In the heart of the Marolles district in Brussels lies the iconic daily flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle, where people can come and take home a bit of treasured history.
Everything can be found at this much-loved market, from antique furniture to oil paintings, Second World War relics, clothes, analogue cameras, old magazines and records, tableware and other small trinkets.
Locals can come to Place du Jeu de Balle any day; the market is open seven days a week, but most stalls work on weekends.
Hanna from Brussels comes to the market regularly with her husband, looking out for prints and pictures. "Coming with someone helps with price negotiations, especially if an object has flaws, you talk between yourself, and then they say 'fine, €10,'" she told The Brussels Times.
Hanna with a picture she found on Sunday, 1 February, at the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle in Brussels. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
"It has become a weekly routine for us. We only buy pictures and have a whole collection of them at home; possibly one day they will be worth something."
The market is also full of second-hand clothes; some are piled together, others hang on racks. Many old fur coats can also be found there. "I think it is really good to buy second-hand and to actually see the value of things," said Raouan, a young woman who lives in Brussels, who comes to the square to hunt for fashionable garments.
Raouan at the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle in Brussels. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
On Sunday, Raouan took home a fur coat for €15. "I used to live in Morocco, and markets such as this one are common there, so I feel at home." Many vendors here are Moroccans, she explained. "I speak Arabic with them, and they drop the price instantly."
The market has also gained an international reputation and often attracts people from neighbouring countries; Henry and Matthew (and their dog, Capri) came to Brussels from the Netherlands for a weekend getaway.
The day before, on Saturday, the pair found a couple of gems: a Second World War German shovel and a British military knife. "My brother collects Second World War antiques," Henry explained. "It is getting harder, though. These days, especially with the internet, people know what they are looking for."
Henry and Matthew, from the Netherlands, with their dog Capri, at the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle, in Brussels, on Sunday, 1 February. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
He also found an iPod Nano – introduced in 2005, discontinued in 2017 – which was still working. "This was the most exciting thing I got today, it has over 600 songs on it! For €5."
Henry and Matthew mainly keep an eye out for antiques and "cool little trinkets", because they're harder to find in the Netherlands, they said.
1934 edition of Le Soir newspaper, found at the flea market on the Place du Jeu de Balle, in Brussels, on Sunday, 1 February 2026. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
Brussels' treasure trove
The market at Place du Jeu de Balle has been active since 1873, after the 'Vieux Marché' (Old Market) moved there from Place Anneessens.
Most of the items come from clearing out houses, often after an owner dies or a family moves abroad, vendors told The Brussels Times. Several stalls also display evidence of Belgium's colonial past, with African masks, figurines and tools.
African artefacts, sold at the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
Most sellers only accept cash payments; the closest ATM is about 10 minutes away at Chaussée de Forest 1.
The market opens at 09:00 and closes at 14:00 on weekdays, and at 15:00 on weekends. Locals recommend coming in the morning, as the market attracts professional buyers who scour stalls for gems to resell.
Many antique pieces of furniture and paintings can be found at the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle in Brussels. Credit: Vicente Torre Hovelson / The Brussels Times
