From Amsterdam to the Ardennes to Paris
Spa-Francorchamps is buried in a forest in the Belgian Ardennes, and watching F1 cars tear through Eau Rouge in person is nothing like TV.
In This Post
My dad and I planned this trip around the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Rather than flying home right after the race, we tacked on a few days in Brussels and Paris — turning a race weekend into a full week across three countries. We flew into Amsterdam on separate flights (dad landed at 8am, I got in around 10), spent Thursday getting our bearings, then picked up a rental car on Friday and drove south.
Getting to Spa-Francorchamps
Friday morning started with the F1 Exhibition at 10am — worth it if you have never been, though it is more spectacle than substance. After that we picked up the rental car and drove from Amsterdam to Liege, which took about three hours. Liege is the closest real city to Spa-Francorchamps (about 45 minutes from the circuit) and made a decent base for the race weekend. The Ardennes region between Liege and the track is quiet, forested, and not particularly well served by public transport. A car is essential.
The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps
The circuit is set in a forested valley, and the scale of it is hard to appreciate until you are there in person. At over 7 kilometers, Spa is one of the longest tracks on the F1 calendar, and the elevation changes — especially through Eau Rouge and Raidillon — are dramatic.
We had Gold 7 grandstand seats on the Kemmel straight, which gave us a view of the cars cresting Raidillon at full speed and braking into Les Combes. Saturday qualifying was arguably more exciting than Sunday’s race: the one-lap format on this long circuit creates real tension, and the sound echoing through the forest valley is something TV cannot capture.
Race weekend tips:
- The weather at Spa is famously unpredictable. It can rain on one part of the circuit while the other end is dry. Bring rain gear regardless of the forecast
- Shuttle services run from Liege and Brussels on race days, but a car gives you flexibility
- Arrive early on race day. The walk from parking to the grandstands takes longer than you expect through the forest paths
- Bring your own food and drinks. Prices inside are high and selection is limited
- The GA areas on the hillsides offer surprisingly good views thanks to the natural terrain — if you do not want to pay for grandstand seats, the Pouhon corner is a popular GA spot
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Brussels After the Race
After Sunday’s race we drove to Brussels (about 90 minutes from the circuit) and checked into a hotel. Brussels was a one-night stop for us — enough time for dinner near Grand Place and a walk through the old town at night when the square is lit up and less crowded. We had done a more thorough Brussels visit on a previous trip (the August 2023 trip with the Dutch Grand Prix), so this was more of a transit stop than an exploration.
Paris: Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame
Monday morning we took the 10:13am train from Bruxelles-Midi to Paris. The Thalys (now Eurostar) takes about an hour and twenty minutes, which is faster than driving and far less stressful. This was my fourth time in Paris (after December 2018, August 2023, and June 2024), so we skipped the broad sightseeing and focused on two things: Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame.
Sainte-Chapelle is on the Ile de la Cite, five minutes from Notre Dame. It is a Gothic chapel with floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows from the 13th century — 1,113 individual scenes across 15 windows. On a sunny day the light pouring through them turns the interior into something otherworldly. The line can be long, but it moves fast. Budget 30-45 minutes inside.
Notre Dame had just reopened after the fire restoration when we visited, and it was worth seeing the work they did. The cleaned limestone and restored interior looked better than I remembered from previous visits.
That evening we had dinner with Paul — an old friend who lives in Paris. One of the best parts of repeat visits to a city is having a reason beyond tourism to be there.
Giverny: Monet’s Garden
Tuesday we took a day trip to Giverny, about 75 minutes northwest of Paris by train. Monet’s house and garden are the entire reason to go, and they deliver. The water lily pond, the Japanese bridge, the flower gardens overflowing in late July — you walk through and understand why he painted the same scenes hundreds of times. The light and colors shift constantly.
Go early. The gardens get crowded by midmorning, and the first hour is the most peaceful. The house itself is interesting (his studio, the yellow dining room, the blue kitchen), but the gardens are why you came.
We flew home from Paris on Wednesday.
What It Cost
- Flights: booked with miles, about 55,000 per person round trip (NYC to Amsterdam, Paris to NYC)
- Rental car: 3 days (Amsterdam to Brussels), about 50-60 euros per day
- Hotels: 80-150 euros per night across Amsterdam, Liege, Brussels, and Paris
- F1 tickets: Gold 7 grandstand seats, about 350-500 euros each for the race weekend
- Thalys train: Brussels to Paris, about 30-60 euros per person
- Giverny day trip: train plus entry, about 30 euros per person
- Food: 35-55 euros per day for two people
Route Summary
- Day 1 (Wed): Fly to Amsterdam
- Day 2 (Thu): Amsterdam — settle in
- Day 3 (Fri): F1 Exhibition, pick up car, drive to Liege
- Day 4 (Sat): Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps (Gold 7, Kemmel straight)
- Day 5 (Sun): Race day, then drive to Brussels
- Day 6 (Mon): Train to Paris — Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, dinner with Paul
- Day 7 (Tue): Day trip to Giverny
- Day 8 (Wed): Fly home from Paris
Related Reading
- Austria and Bavaria: Vienna, Salzburg, and the F1 GP
- Amsterdam, Brussels, and the Dutch Grand Prix by Train
- Barcelona, Costa Brava, and the F1 Spanish Grand Prix
- Our Trip to the F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza
- Paris in 4 Days: Art, Food, and What to Skip
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Book on GetYourGuide:
- Sainte-Chapelle Skip-the-Line Ticket
- Giverny and Monet’s Garden Half-Day Tour
- Bruges Day Trip from Brussels
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to the Spa-Francorchamps F1 circuit?
The nearest city is Liege, Belgium (about 45 minutes by car). Most fans stay in Liege or Stavelot and drive or take shuttle buses on race day. You can also base in Brussels (90 minutes) with more hotel options. A car is strongly recommended since the circuit is deep in the Ardennes forest.
How much does the Belgian Grand Prix cost?
General admission starts around 120-150 euros for race day. Three-day grandstand seats (like the Gold 7 at Kemmel we had) run 350-500 euros depending on location. Add 80-150 euros per night for hotels in Liege or nearby towns, plus food and transport.
Can you combine the Belgian GP with Paris?
Easily. We drove from Spa to Brussels after the race (90 minutes), then took the Thalys train to Paris the next morning (about 80 minutes). An open-jaw flight — into Amsterdam, home from Paris — made the routing simple and avoided backtracking.
Written by Jenna Fattah
I have visited 25+ countries across 6 continents, attended 7 Formula 1 races, and spent 4 years writing about what actually works and what I would do differently. Every recommendation on this site comes from trips I planned and paid for myself. Read more about me