Not many people know about the Coin du Balai.
It’s a forgotten corner of Brussels on the edge of the forest. More like a village in the Ardennes. The narrow lanes are lined with tiny workers’ houses painted bright colours.
They have rambling back gardens planted with fruit trees and vegetables. The air is filled with the smell of wood smoke.
The painter Rik Wouters settled in this bucolic neighbourhood in 1907. He lived with his wife Nel in a modest house in the Rue de la Sapinière. Here he painted bright domestic scenes that showed Nel ironing or the rural view from his back window.
It’s a fascinating neighbourhood to explore on foot. Then you can dive into the cafe Le Canard for a coffee or a local beer.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
