Watermael-Boitsfort/Watermaal-Bosvoorde: Forest, Gardens and Walks

Watermael-Boitsfort/Watermaal-Bosvoorde combines extensive woodland with landscaped gardens, historic walks and regular markets. More than half of the area is covered by the Sonian Forest. This gives the town a distinctive setting for a trip in which nature, culture and local impressions can alternate.

Forest, Valley and Walks

The WaBo discovery walk is approximately 3.5 kilometres long. You can either explore it all at once or discover it step by step, from one neighbourhood to the next. Seven different leaflets have been published for this walk. It is also offered as a playful activity for families or friends. Those who want to explore the area together will therefore find a clearly defined opportunity to get to know it at their own pace.

Another perspective is offered by the audio-guided 14-18 walk in Watermael-Boitsfort. Its route leads through 14 stations focusing on traces of the First World War. In the Vuylbeek Valley, the landscape changes: in the upper reaches, the valley slopes are lined with beech trees, while further downstream there are more open areas with stretches of water and marshland. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between a walk with a historical focus and a route through different types of landscape.

Parkland and Garden Cities

Parc Tournay-Solvay includes two ponds in a valley, a natural forest on the slopes and an English garden on the heights. The park also contains the vegetation-covered ruins of Solvay Castle, which was destroyed by fire in 1982. A rose garden designed by Jules Buyssens adds to this distinctive part of the park. The park combines bodies of water, woodland, garden architecture and a visible historical trace.

The garden cities of Le Logis and Floréal also shape the character of Watermael-Boitsfort. The complex covers approximately 80 hectares and contains around 1,500 homes. Lush vegetation is part of it, including hundreds of Japanese cherry trees, orchards, wisteria and jasmine. Guided tours can be organised throughout the year on request in French, Dutch, English and Italian. In addition, audio-guided walks through the two garden cities explore the social history of the 1920s, with its utopias and disappointments.

Market Days for Local Impressions

For trip planning with a fixed local appointment, the weekly Wednesday market on Place Keym is a good option. It takes place from 13:00 to 19:30 and places particular emphasis on regional produce and short supply chains. The weekly Sunday market takes place from 8:00 to 14:00 around the town hall on Place A. Gilson. The two markets take place at different times during the week and can be taken into account when choosing your travel dates.

The Right Accommodation for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house, you can first decide which aspect should define your stay: extensive nature, a historic walk, garden landscapes or a market day. Consider which experiences you would most like to include, rather than searching only by a general place name. Watermael-Boitsfort/Watermaal-Bosvoorde is thus suitable as a base for a trip that combines specific walks, parkland, garden cities and regional markets.

To compare other destinations, you can also include Ganshoren, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Schaerbeek/Schaarbeek, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre/Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, Forest, Laeken, Brussels and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode/Sint-Joost-ten-Node for comparison.

For the overarching travel overview: Brussels-Capital Region.