Dinant 2025

 

Finding an old postcard of Dinant - La Roche a Bayard in my late uncle's collection was an inspiration to see the road through the vertical rocks beside the river Meuse, south of the town. Dinant is 27 km south of Namur and 87 km south of Brussels. 

Staying in Namur made a visit there simple as there are usually two direct trains an hour from there to Dinant. We decided on a Saturday for the visit as two interesting bars there don't open until late afternoon on weekdays. However, the downside was finding the small town rather busy with fellow tourists on Saturday 1 February 2025.

From seats on the right hand side of train, on a very misty morning, there were mainly views across the river Meuse during the half hour journey. The train passes several barrages, with lock systems for the large barges that use the river. Shortly before arriving in Dinant, the train crosses a bridge to the west bank of the river and passes the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, above the other bank. The Abbey's image is featured on bottles of Leffe beer.

After leaving the train, one can cross the river by the Charles de Gaulle bridge to reach the town with it's citadel above. that can be accessed by climbing 408 steps or taking the telepherique / cable car. The bridge is adorned with saxophones variously painted to represent different countries and a tribute to Adolphe Sax, born in the town and inventor of the saxophone in the 1840s.

La Capsule

Visible from the bridge with it's orange facade and situated under the Citadel on the east bank of the river Meuse, we were early customers at La Capsule and picked a table near the window with views across the river.

It was cold outside and unsurprisingly no customers were yet sat at the tables on either side of the cobbled road between the bar and the river. We only drank coffee on our first visit in the morning but returning at 2.30pm and able to sit at the same table we found that the sunshine had attracted customers to the outside seats.

There was a poster in the town for Dinant Biere Blonde (Brasserie des Legendes) but La Capsule had Biere Le Dinantais (Brasserie Minne) a 5.3% ABV Blonde brewed for the bar and featuring the orange frontage on its label and matching glass.

Although it was bright from sunshine at the front of the bar it was only dimly lit at the back. A guest beer from the tap enjoyed here was Bretty Boop by Brasserie des Legendes.

The regular tap beers are mentioned on a page in the bound menu and the guest beers are written on a white board near the entrance which also features a variety of brewery signs. 

The 'Tout sur le Houblon IPA' section of the menu includes beers from Brussels breweries: Brussels Beer Project (Delta) and Brasserie de l'Ermitage (Lanterne, Soleil and Theorem de l'Empereur - a beer featured in the Unusual Suspects section of Breandan Kearney's book Hidden Beers of Belgium).

Pub St Roch

Our first beers in Dinant were enjoyed at Pub St Roch after visiting the vertical rockfaces at Rocher Bayard. The historic building overlooks a small cobbled square where Rue Pont en Isle meets Rue Courte Saint-Roch.

Inside, it is simply furnished and traditional touches include candlelight at the bar and an old clock. A curving wooden staircase leads to additional seating on the first floor. We chose the table closest to the log fire.

The laminated drinks menu cards include (Wallonian) regional sections for beers with none from Flanders or large breweries.

Our beer choices here included Bertinchamps Framboise (€4, 33cl, Namur region) and draught Brasserie Caulier Bon Secours 4 Houblons (€4.50, 33cl, Hainaut region). A portion of cheese, served with celery salt, also seemed appropriate at lunchtime.

It's well worth walking south of the bridge to find this historic pub with excellent service and facilities.

A walk further south will reward you with river views and and Rocher Bayard where the southbound road skirts around by the river and the northbound goes through.

For details of bars visited in Namur - please see the Namur 2025 blog post.

Lille and beyond - 2024

Lille Flandres station

Lille is only around 85 minutes from London by Eurostar train. Lille Europe station, served by Eurostar, is a short walk from Lille Flandres station where local trains depart to destinations including Lens and Armentieres. 

ilevia Metro and Tram network at Lille Europe

Both stations are connected to Metro line 2 (red) from Lomme to Dron which serves Croix, Roubaix and Tourcoing. See appendix for more details about public transport options.

On a visit to Lille, staying at Plaine Images near Roubaix, from Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 September 2024, a busy schedule for Tim Thomas (on left in photo above) included visits to Croix / Villeneuve d'Ascq (Tuesday), Tourcoing, Roubaix and Croix (Wednesday), Tournai and Kortrijk in Belgium (Wednesday), Lens and Armentieres (Thursday), leaving Saturday to explore Lille. Links for related blog posts (highlighted below) cover:

• Croix, Lille - Heavy Brique (Brique House) and Brasserie Cambier.
• Tournai and Kortrijk - Au Vieux Tournay + deDingen, 't Fonteintje and Gainsbar

This post covers: Lens (La Loco); Armentieres (Brasserie Motte Cordonnier) and Lille (L'Illustration).

