Things To Do in France and Belgium in Autumn
Hi there!
This is it; summer is definitely over. It is now time for hot chocolate, fall foliage and Halloween celebrations! Here is are some suggestions of things to do in France and Belgium in autumn.
Enjoy an Indian summer in the South of France
If, like me, you’re not completely ready to say goodbye to summer, you should definitely head to the South of France. The Marseille area and the Provence region usually offer mild temperatures in September and October. There, you’ll be able to visit many beautiful places such as the city of Sète, also called the « French Venice », the French Riviera (« Côte d’Azur ») and the Gorges du Verdon. The Gorges du Verdon, which is Europe’s largest canyon, is a beautiful rocky area where you can either hike or kayak. It was very dry this summer because of the heat, but will most likely retrieve thanks to autumn cooler temperatures and rainfalls.
If you wish, you can even go further South than Provence and take a boat or a plane to Corsica. This beautiful island, located in the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Italia’s Sardinia offers postcard-like landscapes. Corsica tends to be very popular and expensive in the summer. It is much more affordable in autumn. Good news, at this time of the year, the weather will still be quite nice!
Gorges du Verdon, France
Admire Beautiful Autumn Foliage
The beautiful colors of fall will convince summer lovers that autumn in Europe is definitely not that bad (at all)! Whether you’re a city or a countryside person, you’ll be able to witness beautiful autumn foliage almost everywhere in France and Belgium.
There are many beautiful parks in cities. In Paris, I suggest visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin des Tuileries during autumn for typical Parisian landscapes with beautiful orange, red and yellow trees. In Brussels, you should definitely check Osseghem Park, located next to the Atomium, Brussels Park and its Muziekkiosk, as well as Cinquantenaire Park. Whether you live in France or in Belgium - or in any other European country - I suggest you make some research about the parks in your city and the woods and forests around, and go explore them during fall. This is something truly magical!
Autumn foliage is even more beautiful in the countryside. In France, I suggest you visit the « Vercors » and « Chartreuse » regions, located next to the French Alps. The Burgundy (« Bourgogne ») region, which is full of vines and wineries, is definitely a must do in autumn. Its motto is « L’automne, c’est en Bourgogne » which means « Autumn is in Burgundy ». In Belgium, the Soignes Forest, located south-west of Brussels is a wonderful spot to admire yellow and orange foliage. The Halle Wood (« Le Bois de Halle »), which is famous for its flower bloom in the summer, is definitely a beautiful spot in the fall as well. Here again, Google is your friend! Do some research about the prettiest fall foliage spots in your area and do not hesitate to shoot me a message if you’d like further advice ;)
Soignes Forest, Belgium
Celebrate Halloween
It’s spooky season! Even if Halloween is not as big as on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, French and Belgians love to celebrate it. Make sure to have a look at your city’s official website to see what events will be organized on October 31st (and during the weeks before and after). There might be Halloween city tours, parades and parties! If you’re rather a stay-at-home person, you can organize your own Halloween dinner or party with friends or have a horror movie night. Thrill guaranteed!
Halloween is also a great time to visit Disneyland Paris. From October 1st to November 6th, the world-famous park organizes its own Halloween festival: parades, decorations, Disney evils' takeover and Mickey’s annual Halloween celebration, this will definitely be a day full of (scary) surprises!
Halloween and autumn holidays are also a good opportunity for you to visit cities such as London, Dublin or Edinburg. British, Irish and Scottish people really know how to celebrate Halloween! Last but not least, if you’re a vampire fan, the beautiful region of Transylvania, located in Romania, is not only home of the famous Dracula Castle, but also hosts many other « haunted » citadels and castles. This is definitely a great Halloween trip idea!
Play indoors!
As the weather is getting colder and outdoor activities such as picnics become more and more compromised, autumn is the perfect time to do indoors activities.
France and Belgium, and especially their capital cities, Paris and Brussels, are full of great museums. From renaissance paintings and modern art, to light shows (definitely check L’atelier des Lumières if you’re in Paris) and sculpture exhibitions, there is a museum for everyone and fall is the perfect time to discover them! Cherry on the cake, both France and Belgium offer students discounts and sometimes, museums are even free for youngsters.
Other than museums, there are tons of indoors activities that are perfect to experience in autumn. First of all, theaters. Seeing a play or a one-man-show in Belgium or France is a very good opportunity for you to practice your French listening skills. Paris is full of little theaters, so make sure to add this to your list if you plan to visit « The City of Lights ». Another good way to improve your listening skills is to go to the cinema. You can either watch movies in « vf » (French) « vostfr » (original language with French subtitles).
There are several other indoor activities you can enjoy in autumn such as escape games, arts and crafts classes, sports or yoga classes etc. Make sure to do some research and ask locals around you; they will most likely have great suggestions!
Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Eat!
Colder temperatures mean yummier food! Belgian's autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a café Liégeois. Café Liégeois is a Belgian dessert made of coffee, coffee-flavored ice cream and chantilly cream. If you’re not fond of coffee, try its chocolate version: chocolat Liégeois. Belgium is chocolate heaven: Belgian waffle, Belgian chocolate, there is a chocolate treat for everyone in Belgium! If you’d like to discover more Belgian food to be enjoyed in the fall, please have a look at the third point of this article: 5 Things You Should Know Before Starting Your Mobility To Belgium. You won’t be disappointed ;)
When it comes to food, France too has some delicious fall specialties: gratin, blanquette and veloutés, the choices are almost endless. You can also enjoy a hot chocolate or herbal tea in one of France’s many cafés. Make sure to check the fourth point of this article to learn more about French food: 5 Things You Should Know Before Starting Your Mobility To France. In addition, if you want some suggestions of French foods or restaurants to check out in autumn, do not hesitate to shoot me a message. I’ll be happy to let you know what my favorite foods and places are ;)
Belgian Waffles
This is it! I hope you enjoyed this article. Please let us know in the Living Abroad forum what are your favorite autumn activities. I am sure you’ll have great suggestions that everyone could benefit from!