Hôtel Melba
Why we like it: A large hotel in the centre of Bastogne, with a restaurant. Without a car, the museum and the square can be reached on foot.
Duration1 night
From BrusselsCar · about 2 h
Orval€8 ruins and museum
War Museum€28 with Bois Jacques and War Rooms
Budget€170–260 pp
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Brussels early on a Saturday by car and return on Sunday afternoon. Orval is to the south, near the French border, an hour from Bastogne: you do it on the way there. The Barracks and the Wagon Léo restaurant are closed on Mondays, so the weekend fits. In January, À l'Ange Gardien opens only for groups.
Saturday
- 108:00Drive to Orval
About two hours along the E411 towards Luxembourg. From November to February the abbey opens at 10:30; from March to May and in October, at 9:30.
- 210:30Orval Abbey
The ruins of the church, Matilda's spring, the museum in the cellars and the medicinal herb garden. About two hours.
- 312:30Lunch at À l'Ange Gardien
The abbey tavern, with Orval cheese and beer. The kitchen is open from 11:30 to 15:00; it is closed one day a week, check on its website.
- 415:00Bastogne Barracks
An hour by car to Bastogne. The former barracks of the 101st Airborne, with wartime vehicles and restoration workshops, until 17:00.
- 519:00Dinner and night at Wagon Léo
The restaurant on McAuliffe Square serves dinner from 17:30 to 21:30; the hotel is in the same building.
Sunday
- 109:30Bastogne War Museum
Two and a half hours with an audioguide. Book the slot with the combined ticket.
- 212:00The Mardasson memorial
Next to the museum, the great stone star with the names of the states.
- 312:30Lunch at the Bistrot de la Paix
In the museum itself, with a terrace facing the memorial.
- 414:00Bois Jacques
4 km away, the foxholes of Easy Company, with the 360° videos on the app.
- 515:00Bastogne War Rooms
McAuliffe's cellar, with the same ticket. Afterwards, about two hours to Brussels.
In a day from Brussels, Bastogne gives you the museum and little else. With one night you can fit in everything about the battle and, on the way, something that has nothing to do with war: Orval Abbey, in the Gaume forest, beside the French border. There you see the ruins of the medieval church and eat in the abbey tavern, the only place where Orval Vert is served on draught. In the afternoon you go up to Bastogne for the Barracks and sleep on McAuliffe Square. Sunday is for the museum, the Mardasson memorial, the Bois Jacques and the War Rooms, all with a single ticket.
How do I get there?
By car, which is the practical way: about two hours from Brussels along the E411 to Orval, an hour from Orval to Bastogne and about two hours back along the N4 and the E411. Without a car you can reach Bastogne by IC train to Libramont and TEC bus 6, but Orval is left out.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Orval Abbey | €8 | €3 for ages 7 to 14 |
| Bastogne Barracks | €12 | €9 for ages 6 to 18 |
| Bastogne War Museum | €28 | Includes Bois Jacques and War Rooms |
| Mardasson | Free | Some areas may be under works |
Where to stay?
The Léo Station Hotel, in the same building as the Wagon Léo restaurant, on the place McAuliffe, puts you in the centre without needing the car for dinner. The four-star Hôtel Melba, with a restaurant, is the other option in the village; the Hôtel du Sud is smaller, and with a tent or caravan there is the Camping de Renval.
Where to eat?
À l'Ange Gardien in Orval at lunchtime on Saturday; Wagon Léo for dinner, and the Bistrot de la Paix, inside the museum, for Sunday.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Bastogne, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Bastogne
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
One night in Bastogne and the car for the Ardennes
With a car, Bastogne can be seen in a day and on the second you head for the river or the abbey. The museum, the Bois Jacques and the War Rooms are in different places, a few minutes from each other.
80–130 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotels in the centre of…
- Getting aroundMuseum and Mardasson in the…
- Where to eatRestaurants and brasseries on McAuliffe…
- ServicesMuseum car park, €7.50; Bois…
Where to sleep
- Hotels in the centre of Bastogne, next to McAuliffe Square
- The Renval campsite, on the way out of the village
Getting around
- Museum and Mardasson in the morning; Bois Jacques and War Rooms in the afternoon
- La Roche-en-Ardenne, to the north-west, for the Ourthe and the castle
- Orval, to the south, near the French border
Where to eat
- Restaurants and brasseries on McAuliffe Square
- The museum bistro at lunchtime
- The Orval tavern if you are going to the abbey
Services
- Museum car park, €7.50; Bois Jacques and War Rooms, free
By train to Libramont and bus to Bastogne
It works for the village and the museum, not for the Ardennes. Bastogne has no railway station: you arrive at Libramont and continue by bus. The centre, the museum and the Mardasson can be done on foot; for the Bois Jacques, about four kilometres from the museum, you need a taxi.
90–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotels in the centre, near…
- Getting aroundTrain to Libramont and TEC…
- Where to eatRestaurants on McAuliffe Square
- ServicesTEC ticket for the bus…
Where to sleep
- Hotels in the centre, near McAuliffe Square
Getting around
- Train to Libramont and TEC bus to Bastogne
- On foot around the village, to the museum and the War Rooms
- La Roche and Orval are out of reach without a car
Where to eat
- Restaurants on McAuliffe Square
- The museum bistro
Services
- TEC ticket for the bus from Libramont
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Léo Station Hotel
Why we like it: In the centre, in the same establishment as the bistro, the restaurant and the shop of Wagon Léo.
Hôtel du Sud
Why we like it: A simple hotel a step from the square, for a night between the museum and the Ardennes.
Camping de Renval
Why we like it: The village campsite, on the road out towards Marche, for arriving with a tent or motorhome. Check the exact dates before you go.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Bastogne
Wagon Léo
What to order: the bistro at lunchtime, the restaurant for dinner.
McAuliffe Square · restaurant, bistro and hotel
Brasserie Lamborelle
What to order: Belgian beer-based cooking.
At the end of rue Lamborelle, not on the main street
Bistrot de la Paix
What to order: something quick between the museum and the Bois Jacques.
At the Bastogne War Museum · open during museum hours, no ticket needed · terrace with 100 seats
À l'Ange Gardien
What to order: the Orval Vert, which is served only here, with Orval cheese.
Next to Orval Abbey · kitchen from 11:30 to 15:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00 · closed one day a week and in January open to groups only by reservation
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy the museum ticket beforehand
The combined ticket is valid for six months: if on Sunday you don't have time for everything, you come back another day.
- 2Check the Ange Gardien's closing day
The website marks one closed day each week without saying which.
- 3In December, book everything
For the anniversary of the battle, the village fills up and the hotels sell out early.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Brussels to Bastogne?
About two hours by car along the E411 and the N4; by train and bus, about two and a half hours.
How far is Orval from Bastogne?
About an hour by car, to the south, near the French border.
Can it be done with children?
With children from about 10, yes: they like the Barracks and the Bois Jacques more than the museum.
How much does the getaway cost?
Between €170 and €260 per person with hotel, tickets and meals, not counting the car.