Lens - La Loco

Tim secured online TER train tickets for 2 euros each way 'Prix Casses Hauts-de-France' by booking in advance using the SNCF Connect app. The outward train was delayed and left late running non-stop to Lens, arriving at 10.40. Times shown on the tickets for Friday 13 September:

• Out:  9.40       Lille Flandres    a. 10.20 Lens    TER 843212
• Return: 14.41 Lens     a. 15.20  Lille Flandres  TER 843225 

The walk from the station (photo under heading) via Rue Jean Letienne and then under the railway line at Pont Cesarine with colourful street art to Louvre-Lens Museum took about 40 minutes. This includes several stops to read information boards and take photos on the surfaced path through woodland that follows the route of the old mine railway that led from Pont Cesarine to Pit 9.

From a footbridge across Rue Paul Bert the summit of mining slag heap Terril 74b in Loos-en-Gohelle (UNESCO World Heritage site) is visible beyond the end of the road and Stade Bollaert-Delelis, the home of RC Lens, to the right.

It was nice to see a display of boxed beers and books about beer in the shop of the Louvre-Lens museum. The museum offers free entry to the 3,000 square metre single storey display area 'La Galerie du temps', arranged chronologically, which opened in 2012.

After returning to Lens station, on foot and by bus, the idea of a beer at L'Imbeertinence (above) was thwarted by the explanation that no seats were available and one couldn't drink a beer at the bar.

Continuing towards the Saint-Leger de Lens church, tables were set on Place Jean Jaures in front of the town hall for a Marche Gourmand. Perhaps the participants were all at L'Imbeertinence? Across the street in an art deco style building, confusingly adorned with A la Ville Limoges, the Lens tourism office suggested La LOCO, a brasserie / friterie opposite the station, as another good place to find a beer.

Thankfully, there was an unreserved table inside, near the corner entrance of La LOCO. A draught Brasserie Castelain CH'TI Blonde and a Croque Monsieur made a pleasant lunch. A small dish of nuts and savoury crackers arrived with the beer. The other French draught beer was Brasserie du Pays Flamand Anosteke NEIPA. Other draught beers included: Brasserie Caulier Paix Dieu and Bon Secours Prestige, brewed just across the Belgian border; Cuvee des Trolls; Liefmans Fruitesse; Tripel Karmeliet; Kwak and Rince Cochon Rouge. La LOCO is popular with all ages and the obvious place to stop for a beer before or after a train journey.

Armentieres - Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier

A visit to Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier was inspired by reading a post on The Good Life France titled The sparkling Beer scene in Lille, northern France which featured it as one of three 'brilliant Lille brewers'.

After the luxury of an almost empty train from Lens to Lille Flandres there was only standing space on the 15.39 departure of the TER HDF K70 train to Dunkirk via Armentieres. 

Tim's 4 day / 96 hour ilevia Pass Pass card covered the cost of this journey as Armentieres (in red box above) is just inside the Lille zone for TER validity.

There was a wait near Armentieres station for a bus to the brewery premises again covered by the Pass Pass card.

The brewery is inside an industrial estate at Ruche des 2 Lys and there is only a small sign to indicate the direction.

A table at the entrance featured a display of all the beers available for sale. Most beers are available in 33 cl or 75 cl bottles.

L to R: Julien and Gauthier - Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier

This Friday late afternoon opening (3pm - 7pm) is for sales rather than as a taproom / bar but customers may be offered a beer to sample. The beers are named after members of the family involved with Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier since it was first established in 1650. The brewery closed at its original site nearby in 2008. In 2019 Henry Motte led a family effort to buy back the name and relaunch the brewery.

Julien offered Tim a taste of Fernand, a Saison, after opening a small bottle. A bottle was purchased to drink later, back in the UK (2.75 euros / 33 cl). 

After Gauthier joined Julien behind the table, he kindly offered Tim a taste of the IPA Blanche he was drinking. Brewed with orange and 'Bergamotte', a bottle was purchased (2.75 euro) to enjoy a week later, back in the UK. 

Thanks to Gauthier also for the gift of a bottle of Rene Blonde, enjoyed later that evening. The label includes the award of Medaille d'Or 2023 in the Ale Blonde Francais category of the France Biere Challenge. A bottle of Emile Blonde Triple, a multiple award winner including World Beer Awards Silver (2024) and Bronze (2021) was also purchased and enjoyed back in the UK.

Keep up to date with the brewery, its beers, awards and stockists via its Facebook page. 

The image above, from a Facebook post before the annual 'la Braderie de Lille' in September, shows stockists of Motte-Cordonnier beers for the 2024 Braderie when market stalls are set up and the central streets are closed to motor traffic. The bars and restaurants listed should be good places to find local beers in Lille. 

