How well do you know the Brussels Canal and its surroundings? This vast area offers the perfect setting for a walking tour, taking you along a wide range of urban landscapes and very peaceful panoramas, as well as a multitude of neighborhoods, each with their own stories. We bring you a story from the Port of Brussels magazine “14”, sharing some of the special locations chosen by Michel, the local who lives in (and loves!) the canal area.
Bassin de Batelage
Some cities boast wide rivers or streams but many others don’t have that luck. Brussels, which originated more than a thousand years ago on the banks of the Senne, belongs to the latter category. Fast forward a millennium, the river is still there, even though it has been largely covered. And then there is the canal. It was dug at the beginning the 19th century on the edge of Anderlecht and Forest. About 100 years ago, barges first moored here for longer periods or even permanently. Today, 23 boats float in the Bassin de Batelage, all permanently inhabited.
This is the place where Michel settled twelve years ago, after a life full of wanderings. According to our guide for the day, this is the most beautiful spot on the canal, where he feels most at home. Living in a houseboat is a conscious choice. “Living on the water is different and you can’t explain it until you’ve experienced it. You have to try it for a year. If you can last here, you’re fine. Otherwise, you’re not made for it,” he laughs.
Michel doesn’t sail. Not yet. He does all his travelling on foot and mostly with a monowheel. “And since it’s very flat, you have to be careful or you’ll quickly find yourself at the French border.” And between Brussels and the French border, there are lots of things to see along the water and around… without getting tired!
“Living on the water is different and you can’t explain it until you’ve experienced it. You have to try it for a year. If you can last here, you’re fine. Otherwise, you’re not made for it”
Michel
Avenue Marius Renard
Michel, guiding us along the canal, first advises us to drift away from the city by leaving the Anderlecht lock behind us, towards Avenue Marius Renard and the Ring, to admire the breathtaking graffiti frescoes: a unique and completely atypical place.
Pede Park
A little further on is the unmissable Pede park and its ponds with their impressive fauna. Coots, ducks, grebes, geese, sparrowhawks, herons, seagulls, bats, crows and many other species call this place home! The flora is also very diverse with all kinds of aromatic and medicinal plants. This place is a feast for the eyes and all other senses, warmly recommended!
Fruit Time
You can continue the walk towards Fruit Time, a gardener where you can pick your own strawberries (June), raspberries (July, August and September), flowers and other small red fruits.
Vogelenzang Reserve
A few steps away is the famous Volgelenzang reserve (literally, birdsong), a small tributary of the Senne and a rural area that is perfect to unwind and meditate.
As soon as you leave Brussels, the legendary castle of Beersel and the provincial domain of Huizingen greet you. Those who want to venture even farther can continue to Ronquières, famous for its festival and its impressive inclined plane. The icing on the cake is the incredible boat lift of Strépy-Bracquegnies, just before Mons! Anyone who sets off from Brussels by bike will soon have the impression of having experienced a journey full of adventures.
“At night you hear everything, the wind, the rain, nature and the city. Listening to music in such an environment is great!”
Michel
Michel knows these trips along the water like the back of his hand and never gets tired of them. And when the sun sets in the evening, he returns to his houseboat for another timeless moment. He sums it up perfectly – “At night you hear everything, the wind, the rain, nature and the city. Listening to music in such an environment is great!”. If he ever changes his mind, he might weigh anchor for a sunnier climate, but not without nostalgia for his countryside.
For more inspiring stories from the Brussels canal zone, check “14” magazine, a Port of Brussels publication which explores the port neighbourhoods. You can also receive a free copy of the magazine by simply subscribing via this link.
Photos by Magazine ’14’ / Port of Brussels
