Sunbathing in the parks of Brussels

To begin with, a small recommendation. Escape the Parc Royal and the Cinquantenaire: too easy to access, they are often quickly crowded and your trip to the sun may turn into a nasty sunstroke ...

Parc d’Egmont

At the heart of the Pentagon, there are few parks where you can actually get away from the bustle of the city. Parc d’Egmont is one of the happy exceptions. Wedged between the Boulevard de Waterloo and the Sablon, this hectare and a half of greenery is a haven of peace. It offers a great break after a shopping session in the Louise area. If the sun rays are often blocked by the surrounding buildings, we console ourselves with a small hop to the Sablon to refuel in sugar treats. The Orangerie, and its south-facing terrace, is a base appreciated by fans of the Sunday brunch. It can be accessed on one side, by going along The Hotel and on the other through the number 32 of the Rue aux Laines.

La Cambre²

At the mention of the place called La Cambre, all of Brussels rushes to the lawns bordering the homonymous lake. Some go for a picnic, some to listen to music and others do some sports in a joyful cacophony. The trendiest borrow the ferry to wander the Chalet Robinson island or take their other half for a rowboat ride.

But the Cambre is also an abbey below Avenue Louise. From the IT Tower and the Callens Café, the abbey gardens descend in five terraces towards the Place Flagey. An alternative often overlooked in favour of the overpopulated "beaches" lining the ponds of Ixelles.

The embers of the Sauvagère

At the edges of the Uccle, Drogenbos and Linkebeek municipalities, the Sauvagère park is neither the most beautiful, nor the biggest, nor the most charming or the most accessible of the selection, but it is the only one to have a barbecue ! And such an argument is worth all the parks in the region !

The 18 holes of the Etangs Mellaerts

You can enjoy a paddle boat outing or a game of mini-golf before strolling through the valleys of the Woluwe Park on the other side of the boulevard or take the promenade verte. We'll finish the afternoon around a good ice cream at the Brasserie des Etangs Mellaerts.

Rouge-Cloître

“All of the Forêt de Soignes paths lead to the Rouge-Cloître" says the legend! Spread on 6 hectares, the site of the Rouge-Cloître offers its gardens, walks, health track and especially its playground for children. Its pirate ship is very popular ... The Rouge-Cloître is above all the entrance to the Sonian forest, the "green lung of Brussels". Its 4,000 hectares offer many walking, riding or bike trails.

Journey to Tervuren

One afternoon in Tervuren often begins with a tram ride. Cram ball, blanket and sunscreen in your bag and hop on the tram 44 in the direction of the terminus. Going up the Avenue de Tervuren, you sink into the undergrowth before it opens up onto the majestic view offered by the Palais de Colonie. So tram and pleasure can sometimes be combined. Once arrived, the journey can continue to the African continent thanks to the museum (which will close for renovation in September 2013) or to the shade of the trees and the water's edge. It is so nice there...

To beech or not to beech in the Laerbeek woods

If the beech cathedral of the Sonian forest is about to be included into the Unesco world heritage sites, its sister of the Laerbeek deserves no less a visit. There are more than thirty three hectares which offer themselves to walking rather than to idleness. A place to favour during the spring when the bluebells and lilies bloom in the undergrowth.

The secret of the Tenbosch

If you remember only one address from this article, make an urgent note of this one: the corner of the Mélèzes and Hector Denis streets. The Tenbosch Park is probably one of the best kept secrets of the capital. Let us lift the veil: family oriented, rare trees, rest, lawns, water points, playgrounds ... So many things that do not appear at first sight and which invite you for a stroll to discover your little paradise in the sun!

In Etterbeek, the Félix Hap garden presents almost exactly the same characteristics. Access through number 510 of the chaussée de Wavre. So, these secrets, will you keep them to yourself or will you share them ?

Bye Forest, hello Duden

Though adjacent, these two parks are diametrically opposed ! Forget Forest, take your courage in both hands and climb up to Duden. Behind the Union Saint-Gilloise stadium, historical football club of the capital, the Duden Park surprises with its wild character. The topography of the park has something to make the notion of a flat country a deception: the highest point is at 90 meters, the lowest lies at 55. Mostly shaded, to keep in mind for hot weather.