If you go ...
Tips for travel to Bastogne:
GETTING THERE: Bastogne is 90 miles from the Belgian capital, Brussels, with its international airport and high-speed train connections from Paris, London and Amsterdam. Luxembourg's airport is 40 miles away, Frankfurt 190 miles and Paris 200 miles. Charleroi airport, which has low-cost flights from several European cities, is 80 miles away. By train, Bastogne is three hours from Brussels, two hours from Luxembourg.
BATTLE OF THE BULGE EVENTS: A year of commemorations culminates in December. Events in Bastogne include a major exhibition using reconstructions, artifacts and electronic media to tell the story of the battle. There will be solemn ceremonies with veterans, church services, and a night vigil along the front line. A parade of 300 military vehicles is scheduled, along with battlefield tours and a historical re-enactment.
ACCOMMODATIONS: While big, luxury hotels are rare in the rural Ardennes, most towns have a wide range of small hotels, many offering cozy charm and good cooking at reasonable prices; for listings, visit www.logis.be. Local Relais & Chateaux hotels -- www.relaischateaux.com -- are more upscale. For country cottages and bed-and-breakfasts, visit www.gitesdewallonie.net.
RESTAURANTS: The Ardennes region is renowned in Belgium for good eating. Dairy products, smoked hams, sausages and pates are the highlights of local cuisine, joined by trout, boar, pheasant and venison in season. They are often washed down with strong beers from the dozens of small breweries for which Belgium is justly famed. Restaurants abound -- from simple family eateries to gastronomic temples like the Auberge du Moulin Hideux in Noirefontaine or Le Chateau de Strainchamps, in the village of the same name. Visit www.resto.be for restaurant listings.
