_-_Mus%C3%A9e_de_la_Piscine_-_27439089753.jpg){kind=link}
DAYS
7
TOUR CODE
ARDB-27
COST
£2995
DAYS
7
TOUR CODE
ARDB-27
COST
£2995
Our tour will celebrate the glorious legacy of Art Deco architecture and design that flourished in Belgium during the inter-war period, ranging from churches and domestic houses to grand commercial buildings.
Overview
The Exposition des Arts Décoratifs held in Paris in 1925 gave its name to the Art Deco style that came to symbolise the inter-war period around the world, and which is still admired today for its elegance and beauty. This dedicated tour celebrates Art Deco design in the cosmopolitan city of Brussels, where its legacy can be fully appreciated through visits to buildings ranging from churches to domestic houses and commercial buildings.
Art Deco spread from the decorative arts to architecture and is associated with the decadent ‘Roaring Twenties’ and 1930s before the onset of the Second World War. Like the Art Nouveau style which preceded it, Art Deco made full use of new and exotic materials, but rejected the opulent curves and floral motifs of the former in favour of a sleeker, more streamlined style, embracing geometric patterns. The style continues to influence contemporary designers today.
Our exploration of Art Deco will begin in the suburb of Uccle. Surrounded by beautiful, landscaped gardens, the Van Buuren house was designed by two young admirers of Frank Lloyd Wright, and its interior includes furniture and decorative features purchased by the Van Buurens at the 1925 Paris exhibition. The nearby Villa Empain, meanwhile, was designed by Michel Polak for Baron Louis Empain, a wealthy bachelor financier who loved entertaining guests. The house and its stunning outdoor swimming pool fell into dereliction before being painstakingly restored by the Boghossian Foundation as a contemporary art gallery and exhibition space, winning the Europa Nostra Prize in 2010.
A day excursion to Lille will include a visit to the impressive Villa Cavrois, designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens after meeting textile industrialist Paul Cavrois at the 1925 Paris exhibition, and recently restored to its former glory. Mallet-Stevens’s design uses concrete, yellow brick and glass and many cutting-edge modern amenities and comforts. We will also visit the nearby Musée de la Piscine in Roubaix, home to a wonderful collection of paintings, textiles, ceramics and sculpture celebrating the town’s heyday as a centre of the textile industry and housed in a former swimming pool and washing baths complex that dates back to 1932.
In Brussels we will visit the impressive Koekelberg Basilica Church, built between 1905 and 1970 to a design by Albert Van Huffel using concrete-filled terracotta blocks. The basilica is brimming with visual delights, from stunning panoramic views of the city to beautiful Art Deco stained-glass windows, a feature that will also be enjoyed at St Suzanne’s Church.
Further Art Deco wonders include the Brussels-Central railway station, designed by Victor Horta later in his career after his successes in otherArt Nouveau schemes, as well as the Palais des Beaux-Arts, also designed by Horta, and now known as BOZAR.
Other highlights of the tour include the former Radio and Television Broadcasting Centre, since converted to house the Flagey Arts Centre and office accommodation, and the extraordinary Forest Town Hall, designed by Jean-Baptiste Dewin and opened in 1938 as the seat of the council and administration of the then new suburb of Forest.
Tour Director
Christopher Bourne
Expert lecturer Christopher Bourne has been guiding groups on art and architectural history tours in the UK and Belgium for over 20 years.
This tour will be led by Christopher Bourne, BA is an expert in 19th and 20th century art. An experienced tour leader, Christopher has been guiding groups on art and architectural history tours in the UK and Belgium for over 20 years. He is a member of the Victorian Society and 20th Century Society, and was a resident of Brussels for 15 years, where he acquired an in-depth knowledge of the city’s architectural, artistic and cultural history. He looks forward to welcoming travellers on tour and delving into the intricacies and history of the Art Deco style.