Although the Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier has not been involved with collaboration beers perhaps there is an opportunity for a UK brewery to suggest this in future?

Lille - L'Illustration

Saturday 14 September 2024 was the first day of La Braderie de Lille weekend and the last day of Tim's stay in France. There were seats on the M2 metro at Alsace Plaine Images but after passing Roubaix it was packed and a struggle to get off at Lille Europe stop as most passengers were staying on for Lille Flandres stop, nearer the Braderie. 

Leaving a backpack, heavy with 3 bottled beers from Brasserie Motte-Cordonnier and 50cl cans of Kasteel Rouge and Pelforth Blonde, at the staffed left luggage office at Lille Europe was a good idea (5.50 euros for 2 - 10 hours).

                         Place du Theatre                  Grand Place                    Place Maurice Schumann

Although the streets in central Lille were crowded there was still some space in the major squares before noon.

For European Bar Guide, Jack Anderton had tweeted from @europebarguide about a visit to L'llustration five days before. Based on this tweet it may end up with a rating higher than A la Sarthe currently topping the 8 Lille bars featured in the Guide.

         BierBuik                         Rue Royale                                             L'Illustration

Tim's mission for today was to follow in Jack's recent footsteps and his slow progress through the crowded streets of Lille brought him to L'Illustration, 18 Rue Royale, at noon, just as the proprietor and his staff were putting tables and chairs out on the pavement before opening up early for La Braderie.

It was a welcome relief to be allowed inside and be able to choose the 'best' seat as the first customer of the day - near the bar and with a view of the busy street outside and BierBuik on the other side of Rue Royale.

For the first beer of the day, 50 cl of draught Silly Pils Bio was served in an attractive plastic glass (5 euros). As this was La Braderie weekend, most bars in central Lille switched to plastic glasses. The design and lettering on this one had the same art nouveau style as the windows and other features of L'Illustration like the pattern on the bentwood bench against the wall. The attractive design made the plastic glass substitution for a real glass less painful!

As the bar was not busy yet, it was nice that Mafalda spared some time from preparing the bar for a chat. After mentioning that I had enjoyed a visit to the Botanic Gardens at Tourcoing, she advised that she used to live in Tourcoing and that her art background was a reason she liked L'Illustration which regularly features displays by local artists with plenty of hanging space on the colourful walls upstairs.

Upstairs at L'Illustration, Lille

After explaining to the proprietor that a friend had recently recommended L'Illustration he responded that he must appreciate good beer! The Trappist beer range at L'Illustration includes Chimay Bleue, Orval, Rochefort 8 and Westmalle Triple all priced at 6 euros for a 33cl bottle.

Belgian draught beers included De Ranke XX Bitter and Adriaen Brouwer Tripel. Cidre Mauret Exra Bio was the draught cider made locally with apples from Picardy and Normandy. Tim's second draught beer was La Thiriez Bio blonde brewed in France, near Dunkirk and the Belgian border.

More customers arrived including a group with cameras and a guy with several vinyl LPs purchased at La Braderie stalls. He was happy to show Tim his haul which included Elton John and Peter Gabriel LPs and the Clockwork Orange soundtrack. Pol-Ewen mentioned that he was from Brittany and had enjoyed a visit to Ardnamurchan and the west coast of Scotland which shares some coastal similarities. Later, Pol-Ewen's friend arrived and they posed for a photo.

When Tim's glass was empty, the friendly proprietor brought over a sample of draught Cuvee des Jonquilles brewed by Brasserie au Baron 20 km east of Valenciennes and only 100 metres from Belgium! It's a fresh and floral Biere de Garde with the attributes of a strong Saison. This led to a 25cl serving as the third and final beer here.

After 5 days in France and Belgium alone and with only a few social exchanges, this visit to L'Illustration, meeting friendly people in a relaxed environment, was a memorable highlight of the trip. However at 2.15pm it was time to say goodbye from a new favourite place. 

    Le Kremlin, Rue Doudin     Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille        Parc Henri Matisse    

A hurried jog, without any assistance from inaccessible Google maps, to Lille Europe station to retrieve luggage and board Eurostar involved several changes of direction and delays due to crowded streets but luckily Tim knew where to aim for and he wasn't the last in the queue to check in at 2.45pm.

After an 85 minute train journey and regaining an hour for the time difference, Tim was back at St Pancras International before 4pm.

Appendix - public transport options

Details of the ilevia Pass Pass card for travel in Lille can be found in the appendix of a previous 2024 post - Tournai and Kortrijk which also includes information about trains from Lille to Belgium.

The SNCF Connect app is useful for purchasing tickets to destinations outside the Lille area e.g. Lens.