Place Brugmann Brussels

The stylish "French" district

Petra from Brussels

""Place Brugmann" in Ixelles, slightly off the centre of Brussels, is reminiscent of Paris. I like the independent shops surrounding it & the Sunday market!"

I live in Ixelles, slightly off the city centre of Brussels which is what tourists generally visit. When I have friends or family visiting me, I like to show them the area around Place Brugmann.

This square is at the end of Avenue Lepoutre, known for its elegant early 20th-century maisons de maître and apartment buildings in Parisian Haussmannian style. This may be why so many French decide to live in this area which reminds them a bit of Paris.

What I like most about Place Brugmann is that it has plenty of nice independent shops, such as antique shops specializing in vintage furniture and jewel designers, as well as decoration, fashion and book shops. On Sundays, I often walk to the square to buy magazines and books at Candide just on Place Brugmann. Down the road, there is also one of my favourite fashion stores, Bonnie et Jane, and Atelier B, which designs nice, affordable jewels. To relax, I may have a glass of wine and some tapas at Winery. My friends are likely instead to make a stop at Maison Dandoy for some typical Belgian biscuits.

I enjoy strolling through the little streets around Place Brugmann to discover new art-nouveau or art-deco details on the houses’ facades. This might not be the most dynamic area of Brussels but it’s a good place to spend a relaxing Sunday morning.

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Brussels Spotter Petra

About me I am half Italian and half Austrian and have lived in Turin, Rome and Brussels. I had been working as an EU project assistant for 10 years but when I moved to Rome in 2001, I decided to open a children's bookshop specialised in illustration books. In 2013, my husband, who is Belgian, accepted a new job in Brussels and so I came back to Brussels for the third time! Since then I have been involved as a volunteer in various Belgian associations, supporting children of immigrant families and persons with handicaps but also organising conferences – I have even met the Dalai Lama in a...

About this spot

Place Georges Brugmann

€

no-price

Nov 13, 2025

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