is mostly photos.

Bruges: August 14 - August 15, 2026

The old lock house on the Minnewater in Bruges, on film

My favorite photo from Bruges. It’s also the background of this page.

A Bruges canal from the front of a tour boat, on film Sunlight on the canal from the boat, on film

From the water.

The Markt in Bruges with the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck

The Markt, the main square in Bruges. The statue in the middle is Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, who led the 1302 Bruges Matins uprising and the Battle of the Golden Spurs against French rule.

JP and me in front of the Belfry of Bruges JP and me on the Markt with the belfry behind us, on film

JP and me at the Belfry of Bruges.

Me in a white dress on a flower-lined bridge in Bruges Me on a canal-side deck with the belfry behind me

Me looking cute on a bridge.

Boniface Bridge with the Church of Our Lady behind it Me in a green dress on a stone bridge over a canal

Boniface Bridge (Bonifaciusbrug), with the Church of Our Lady in the background. Also proof that JP improved his skills at taking my picture on this trip.

The lock house and bridge on the Minnewater The still water of the Minnewater lake A wall of pink petunias on a Bruges street
Flower boxes along a canal with step-gabled houses behind The belfry rising over a canal A whitewashed wall with a black-framed window and climbing vine

Every street looks like this.

The red door and hanging sign of Café Vlissinghe

Café Vlissinghe. Established in 1515, it’s recognized as the oldest continuously running café and pub in the city. We unfortunately did not get to go.

The arch over Blinde-Ezelstraat in Bruges

Blinde-Ezelstraat, which translates to Blind Donkey Street. It’s named after a medieval inn that once stood nearby.

Canal boat tour

The canal boat tour.

Looking down a canal from the boat, sun through the trees The Church of Our Lady spire from the water A narrow canal lined with gardens, from the boat

Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk)

The brick tower of the Church of Our Lady over the canal
The nave of the Church of Our Lady The rood screen and organ in the Church of Our Lady
A carved wooden memorial with two skeletons on the church wall

A memorial on the wall, skeletons and all.

Statue of the Virgin and Child in a Gothic niche

Virgin and Child, inscribed with Dutch text reading “H.-Maria Voorspreekster van den vrede, bid voor ons” (Holy Mary, Intercessor of Peace, pray for us).

Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child in its marble altar The altar holding Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, flanked by flowers

Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, finished around 1504. It’s the only sculpture of his that left Italy during his lifetime.

St. Magdalene’s Church (Heilige Magdalenakerk)

The blue painted vault and crucifix inside the Magdalenakerk Me on a swing hanging in the middle of the church

There was a swing in the middle of the church, so obviously I sat on it.

Halve Maan Brewery (Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan)

Red rooftops of Bruges from the brewery roof

The view from the roof.

The Church of Our Lady tower from the brewery roof A “mind your head” sign over a very low brick doorway

They mean it.

Two beers on a table in the brewery courtyard

The reward.

Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilig-Bloedbasiliek)

The gilded Gothic facade of the Basilica of the Holy Blood The basilica entrance on Burg Square, with people going in

On Burg Square.

The painted upper chapel of the Basilica of the Holy Blood

The upper chapel.

Brussels

August 16, 2026

One day in Brussels before we flew home.

Me holding a waffle on the Grand Place in Brussels

This was right after I landed. I tried to power through the fatigue and we walked around Brussels a bit. You can see how tired I am just looking at this waffle.

Royal Palace of Brussels

The Royal Palace of Brussels behind its clipped hedges

This was the last day the Royal Palace was open to the public for the year. It had just reopened after two years of renovations.

JP and me outside the palace, on film
Selfie with JP by a tall palace window A long white gallery lined with marble sculptures
A crystal chandelier under a painted ceiling Gilded ceiling with a painted fresco and chandelier

I spent most of the visit looking up.

A gilded hall with tall arched windows and chandeliers
A gilded harp beneath a royal portrait A large tapestry above a blue silk sofa
Gold medallions in a display case beneath a chandelier
The Gothic facade of Notre-Dame du Sablon

Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon (Église Notre-Dame du Sablon).

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

A crowded medieval panel painting of the Last Judgment A Madonna and Child panel with angels A Flemish panel of saints in red and green robes
Detail of an Annunciation panel with a kneeling donor Four small devotional panels on a grey wall A small Crucifixion panel in a gold frame

Old Masters at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts.

The domed facade of the Palace of the Count of Flanders

Palace of the Count of Flanders (Palais du comte de Flandre).

That’s the end of Eurotrip 2026. Thanks for coming along.