- ACE customer on a previous Art Deco in Belgium tour led by Christopher Bourne
Our Accommodation
The tour will be based in the heart of Brussels at the magnificent four-star Hotel Le Plaza, an “Art Deco palace” completed in 1931 to designs by Alfred Hoch and Michel Polak, who was also responsible for the Villa Empain. A welcoming establishment known for its elegant and traditional atmosphere, it is conveniently located in a lively part of the city. Some refreshments and lunches will also be taken at Art Deco venues in the city, enabling participants to become immersed in the aesthetic and ambience of the era.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London St Pancras International 1104 via Eurostar, arriving Brussels-Midi 1405. Transfer to Hotel Le Plaza for six nights. Welcome and introductory lecture followed by orientation walk (city centre).
Day 2
Visits to Van Buuren museum and gardens (designed by two disciples of Frank Lloyd Wright, with furniture and decorative features purchased by the owners at the 1925 Art Deco exhibition in Paris) and Villa Empain (magnificent villa now restored and used as a contemporary art gallery). Free evening.
Day 3
Visit to Villa Cavrois at Cointe (early modernist architecture by Robert Mallet-Stevens, built between 1929 and 1932) followed by Musée de la Piscine (art and industry museum housed in a former 1930s swimming pool complex). Free evening.
Day 4
Morning visit to Sainte-Suzanne church (Art Deco stained glass) and exterior viewing of Stoclet Palace (Vienna Secession movement with early Art Deco logic). Afternoon: Forest Town Hall (considered to be an early Art Deco prototype). Free evening.
Day 5
Visit Koekelberg Basilica Church of the Sacred Heart and Brussels-Central railway station followed by lunch at Cafe Victor at BOZAR (subject to confirmation). Afternoon visit to Magritte Museum (world’s largest collection of work by Surrealist artist René Magritte). Free evening.
Day 6
Walking tour around the Ixelles Ponds for Art Deco buildings (exteriors) followed by Flagey Arts Centre (fantastic cultural centre with Art Deco design). Afternoon visit to St Augustine’s Church (landmark of Art Deco with reinforced concrete façade) with coach tour of further Art Deco façades en route.
Day 7
Morning lecture (with Q&A). Transfer to Brussels-Midi for 1256 departure, arriving London St Pancras 1357.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
Please note that a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is required for this tour. Our visits will involve navigating steps and stairs, and a significant amount of time will be spent on foot, walking outside (including over cobbles and uneven ground) and standing at visits, where there are not always frequent opportunities to sit down. There is an option to enjoy the panoramic view from the dome of the Basilica Church of the Sacred Heart, accessible by lift, but participants can opt out of this element of the visit if wished.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
Practicalities
This tour will use the Eurostar to travel to Paris from London. For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a reduction of £90. Participants should feel comfortable handling their own luggage on and off the trains and through the stations. We may also utilise the metro for some of our journeys.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a reduction of £90
Cost Details
Art Deco in Belgium: Luxury, Symmetry & Style
May 19 - 25, 2027
Included: return travel, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, four lunches, two dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £425.
More like this
Alvar Aalto: Helsinki and Beyond
10th July–17th July 2027
with Joshua White
Our tour immerses travellers in the magnificent creations of architect and designer Alvar Aalto, as well as the broader context of Finnish art and architecture. As we journey around Finland, we will explore the rich array of Aalto's work and the serene landscape that deeply inspired him.
Portraits of Weimar Berlin: Life & Literature in the 'Golden Twenties'
12th April–16th April 2027
with Ian Coyne
From Isherwood and Kästner to German cinema of the 'Golden Twenties', this new tour will sweep travellers on a voyage through the history, fiction and cultural legacy of one of Berlin's most mesmerising eras.
Get in Touch
Our sales team are available to help Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm. You can contact us by phone or email or by completing an enquiry form below.
To receive our latest tour details and news, request our most recent brochure or join our email newsletter, use the buttons below.
+44(0)1223 841055
sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
